Appraiser - Assistant

The current vacancy is in the Placer County Assessor's Office in Tahoe City.

To properly value taxable properties within Placer County, using various appraisal methods such as cost approach, market approach and routine income approach; to establish values for new construction and property transfers; to obtain and analyze data for the appraisal of real property for ad valorem tax purposes; and to make field investigations, studies and appraisals.

This is the entry level class in the Appraiser series.  This class is distinguished from the journey level by the performance of the more routine and less complex tasks and duties assigned to positions within this series.  Since this class is typically used as a training class, employees may have only limited or no directly related work experience.  Employees at this level are not expected to perform with the same independence of direction and judgment on matters allocated to the journey level.  Employees work under general supervision while expanding their experience and learning more complex job tasks.

Receives general supervision from an assigned supervisor.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Conduct field investigations and analyze data to arrive at the assessed value of real property.
• Inspect, measure and classify structures to determine value; inspect land and improvement changes to determine effect on value.
• Estimate replacement cost, obsolescence, construction cost, resale value and analyze other pertinent factors needed to establish appraised values.
• Establish taxable values for newly constructed real property; and properties which have had a change in ownership.
• Prepare verbal and written reports and make recommendations based on field investigations.
• Communicate with property owners through public counter assistance, correspondence, meetings and telephone discussions, regarding the valuation process, regulations and laws governing assessed values.
• Monitor market changes to measure market-driven value changes in geographic areas of responsibility.
• Prepare and present testimony before the appropriate authority where assessment appeals have been filed.
• Pro-rate taxable values, as needed, when parcels are split or are combined.
• Conduct appraisals of Timber Preserve Zone and mineral properties, California Land Conservation Act properties, and rural properties.
• Respond to and resolve inquiries from taxpayers and other agencies.
• Correct errors to the tax roll for assessment roll corrections.
• Prepare various statistical and administrative reports.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Attend training, read reports, journals and periodicals to obtain current information on changes in tax laws, procedures and economic trends.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the applicant's responsibility to identify in their application materials how they meet the Minimum Qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Either:

Experience: No experience is required.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, economics, accounting, or a related field.  Training must be consistent with the requirements of Property Tax Rule 283 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or the Successor section.

-  Please submit a copy of your college transcripts (official transcipts not required) with your application -

Or:

Experience: Four years experience performing duties similar to an Appraisal Technician with Placer County.

Training: Sixty (60) semester units of accredited college level course work in business, accounting, economics, or a related field may be substituted for the required experience and training. Training must be consistent with the requirements of Property Tax Rule 283 of the Revenue and Taxation Code or the Successor section.

License or Certificate:

• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

• Possession of a valid Appraiser's Certificate issued by the State Board of Equalization must be obtained within six months from date of hire.  Failure to obtain this certificate will be cause for termination of employment in this class.  

NOTE:  Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

Knowledge of:

• Basic principles of land economics; general knowledge of the principles of property appraisal.
• Analytical techniques.
• Mathematics used for financial and statistical analyses.
• Common word processing and spreadsheet software and the operation of a personal computer.
• Basic methodology of the sales comparison, income and cost approaches to appraisal.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job.  Intermittently analyze work papers, reports and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe and solve problems in appraisal activities; sit at a desk for long periods of time; and stand for long periods of time to answer questions of the public.
• Intermittently, walk, stand, kneel, climb and bend in the field; perform simple and power grasping, pushing, pulling and fine manipulation; intermittently write or use a keyboard to communicate and occasionally lift light weight.
• Learn and apply the principles and techniques of property appraisal.
• Learn, understand and interpret property tax laws and regulations.
• Conduct a field examination of a construction site at varying stages of completion to capture critical appraisal data.
• Assemble and analyze data and make arithmetic calculations.
• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with the public and fellow employees.
• Operate a personal computer in an on-line processing environment; utilize software application programs commonly used in the Assessor's Office.
• Communicate effectively in writing and speaking.  

Written Examination (100%) 

The written examination may include multiple choice, true/false, fill-in, matching, and/or essay type questions directly related to the required knowledge and abilities for this classification.

All applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be required to respond to an online Conviction History Questionnaire, which will be sent as a link on their notification that minimum qualifications have been met. Failure to respond to this questionnaire within (3) three calendar days of the minimum qualification notification will result in disqualification from the examination. 

NOTE:  The examination will be held at the North Tahoe Events Center, 8318 North Lake Boulevard, Kings Beach CA  96143.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination, which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation, sign a constitutional oath and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation and/or be bonded.

All new permanent employees, with the exception of sworn law enforcement and management, shall be required to join the employee organization or pay an 'Agency Fee' as a condition of employment.

The eligible list(s) resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County now offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please visit our website at: http://www.jobaps.com/placer/sup/abfreenames.asp.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment and retaliation is prohibited and that all employees and applicants shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All recruitment, hiring, transfer and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of sex, sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religious creed, national origin, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state or local laws or ordinance. Please contact the Personnel Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change.  It is advisable that applicants inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Personnel Department.

Click here to view benefits for General bargaining unit

07/22/2014    Minimum Qualifications Screening

08/06/2014    Written Examination

08/13/2014    Eligible List Established