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Job Description
The City of Menlo Park is seeking a spirited individual with excellent Interpersonal skills to join the Community Development Department Permit Technician Team!
Under general supervision, the Permit Technician performs a variety of technical duties in support of the Community Development Department; serves as staff for the permit and public counter and assists the public with technical information related to the issuance of permit applications, including the process and any related fees; uses specialized database/permit tracking management programs; and performs related work as required.
THE DEPARTMENT
The Community Development Department is responsible for ensuring a sustainable and vibrant community that supports a high quality of life for residents, businesses and visitors. It is comprised of 35 FTE who operate as an effective and cohesive team across multiple functional areas and lead a number of City initiatives to support the City Council goals. The Department includes the Building, Planning and Housing Divisions, and core services include building permits, plan check, inspections, affordable housing administration and housing initiatives, as well as long-range planning and development review.
The Building Division, which is the division this position will be responsible for overseeing, includes managing building permit, plan check and inspection processes for compliance with all applicable State laws, local municipal codes and related policies involving building construction. These functions require a high level of customer service with the public and coordination within and across various departments and agencies. The Division issued approximately 2,106 building permits and conducted approximately 9,000 building inspections in 2025. For additional budget information, visit
menlopark.gov/budget
.
A job description, including examples of typical job functions and qualifying knowledge, skills, and abilities, is available by clicking on the Job Description link.
Job PDF:
https://www.calopps.org/sites/default/files/Permit%20Technician_3.pdf
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to confidently implement policies and procedures while maintaining professionalism and composure under pressure. They will possess a growth mindset, strong leadership qualities, and the ability to motivate and inspire others.
The successful candidate will exhibit sound judgment, emotional intelligence, and a solution-oriented approach when navigating a variety of situations. They should be collaborative, adaptable, and capable of maintaining a positive and professional demeanor, even in challenging circumstances or when differing opinions arise.
Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:
- Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade
- Four years of increasingly responsible clerical experience involving extensive public contact, two of which include responsibility for technical support services within a building or planning program
- Possession of, or ability to obtain within one year of appointment, Certification as a Permit Technician by the International Code Council
Preferred Qualifications
- An Associate’s degree in a related field
- Experience working with Accela and DigEplan
Benefits
The City offers an excellent benefit package consisting of:
- Health Insurance: City contribution up to $3,039 per month towards a Cafeteria Plan which can be used to purchase medical insurance and participate in a flexible spending account for health care and/or child care reimbursement
- Dental: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Vision: City-paid coverage for employee and dependents
- Vacation: 88 - 176 hours of vacation leave accrual each year, depending on length of service
- Sick Leave: 96 hours of sick leave accrued each year
- Holidays: 11 official holidays; 34 hours of floating holiday time per year; 8 “Day of Reflection” hours per year in recognition of holidays of individual and community importance
- Retirement: CalPERS: For classic members 2.0% @ 60 formula. For all others, 2.0% @ 62 formula
- Deferred Compensation: Voluntary participation in City Plans.
- Life Insurance: City-paid policy equal to 1.5 times regular annual wage
- Long Term Disability: City-paid coverage
- Educational leave and tuition reimbursement
- A City-paid BayPass. The Menlo Park campus is centrally located within walking distance from Caltrain and downtown Menlo Park. This program offers employees unlimited travel for both work and personal trips on 25 Bay Area transit agencies that use the Clipper card, including CalTrain.
- A transportation allowance program provides employees with $1.50 per day when they walk, bicycle or carpool to work at least once per week.
- Employees are provided with access to an on-site gym at no cost
For additional benefit information, visit
www.menlopark.gov
and review the City of Menlo Park and SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.
Special Instructions
IMPORTANT: Please be sure to fill out the required City application completely, including all relevant work experience. Applications with “See Resume” as a substitution for the work experience description and/or unclear past employment information will not be considered.
