Fire Inspector (Civilian)
Salary
$95,513.60 - $117,291.20 Annually
Location
Oakland, CA
Job Type
Full Time Civil Service
Job Number
26-PS142-06
Department
Fire Department
Opening Date
06/30/2026
Closing Date
7/13/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA
Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit
SC1
The Position
The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.
Why join the Fire Prevention Division of the Oakland Fire Department?
The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill multiple vacancies for the position of Fire Inspector (Civilian) in the Fire Prevention Division of the Oakland Fire Department. The Fire Prevention Division is responsible for fire prevention, investigation, and commercial inspections.
Joining the Oakland Fire Department as a Civilian Fire Inspector offers the opportunity to serve your community in a meaningful and highly visible way. In this role, your work directly contributes to protecting lives, homes, schools, and businesses by helping prevent fires before they happen. You'll be part of a dedicated public safety organization with a strong mission, where your inspections and enforcement efforts have a real and immediate impact on neighborhood safety-particularly in high-risk areas such as the Oakland hills and densely occupied buildings. The Department provides a supportive environment where inspectors work independently in the field while benefiting from the guidance and expertise of experienced fire prevention professionals. If you are looking for a career that combines technical skills, public service, and the satisfaction of making Oakland a safer place to live and work, this is a unique opportunity to do work that truly matters.
We are looking for someone who is:
What you will typically be responsible for:
Read the complete job description by clicking this City of Oakland Fire Inspector (Civilian) Class Specification
Working for the City of Oakland
A few reasons you might love this job:
A few challenges you might face in this job:
Competencies Required:
Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
Informing: Proactively obtaining and sharing information
Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
Reading Comprehension: Understanding and using written information
Safety Focus: Showing vigilance and care in identifying and addressing health risks and safety hazards
Minimum Requirements for Application
This recruitment will produce an Open list. The open list will be for applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.
This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.
Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.
Education:
Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. An Associates Degree from an accredited college or university in Fire Science, Fire Technology or a closely related field is desired. Successful completion of Fire Inspector 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D courses (effective August 1, 2013) is highly desirable.
Experience:
Two (2) years of journey-level experience with a governmental agency or private organization, performing inspection and enforcement duties related to fire, safety, planning, zoning or building of commercial, industrial, institutional and/or multiple dwelling units.
License or Certificate / Other Requirements
Must obtain a valid Fire Inspector I certification through one of the following:
International Code Council (ICC)
OR
California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM)
OR
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
OR
equivalent as defined by the California Office of the State Fire Marshal
by the completion of probation and maintain possession by renewing the certification on or before the expiration date.
Fire Prevention Officer/Fire Inspector I & II Certifications are desirable.
Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Drivers License throughout the tenure of employment.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
Must pass a thorough background investigation, including an employment physical examination.
Desirable Qualifications:
Supplemental Information
The Recruitment Process:
The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the "minimum qualifications" listed for each position.
Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.
Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.
In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final.
For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to take an online multiple-choice test, (weighted 100%). You will have 7 days to complete the test once the link is sent to your email. This is tentatively planned to launch during the week of July 27, 2026.
Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it: https://cao-94612.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Request-for-Reasonable-Accommodation-in-Testing-2.9.22-Fillable.pdf Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Cynthia Ng at cng@oaklandca.gov
Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you're applying to a "restricted" posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.
The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
What's in it for you?
Additional information can be found here: Working for Oakland | City of Oakland, CA
Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.
Disaster Service Workers
All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
How to Apply
Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system. APPLICATIONS ARE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY. You may apply and view current openings by visiting our employment opportunities webpage at:
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca
If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).
Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Cynthia Ng, Senior Human Resources Analyst, at cng@oaklandca.gov.
The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions. Benefits may include*:
01
Please be sure to answer the supplemental questions thoroughly and accurately. Applicants are responsible for clearly, completely, and accurately identifying their qualifications. Responses to the supplemental questions may determine your application status. By answering "yes" to this question, I certify that I have read and understand the statement above concerning submission of supplemental question responses.
02
Are you a current full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City of Oakland or Port of Oakland employee?
03
If you are a current City or Port of Oakland employee, what is your job title and employee ID number? If you are not a City or Port employee, type "N/A".
