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SENIOR AIR QUALITY ENGINEER

Bay Area Air Quality Management District
San Francisco, CA Full Time
POSTED ON 2/6/2025
AVAILABLE BEFORE 2/28/2025

Join an agency committed to creating a healthy breathing environment for every Bay Area resident while protecting and improving public health, air quality, and the global climate!

Bay Area Air District (Air District) is a regional government agency, committed to achieving clean air to protect the public's health and the environment. The Air District accomplishes this goal through regulation of industrial facilities and various outreach and incentive programs designed to encourage clean air choices. The Air District's jurisdiction encompasses all of seven counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Napa, and portions of two others - southwestern Solano and southern Sonoma. 

At the Air District, we take pride in our commitment to fostering a workplace that values diversity and promotes cultural awareness. We prioritize employee engagement by providing a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages active participation and open dialogue. Additionally, we believe in pay equity and strive to create an equitable compensation structure. With a strong emphasis on work-life balance, we understand the importance of supporting our employees' well-being both inside and outside the workplace. Join us in a dynamic and inclusive culture where your contributions are celebrated and your growth is nurtured. 

The Air District is currently accepting applications for the position of Senior Air Quality Engineer in the Emissions and Community Exposure Assessment Section of the Assessment, Inventory & Modeling Division. This is an open recruitment for one (1) full-time, represented position. 

About the Division

The Assessment, Inventory, and Modeling (AIM) Division prepares comprehensive source emission inventories for the Bay Area and conducts air quality modeling at both regional and community scales. AIM prepares technical assessments that evaluate equity in air pollution exposures and health impacts in support of District programs. AIM coordinates and implements programs to improve and report estimates of emissions of criteria pollutants, toxic air contaminants, and climate forcing pollutants. AIM assesses emissions, modeled concentrations, and exposures of toxic air contaminants, particulate matter, ozone and their precursors, to support targeted strategies that reduce impacts of air pollution both regionally and within communities, especially in impacted communities requiring action plans in accordance with Assembly Bill 617 (AB617). AIM reviews and provides guidance on environmental health risk assessments within environmental review documents prepared pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

 

About the Position

The Senior Air Quality Engineer works with staff in the AIM Division and other Divisions at the District to design, create, and evaluate air pollution emissions inventories and exposures using data processing and analysis tools, such as SQL, R, and Python.  The Senior Air Quality Engineer works with other District staff to develop methods to integrate emissions estimates into modeling systems processing streams and to extract air pollution measurements for emissions and modeling evaluation purposes.   This position will also develop emissions estimates for complex categories and creating and reviewing programming scripts to streamline database queries. Experience conducting air dispersion modeling and health risk analysis a plus. 

 Definition

Under direction, provides lead direction to engineering staff and performs the more difficult and complex professional engineering work in a variety of areas such as permit application evaluation, toxic risk screening and assessment evaluations, compliance audits and source testing; modeling and source inventory; performs related work as assigned. 

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is the specialist level class in this series. In addition to performing the more difficult and complex engineering work, responsibilities include functioning as the project leader for a variety of engineering projects, providing training to other District staff and coordinating technical data gathering and compilation and the preparation of special and technical reports. This class is distinguished from Supervising Air Quality Engineer in that the latter supervises the staff and participates in the activities of assigned air quality engineering responsibilities.  This is the advanced lead level in the professional engineering series. Incumbents provide lead direction to air quality engineers and performs highly specialized and difficult engineering projects. Incumbents are assigned to design and implement programs that require considerable professional knowledge and the use of independent judgement. This class is distinguished from the Principal Air Quality Engineer in that the latter has the responsibility for developing new programs and handling the most difficult, sensitive, or critical projects.

(Illustrative Only)

Performs the more difficult and complex air quality engineering work such as, but not limited to, permit processing for petroleum refineries, power plants and semiconductor manufacturing facilities, air pollution dispersion modeling, providing detailed source inventories and providing project leadership.
 
Participate in calculating, reviewing, correcting and documenting the emissions inventory; evaluates accuracy of source emission calculations and methodologies.
 

Develops procedures to calculate and forecast pollutant emissions from natural and man-made sources of air pollution.
 

Uses emissions models, geographic information systems, and relational data base to prepare and modify large data files on inventory input to air quality models.
 

Provide engineering expertise in preparing and updating the emission inventory and other aspects of State and Federal air quality plans, including developing required programs, structuring data and preparing long-range emission forecasts for major industrial classifications.
 

