Planning Inspector I - SR-16

Salary : $52,656.00 Annually
Location : Future vacancies with immediate vacancies in Hilo, HI
Job Type: Permanent & Temporary Positions
Job Number: 2026-00064
Department: Planning
Division: Administrative Permits
Opening Date: 05/24/2026
Closing Date: Continuous


Duties Summary


Inspects and assess uses, sites, buildings, and structures for compliance with State and County land use laws, ordinances, rules, and permits; issues citations for non-compliance; and performs other related duties as required.

There are two (2) immediate permanent full-time vacancies with the Planning Department - Administrative Permits Division in Hilo. May be eligible to receive a $3,000 Recruitment Incentive. Conditions apply.
Certain Planning Inspector I positions are career ladder positions. The next level in the series is Planning Inspector II, SR-19, $4,933/month. Persons hired into career ladder positions must meet minimum qualifications for the next level in the career ladder series, perform work at the higher level, and meet performance requirements to move to the next level in the career ladder series.

The eligible list may be used for other permanent and temporary vacancies as they arise during the life of the list. Temporary appointment may lead to conversion to permanent appointment.

Examples of Duties
Research and Investigation:

• Investigates complaints and alleged violations of State and County laws relating to land use codes and of programs implemented by the Planning Department.
• Researches and gathers information through on-site inspections, interviews, examinations of files and records within the department and outside sources.
• Reviews plans, specifications, and compiled data to ascertain whether violations exist and to determine nature and extent of violations.
• Checks uses of sites and buildings, and conformance to land use development standards such as off-street parking, heights, setbacks, spacing, and bulk of structures.
• Collaborates with other departmental staff on matters related to the inspection of uses, sites, buildings, and structures in existence or in the process of construction and alteration and to its compliance with zoning and subdivision codes, coastal zone management regulations, conditions of approvals, approved plans and specifications, departmental rules and policies, etc.
• Consults with other County departments and agencies for expertise on potential violation issues within their area of expertise (i.e., engineering grading, Building Code violations, etc.)
• Makes referrals to other County Departments and agencies for possible violations outside of the Planning Department's authority.

Case Management:

• Maintains files and records of all complaints and violations to include illustrative charts, maps, diagrams, photographs, written findings, and recommendations.
• Discusses findings and recommendations with superiors and other staff as needed.
• Meets with violators to explain required remedial action, possible penalties under the law, appeal rights, and policies and procedures in applying for variances in land use.
• Drafts and prepares correspondence related to the case.
• Follows up on cases and provides periodic periods of grace to effect required corrective actions.
• Initiates action to enforce compliance with the law.
• Assists Corporation Counsel, Prosecuting Attorney, and other governmental agencies by providing pertinent information concerning cases as well as testifying at hearings and in court.

Other Duties:

• Attends Community, Board, Commission, and County Council meetings, as necessary, to answer questions when called upon.
• Prepares correspondence, generates informational materials, and replies to inquiries from the public.
• Keeps abreast of revisions to pertinent State and County laws, codes, rules, the general plan, maps, and departmental policies and procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualification Requirements
Training and Experience:
A combination of education and experience substantially equivalent to:

• graduation from high school, and
• two (2) years of inspectional or investigative work experience, or
• one (1) year of work experience involving the interpretation and application of Planning related rules, codes, and ordinances such as Zoning Codes, Subdivision Codes, Special Management Area, etc., and
• possession of a valid State of Hawai'i driver's license (Class 3) or any other valid comparable driver's license at time of filing. (You will be required to submit your valid driver's license at time of hire.)

Examination: All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements will be assigned a score of 70 points. An education and experience evaluation will be conducted based on the applicant's training, education and experience as presented in the application.

Please read the minimum qualification requirements carefully. Be certain to list all pertinent training and experience, as this may be important in determining your examination score. It is essential that the applicant describe fully the duties and responsibilities of each position held, specify the date of each position held (from and to, month and year), and indicate the number of hours worked per week.

Attach all required documentation (e.g. official transcript, professional license(s)/certification(s), DD-214, etc.) at the time of submitting your application.

Note: In-person interviews and/or further testing in Hawai'i County may be required at the discretion of the hiring department/agency. If in-person interviews and/or further testing are required, applicants who are referred to the hiring department/agency must be available to participate in person and at their own expense at that phase of the selection process.

Knowledge of: laws and regulations pertaining to zoning, subdivisions and other Planning related rules, laws, policies, and procedures; inspectional and investigative methods and techniques; legal procedures involved in enforcing zoning and subdivision ordinances and regulations; report writing, and public relations.

Ability to: inspect sites, buildings, structures, and signs and render decisions as to conformity with ordinances and regulations; interpret and explain laws, ordinances, regulations, and policies pertaining to County planning activities; read and interpret plans and specifications, zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and apply them to specific cases; gather, analyze, and evaluate facts; prepare clear and concise written report of findings with recommendations for conformance and resolutions; follow through on cases to closure; testify at hearings and in court; establish an effective working relationship with co-workers and employees from other agencies; and deal tactfully and effectively with the public.