04
Have you previously been employed by the City of Oakland?
05
If you have previously been employed by the City of Oakland, please enter the dates and titles of the jobs you previously held at the City of Oakland below. If you have not been employed by the City of Oakland put "N/A".
06
Please list other names used while employed by the City of Oakland. If you have not been employed by the City of Oakland put "N/A".
07
Do you confirm that the address on your application matches your current residential address?
08
If the address on your application does not match your current residential address, please enter your address and update it in your governmentjobs.com profile. If not applicable, type "N/A".
09
Which of the following best describes your highest educational achievement?
10
If you indicated your highest educational achievement is "Some college credits", how many units of college level coursework have you completed?
11
If you indicated that you have attained a Bachelors degree or above, please list the field of study (major) in each degree attained. (for example: BA degree - Environmental Science & MA degree - Business Administration) If this doesnt apply, type "N/A".
12
Please indicate whether you have successfully completed Fire Inspector 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D courses (effective August 1, 2013). If yes, list the institution(s) where the courses were completed. If no, enter "N/A."
13
For this position, you must obtain a valid Fire Inspector I certification through one of the following: International Code Council (ICC) OR California Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) OR National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) OR equivalent as defined by the California Office of the State Fire Marshal by the completion of probation and maintain possession by renewing the certification on or before the expiration date. By answering "yes" to this question, I certify that I have read and understand the statement above concerning obtaining and maintaining obtain a valid Fire Inspector I certification by the completion of probation.
14
Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Drivers License throughout the tenure of employment. By answering "yes" to this question, I certify that I have read and understand the statement above.
15
Individuals who are appointed to this position must pass a thorough background investigation, including an employment physical examination. By answering "yes" to this question, I certify that I have read and understand the statement above.
16
How many years of journey-level experience do you have performing inspection and enforcement duties related to fire, safety, planning, zoning or building of commercial, industrial, institutional and/or multiple dwelling units with a governmental agency or private organization? (For purposes of this recruitment, "journey-level experience" means independently conducting inspections, interpreting and enforcing codes, issuing violations or corrective notices, conducting follow-up inspections, and preparing enforcement-related documentation. Experience limited to installation, repair, construction support, or sales work is not considered qualifying experience.)
17
Please clearly and thoroughly describe your journey-level experience with a governmental agency or private organization performing inspection and enforcement duties related to fire, safety, planning, zoning, or building of commercial, industrial, institutional, and/or multi dwelling units.. If you do not have this experience, type "N/A". Do not enter "See resume / application" as a response.
18
Acting assignments: If you have served in an Acting assignment that you would like considered as experience towards the minimum qualifications requirement, please list the Acting assignment(s) separately in the "Work experience" section of your application. For each Acting assignment, the description must include the Acting job title (use the word Acting as part of the job title), dates and hours served, and duties performed. I understand the above statement and will list any Acting assignments separately in the "Work experience" section of my application form.
19
This is a public contact position. Although no current vacancies require bilingual skills in a specific language, the eligible list generated from this announcement will be used to fill positions that may or may not require bilingual language skills. For positions in this classification not requiring bilingual language skills, names will be certified in rank order (in accordance with Civil Service Rules, Section 5.02). For positions in this classification requiring selective certification of bilingual language skills, names of eligible candidates certified to the hiring authority shall be the highest ranking candidates willing to accept employment and who possess the additional and special qualifications required (in accordance with Civil Service Rules, Section 5.03, Selective Certification). Such positions will require selective bilingual skills in one or more of the following languages: Spanish, Cantonese, and Mandarin. Please note, identified bilingual skills will be tested prior to a final offer of employment. Candidates must pass the bilingual skills test to be considered for selectively certified positions. Identify the language(s) for which you have bilingual conversational proficiency. If you do not have bilingual conversational proficiency in any of the identified languages, check the appropriate box.
20
Answers to the above supplemental questions MUST be supported by information contained in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of this application. Answers not supported by information contained in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of this application will NOT be considered. Resumes and cover letters will not be reviewed. I have read and understand this statement.
Required Question
Employer City of Oakland
Address 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - 2nd Floor
Oakland, California, 94612
Phone (510) 238-3112
Website http://www.oaklandca.gov/