Coordinates toxic risk screening and risk assessment analysis; calculates toxic emissions, determines and applies appropriate air dispersion models, calculates maximum concentrations and calculates risk; recommends approval or denial of permit applications.
 

Represent the District as technical expert in meetings with outside agencies, environmental groups and industry personnel regarding air quality control regulations, and source inventory procedures and results; act as an expert witness before the Hearing Board.
 
Upon request, provides input into selection decisions and performances. Coordinates technical data gathering and compilation, including coordination with other District sections and divisions.
 
Upon assignment, provides lead direction training and work review to Air Quality Engineers on routine, continuing or well-defined tasks, priorities and follows up on work to ensure timely completion. Coordinates and reviews the work of engineering and support staff involved in complex, sensitive and controversial engineering projects, studies and audits.
 
Performs, reviews, and directs the preparation of air quality impact analyses for permits, risk assessments and environmental impact documents.
 
Conduct special studies and write technical reports related to research and planning functions, and coordinate activities with District Staff, outside agencies and organizations.
 
Uses a computer terminal and a variety of software and programs to make engineering calculations, enter and retrieve data and to monitor and correct data entry; writes and revises computer programs; investigates and corrects errors in the data bank.
 
Acquires, evaluates, and applies computer models to simulate motor vehicle use and calculate vehicle emissions.
 
May manage contracts with vendors and consultants.
 
Performs other duties as assigned.Education & Experience
A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills is:  

Equivalent to graduation from a four year college or university with major coursework in environmental, chemical, mechanical or petroleum engineering or a closely related field and two years of air quality environmental engineering experience at a level equivalent to the District's class of Air Quality Engineer II. A directly related graduate degree may be desirable for some assignments and may be substituted for one year of the experience.

Desirable qualifications/skills
Solid experience with emissions data management of criteria pollutants, greenhouse gases, and toxics air contaminants from stationary and mobile sources.

Strong experience in data analysis/management, automated data QA and visualization, and issues tracking/documentation (e.g., GitHub, SQL Server, Power Bi, Python, and R) to improve emissions inventory development, update, and impact assessment work.

Strong communication (both verbal and written) and interpersonal skills and ability to work with people of varied backgrounds and perspectives.

Experience in regulatory air dispersion modeling (e.g., AERMOD), exposure/health risk assessment, and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge of:

Authority and functions of governmental agencies involved in air pollution control and environmental regulations.

Air quality engineering principles and practices.

Air pollution analysis techniques and control methodologies and equipment.

Applicable District rules and regulations and state and federal laws.

Principles and practices of computer science including programming and data base structures.

Industrial chemical processes and pollution control equipment.

Skill in:

Applying sound engineering principles and techniques in difficult and complex air quality engineering matters.

Computing complex engineering calculations quickly and accurately.

Performing detailed analyses of designs, specifications and plans.

Coordinating a variety of air quality engineering studies.

Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Preparing clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials.

Exercising sound independent judgement.

Other Requirements:
Must possess a valid California driver's license. Some positions may require the physical strength and agility to climb ladders and towers and work in the presence of potentially hazardous or toxic materials.Interested individuals must submit a completed Air District application, chronological resume, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 28, 2025. Applications are accepted online; please visit our website at www.baaqmd.gov/jobs to apply.

Resumes must be attached to the application and will not be accepted in lieu of the required application materials. Postmarks, faxes, and e-mailed applications will not be accepted. 

Except as requested in this announcement, do not include any additional documents, such as letters of recommendation, performance evaluations, work samples, etc. They will not be considered or returned. 

Supplemental Questions Instructions 
Individuals who apply for this position must respond to each of the required supplemental questions. Applications must be received by the Human Resources Office no later than the time and date specified in this vacancy announcement. The responses to the supplemental application questions will be used in accordance with the procedures indicated under the Selection Criteria section. 

Please limit your responses to no more than one page (500 words) per question. Do not combine your responses or reference your application, resume, or any other requested documentation that you have included with your application packet to answer a question. This information will be evaluated as is and may be used to determine those applicants with the most directly related experience, education, and training to continue in the selection process. It is very important to provide a concise, clear, legible, complete response to each question. 

Selection Criteria 
Selection may be based upon a competitive examination consisting of a written exercise, interview, or combination of the two. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, an application screening and/or panel interview may be used to determine the most qualified applicants. 

The District may hire from this recruitment process to fill future vacancies occurring within the next 18 months. 

Persons with disabilities who may require reasonable accommodations during the application and/or selection process should notify the Human Resources Office at (415) 749-4980. 

The District is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Salary : $131,969 - $160,410

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