Physical Requirements: Persons seeking appointment to positions in this class must meet the health and physical condition standards deemed necessary and proper to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Physical Effort Grouping: Light

Benefits of County Employment : The County of Hawai'i offers a competitive compensation package. Your total compensation is comprised of your salary and a generous range of valuable benefits, subject to eligibility requirements.

• Flexible Working Arrangements: Options may include alternate work schedules (4-10) and flexible working hours. (Not all Departments/Agencies participate and not all positions are eligible.)
• Vacation: Start accruing paid vacation time immediately upon hire - up to 21 days per year.
• Sick Leave: Start accruing paid sick leave time immediately upon hire - up to 21 days per year.
• Holidays: The County provides 13 paid holidays per year (plus General Election Day when applicable).
• Training and Development: The County has a variety of training and development opportunities for employees.
• County Tuition Reimbursement Program : This scholarship program rewards employees who take the initiative to advance their education and learning.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program: You may be eligible for this federal program which forgives portions of federal student loans for individuals working in public service.
• Retirement Plan: The Employees' Retirement System is a qualified defined benefit public pension plan that provides retirement, disability, survivor and other benefits to all eligible full-time and part-time county employees in the State of Hawaii as well as their beneficiaries.
• Deferred Compensation: Save additional money for retirement - this voluntary supplemental retirement savings plan allows for the investment of tax-deferred contributions.
• Flexible Spending Plan: Use pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified dependent care and/or medical expenses, as well as insurance premiums.
• Health Benefit Plans: The County of Hawai'i offers a variety of health benefit plans for eligible employees.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): This voluntary assistance program provides employees and their family members with free professional and confidential assistance in overcoming personal and work-related problems.
• Group Life Insurance: Free life insurance policy for active employees.
• Credit Union Membership
• Other Leaves: You may be eligible for other leaves, including Family Leave, Funeral Leave, Leave Sharing, Military Leave, Donor Leave, Victims Protection Leave, as well as leave for Parent-Teacher Conferences, Disaster Relief, Blood Bank Donations, and Jury Duty.

All benefits are subject to eligibility requirements and change due to legislative actions and/or changes negotiated through collective bargaining. Please check out the benefits tab for additional information.

Supplemental Information
Please scan and attach these supporting documents to your on-line application, if required:

• an official college transcript,
• a valid driver's license,
• a temporary assignment verification,
• professional licenses, and/or
• certificates.

Veterans applying for veteran's preference points shall also scan and attach their DD-214 form and as needed, their VA claim letter to the on-line application.

PLEASE APPLY IMMEDIATELY AS THIS RECRUITMENT MAY CLOSE AT ANY TIME.

ELECTRONIC NOTIFICATION TO APPLICANTS:
Please ensure that the email address and mobile phone number you provide is current, secure, and readily accessible to you. We will not be responsible in any way if you do not receive our emails and text messages or fail to check your email box or NEOGOV account INBOX in a timely manner. Checking your NEOGOV account INBOX daily is recommended and is the most secure method to check on notices sent to you. This is a new feature created by our vendor, NEOGOV.

Please add View email address on click.appcast.io to your contact list. Open your NEOGOV account using your user name and password. In the upper right hand corner of the account is your name, and under your name, click on INBOX to view all notices sent you. The notices will appear here in the INBOX even in the event you don't receive it on your cell phone, computer, or other electronic device. This is the best way to check and view all notices sent to you.

You will receive a confirmation email upon successfully submitting your application. Failure to receive this confirmation email, indicates that your application was not submitted.

APPLICATIONS MUST BE FILED ONLINE AT:
E-mail:
Benefits of County employment : The County of Hawai'i offers a competitive compensation package. Your total compensation is comprised of your salary and a generous range of valuable benefits, subject to eligibility requirements.

• Flexible Working Arrangements: Options may include alternate work schedules (4-10) and flexible working hours. (Not all Departments/Agencies participate and not all positions are eligible.)
• Vacation: Employees start accruing paid vacation time immediately upon hire. 14 hours are earned after a full month of service, which equals to 21 days per year, with a maximum accumulation of 90 working days.
• Sick Leave: Employees start accruing paid sick leave time immediately upon hire. 14 hours are earned after a full month of service, which equals to 21 days per year, with no limitation on the amount of sick leave that may be accumulated.
• Holidays: The County provides 13 paid holidays per year (plus General Election Day when applicable).
• Training and Development: The County provides a variety of training and development opportunities for employees.
• County Tuition Reimbursement Program : Scholarship program for employees who take the initiative to advance their education and learning, subject to eligibility requirements and reimbursement limits.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program: A federal program forgiving the balance of federal student loans for individuals working in public service. For program requirements and additional information, please visit
• Retirement Plan: The Employees' Retirement System is a qualified defined benefit public pension plan covered under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. It provides retirement, disability, survivor and other benefits to all eligible full-time and part-time county employees in the State of Hawaii as well as their beneficiaries. For more information visit
• Deferred Compensation: Eligible employees may participate in the Island Savings Plan (a deferred compensation plan as provided under Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code.) This is a voluntary supplemental retirement savings plan that allows for the investment of tax-deferred contributions into a variety of investment options.
• Flexible Spending Plan: Eligible employees can use pre-tax dollars to pay for their portion of insurance premiums, qualified dependent care and/or medical expenses.
• Health Benefit Plans: The County of Hawai'i offers the following health benefit plans for eligible employees:
  • Medical Plan (HMO or PPO)
  • Vision Plan
  • Dental Plan
  • Prescription Drug Plan

