Permit Services Specialist

Permit Services Specialist

Salary

$76,092.00 - $92,724.00 Annually

Location

City Hall, 1055 South Grady Way Renton WA 98057, WA

Job Type

AFSCME

Remote Employment

Flexible/Hybrid

Job Number

26-00130

Department

CED - Development Services

Opening Date

09/10/2026

Closing Date

9/24/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Description

The City of Renton is seeking a detail-oriented and customer-focused Permit Specialist to support the City's development and permitting operations. This position serves as a key point of contact for applicants, developers, City staff, and the public, coordinating permit applications from pre-application through review, approval, and issuance. The ideal candidate brings strong organizational and communication skills, experience in a government permitting environment, and the ability to interpret and apply permitting procedures and building code requirements. Join a collaborative team where your work directly supports safe, efficient, and high-quality development throughout the community.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, AND LICENSE REQUIREMENTS:

• 3 years of experience working with the public in an office environment including a minimum of 1 year experience working in a government permit-issuing office or code enforcement office.
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, certification from the International Code Council (ICC) as a Permit Technician
• Successful passing of a required background check.

Working for the City of Renton comes with an excellent benefits package, including:

• Deferred compensation with the City contributing 3% of the employees salary.
• VEBA Plan with the City contributing 1% of the employee's salary.
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance at affordable rates.
• Paid leave for vacation, sick, eleven holidays and two "personal" holidays a year.
• State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Public Employee Retirement Systems (PERS) plan enrollment.

Telework Program

The City of Renton supports workers performing in a hybrid capacity (partial telework/in-office) where job responsibilities can be performed remotely. This position may be eligible for a telework arrangement, up to 2 days remote, based on the operational needs of the City and specific Department. Regardless of job title or telework arrangement, City of Renton employees must reside in Washington State and within a reasonable distance to their worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Coordinate, organize and manage the plan review process in accordance with established procedures, starting from the beginning phase of the pre-application meeting to the final phase of building permit submittal and issuance.
• Route plans for review, manage project review comments and communications; act as liaison and main point of contact between the applicant and assigned reviewers.
• Review development permit applications, plans and other related documents for completeness and accuracy, determining acceptability for further review and/or processing.
• Verify permit issuance readiness and issue permit; serve as final quality control check for electronic plan reviews from various departments.
• Route completed applications, plans and related documents; distribute permit copy to appropriate construction inspector and applicant.
• Receive requests for inspection, input information into computer programs and print inspection request forms.
• Assist with project scheduling, tracking and organizing periodic project review meetings; update application forms and instructional materials as assigned.
• Participate in technical electronic plan reviews and the review of building applications; assist in analysis of designs and drawings to assure compliance with City codes and policies.
• Provide detailed technical and procedural information and training to applicants, developers, internal stakeholders and the general public, regarding permit submittal processes and software, code requirements, plan review information, inspection requests and results, and related documentation.
• Calculate, collect, receipt and document fees associated with development project activities, and provide Finance Department with daily deposit/report. Process billings and refunds to other City departments and the public.
• Respond to front counter and telephone inquiries regarding development related information and code violation complaints.
• Prepare permits and/or plans for permanent electronic archival storage.
• Maintain accurate up-to-date records of all permit activity and prepare weekly, monthly or annual activity reports.
• Remain current with relevant technological advancements as it relates to field.
• Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance, work evening and/or weekend hours as assigned, and travel as required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

• Move throughout City facilities and buildings.
• Operate a computer and other office equipment.
• Communicate with City employees and residents.
• Lift or move items weighing up to 35 pounds occasionally.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• Work is performed in an office environment.
• Noise level in the office is moderately quiet.
• Work evening and/or weekend hours as needed.
• Night meetings may be required.

Approved reasonable accommodation requests will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.Classification Details

To view a full job description go to: Class Specifications | Permit Services Specialist | Class Spec Details

Selection Procedure

Please consider visiting the City of Rentons Career Center for more information about our hiring process, benefits and other useful information. The City of Renton embraces a diverse and inclusive workforce and prides itself on promoting collaboration and teamwork in a positive environment while providing high quality services to the community. For more information about the City of Renton, please visit the following website: Why Renton

The City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including candidates' names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the screening of applications. For that reason, you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, including a cover letter or resume. Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application.

Accommodation: Individuals needing accommodation in the application, testing, or interview process may contact cmoore@rentonwa.gov at least 2 business days prior to the need.

Communication from the City of Renton:

We primarily communicate via e-mail during the application process. E-mails from rentonwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders. We also communicate via text and encourage you to sign up for text alerts when completing your job application.

