Federal, state and local governments own property including office buildings, airports, public housing apartments, and post offices. Government property inspectors and investigators make sure that government-owned properties meet legal and construction standards, and that they’re safe for residents and building tenants. These inspectors visit properties and construction sites to document issues and detail their findings and recommendations. When misuse of public funds or other fraudulent activity is in question, inspectors investigate and report to law enforcement or other authorities, and may testify in court. Government property inspectors and investigators also review license or permit applications, and may request repairs or fixes based on their findings. Dealing with customers is an important part of the job, and while most interactions may be cordial, sometimes parties involved in investigations respond angrily. There’s a great deal of policy, procedure, and recordkeeping to this field, so detail orientation is a must. A 40-hour work week with normal office hours is typical in this field, including travel to visit building locations and meet with facilities representatives. Many government property inspectors and investigators have a bachelor’s degree, although typical job requirements include only technical training or an associate’s degree.
What they do:
Investigate or inspect government property to ensure compliance with contract agreements and government regulations.
On the job, you would:
Prepare correspondence, reports of inspections or investigations or recommendations for action.
Examine records, reports, or other documents to establish facts or detect discrepancies.
Inspect government property, such as construction sites or public housing, to ensure compliance with contract specifications or legal requirements.
Arts and Humanities
English language
Business
customer service
administrative services
Safety and Government
public safety and security
law and government
Engineering and Technology
building and construction
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
reading work related information
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
communicate by speaking
communicate by writing
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
notice when problems happen
Visual Understanding
see hidden patterns
quickly compare groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things
Attention
pay attention to something without being distracted
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
Integrity
Cooperation
Dependability
Adaptability/Flexibility
Self Control
Attention to Detail
You might use software like this on the job:
Data base user interface and query software
BrioQuery
Microsoft Access
Inventory management software
Inventory control system software
Peninsula Software Quicktrack Pro
Computer aided design CAD software
Autodesk AutoCAD
Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
bachelor's degree or associate's degree usually needed
In the military:
see titles from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, or Navy.
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