These benefits are administered by the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund. For more information about current employee contribution rates and plans see the EUTF website ().

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): The County offers a voluntary assistance program which provides its employees and their family members with free professional and confidential assistance in overcoming personal and work-related problems.
• Group Life Insurance: The County provides a free life insurance policy for active employees.
• Credit Union Membership
• Other Leaves: You may be eligible for other leaves, such as: Family Leave, Funeral Leave, Leave Sharing, Military Leave, Victims Protection Leave, Parent-Teacher Conferences, Disaster Relief, Blood Bank Donations, Donor Leave, and Jury Duty.

All benefits are subject to eligibility requirements and to legislative and/or changes negotiated through collective bargaining.
01



REQUIRED SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS. The information provided to these Supplemental Questions may be used in combination with your application to determine whether you meet the minimum qualification requirements and/or your final score. Failure to provide detailed and complete information may result in your application being rejected or you receiving a lower score. Please do not submit a resume in place of completing the Supplemental Questions. Any information you submit may be verified.


When applying for this position, I understand that I must thoroughly complete the Education and Work Experience Sections of my application and the Supplemental Questions. This includes a detailed description of each position that I feel qualifies me for the job I am seeking.

I have read the above statement and understand that failure to provide sufficient detailed information may result in my application being rejected or my receiving a lower examination score. I also understand that I may not submit resumes in lieu of filling out the application or answering the Supplemental Questions. However, I may attach a resume to the application to provide additional information.

• I acknowledge that I have read and understand the above information.

02



Applicants must meet all the requirements for the position they are seeking as of the closing date of the recruitment, unless otherwise specified. Your possession of the required amount of experience will not in itself be accepted as proof of qualification for the position. Overall paid or unpaid experience must be of such scope and responsibility as to conclusively demonstrate that you have the ability to perform the duties of the position. It is essential that you describe fully the duties and responsibilities of each position held, specify the date of each position held (from and to, month and year), and indicate the number of hours worked per week.

Note: Calculation of experience is based on full-time, 40-hour work weeks. Part-time experience must be pro-rated. Example: Twelve months of experience at 20 hours per week is equivalent to six months of experience. In addition, hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week, per work experience, will not be credited. Example: Twelve months of experience at 60 hours per week is equivalent to one year, not one and one-half years.

• I acknowledge that I have read and understand the above information.

03


Do you have a high school diploma or equivalent (GED or HiSET)?

• Yes
• No

04


Do you have two (2) years of inspectional or investigative work experience?

• Yes
• No

05


If you answered "Yes" to question #4, please describe your inspectional or investigative work experience. Treat each change in employer or position separately. Include the following information:
A. Employer's name
B. Your job title
C. Employment dates (from month/day/year to month/day/year)
D. Hours worked per week
E. Description of your inspectional or investigative duties
F. The percentage of time you spent performing inspectional or investigative work.

If you answered "No," enter N/A.

Be specific and complete ALL questions for ALL experience you are claiming. The following are unacceptable responses:
- See above
- Refer to resume
- See attached


06


Do you have one (1) year of work experience involving the interpretation and application of Planning related rules, codes, and ordinances such as Zoning Codes, Subdivision Codes, Special Management Codes, etc.?

• Yes
• No

07


If you answered "Yes" to question #6, please describe your work experience involving the interpretation of Planning related rules, codes, and ordinances. Treat each change in employer or position separately. Include the following information:
A. Employer's name
B. Your job title
C. Employment dates (from month/day/year to month/day/year)
D. Hours worked per week
E. Description of your duties involving the interpretation and application of Planning related rules, codes, and ordinances.
F. The percentage of time you spent performing this work.

If you answered "No," enter N/A.

Be specific and complete ALL questions for ALL experience you are claiming. The following are unacceptable responses:
- See above
- Refer to resume
- See attached


08


Do you have a valid State of Hawai`i driver's license (Class 3) or any other valid comparable driver's license at the time of filing? (You will be required to submit your driver's license at time of hire.)

• Yes
• No

Required Question