Recruitment Process:

The screening process will include a review of minimum qualifications and applicants selected for an interview will be invited via email to self-schedule a time through the Government Jobs account. At minimum, this position will be subject to a standard criminal background check and professional reference check.

This position is represented by AFSCME, Local 2170, and the applicable benefits are as follows:

Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance

• Employees are offered a choice of medical/vision coverage through either Kaiser Permanente or the Citys self-insured plan. Preferred Provider Option is available through the self-insured plan. Rates for both plans are available on the Benefit webpage. Please click on the link at the bottom of the page for details.
• The dental insurance plan covers services such as regular checkups, x-rays, fillings and crowns. Orthodontia coverage is also provided.

Deferred Compensation Program

• The City contributes 3% of the employees base wage rate into a deferred compensation retirement plan.
• Employees may also set aside a percentage of their earnings on a tax-deferred basis.

Retirement Plan

• Employees are enrolled in either the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems Plan (PERS) or the Public Safety Employees Retirement System (PSERS).

• The following position is required to be enrolled in PSERS*

• Probation Officer

• If an employee was in PERS prior to 2006, the employee had the choice to remain in the PERS plan.

• Both the employee and employer contribute to the plan.

VEBA

The City contributes 1% of base pay into individual employee VEBA accounts, which can be used to pay out of pocket medical expenses.

Life Insurance

• A group term life insurance policy is provided to each employee at a value equivalent to the annual salary, up to $50,000.
• Each eligible dependent is also provided with a $1,000 policy. There is no cost to the employee.
• Optional supplemental insurance is available for employees and their dependents at group rates.

Long Term Disability Protection

• Many employees are provided with a long term disability policy up to the equivalent of 60% of their salary.

Flexible Benefits

• The City offers employees the opportunity to open two separate tax-free accounts through salary reduction. One account is to pay for expenses not covered by health insurance and the other account is for child care costs.

Vacation

• Employees accrue vacation beginning with the first day of employment as follows: 12 days per year (0-5 years); 18 days per year (6-10 years); 21 days per year (11-15 years); 24 days per year (16-20 years); and 27 days per year (21+ years).
• Employees may access their vacation immediately.

Sick Leave

• Upon employment, the employee receives a sick leave bank of 24 hours, with an additional 24 hours awarded after three months.
• Thereafter, sick leave accrues at the rate of four hours each pay period.

Employee Assistance Program

• A confidential counseling assessment and referral service is available without cost to employees and family members for help with personal, family or job-related problems.

Paydays

• The City of Renton pays employees on the tenth and the twenty-fifth of each month (24 pay periods each year).

Holidays

• The City recognizes eleven holidays and offers two "personal" holidays each calendar year for most employees, unless otherwise specified in a labor contract.

Hours of Work

• Flexible work schedules are available in many departments.

Transportation

• Unlimited free rides on various bus systems as well as various carpool and rideshare options are available for City employees.

Please see the City of Renton Benefits webpage for more information.

01

Please describe why you are interested in the Permit Services Specialist position with the City of Renton.

02

Please state your highest degree level in in Public or Business Administration, Planning, Building and Applied Arts or related field. Example: Bachelors in Planning. If you do not have a related degree, write N/A.

03

Please state your permitting systems experience. Your work history in the application must show this information. You will not be allowed to add attachments (such as a resume or cover letter).

• Less than 1 year of experience.
• 1 year to 3 years of experience
• 3 years to 5 years of experience
• 5 years to 7 years of experience
• 7 years or more of experience

04

What software systems are you experienced in. Check all that apply.

• Energov / Civic Access Self-Service Portal (CASSP)
• Bluebeam
• Granicus (Website Design)

05

You may list any other related software experiences here. If none, write N/A.

06

How do you balance providing excellent customer service while ensuring applicants meet desired timelines and comply with city codes and regulations?

07

Thank you for your interest in joining the City of Renton team. We have adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, such as candidates names, contact information, etc. For that reason, you will not have the ability to attach any documents to your application, including a cover letter or resume. You must thoroughly complete the education section (if applicable to the qualifications of this position) and work experience section in chronological order. You must also provide a thorough response to each of the Supplemental Questions. Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application as described above without any personal identifiers included. Failure to do so may result in elimination from further consideration. Have you read and understood the information listed above?

• Yes, I have read and understood the information listed above.

Required Question

Employer City of Renton

Address 1055 South Grady Way

Renton, Washington, 98057

Phone 425-566-0828

Website http://www.rentonwa.gov/jobs