Applications will be screened according to the qualifications outlined in this announcement. If 25 or less qualified applications are received, the eligibility list will be established based on application review. If 26 or more qualified applications are received, candidates will be invited to participate in a Oral Board Panel Examination tentatively scheduled for the week of May 25, 2026. All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.
An Eligible List will be established as a result of this examination process and will be valid for a period of six (6) months. The list may be extended up to a maximum of two (2) years. The hiring department will review the Eligible List to determine which candidates will be invited to the department selection process.
The City of Menlo Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the City of Menlo Park not to discriminate against all qualified applicants or employees. We will make reasonable efforts in the selection process to accommodate persons with disabilities. Please contact Human Resources at (650) 330-6670 or
jobs@menlopark.gov
prior to the closing date for accommodation requests.
Before receiving an offer of employment, the candidate will be required to successfully complete a criminal conviction history questionnaire, DOJ fingerprinting, and Occuscreen criminal background check.
In accordance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act, all potential employees are required to provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or authorization to work in the United States. The City will not sponsor applicants for work visas.
Closing Date/Time: 5/22/2026 at 11:59pm -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Menlo Park
Show moreMenlo Park is a city of beautiful, tree-lined neighborhoods and active commercial districts. Located conveniently between the major metropolitan areas of San Francisco and San Jose, Menlo Park is home to a little over 32,000 residents in its 19 square miles. The stunning natural surroundings of the city afford views of the San Francisco Bay to the east and the Pacific Coastal Range to the west. Menlo Park’s climate is moderate to warm, with an average of 265 sunny days a year.
Menlo Park’s residents reflect a range of backgrounds and interests who tend to be well educated and actively engaged in community life. Excellent public and private schools serve its many young families, while residents of all ages enjoy the City’s numerous parks and recreational facilities. The city’s close proximity to Stanford University and Menlo College provide a multitude of academic, cultural and athletic event opportunities. The arts and leisure activities of the major urban areas of San Francisco and San Jose are close by. These and many other amenities contribute to Menlo Park’s outstanding quality of life.
Located in the heart of Menlo Park is a downtown featuring unique and upscale shops and restaurants. Set in a pleasant, pedestrian-oriented atmosphere, Menlo Park’s downtown area attracts locals and visitors alike. Known worldwide as the “Capital of Venture Capital,” Menlo Park is well situated to benefit from and help shape new technologies and markets originating from the Silicon Valley. The city hosts such major employers as SRI International, the U.S. Geological Survey, Facebook, Pacific Biosciences, E*TRADE Financial Corporation and CS Bio Co.City government
Menlo Park was founded November 23, 1927, as a general law city under the State of California and operates under the council-manager form of government. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney as well as members of a variety of commissions and committees. City departments that report to the City Manager include Administrative Services, the City Manager’s Office, Community Development, Community Services, Library, Police and Public Works.
In addition to its many attributes, Menlo Park has one of the most beautiful civic center campuses in the Bay Area. Lush landscaping including heritage trees, a running fountain and a duck pond surrounds the City Hall / Administration Building. The campus also includes a nine-acre park, recreation facilities and the main Menlo Park library. These civic amenities make the campus a noted destination for City residents, local employees and visitors alike. Conveniently located, the campus is a short walk to the Caltrain station and Menlo Park’s downtown retail district.
The Menlo Park City website is the primary source for information about City services, programs, projects, events, meetings, policies and volunteer opportunities.City Council
The City Council is the City's five-member governing body whose members serve at-large for four-year overlapping terms in general municipal elections. The City Council selects from among its members, the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem to one-year terms at its first meeting in December of each year. The Mayor, who represents the City of Menlo Park, serves as the presiding officer of the City Council and signs enacting ordinances and contracts. The Menlo Park City Council meetings are generally Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers located at 701 Laurel Street. Menlo Park’s City Councilmembers serve part-time, retaining their positions in private industry, personal enterprise, business or the professions. -