Location
Description
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.
About the Position
The Engineering Division administers the permitting program for equipment and operations that emit air pollutants in the Air District’s jurisdiction and provides technical support to internal and external entities with issues related to permitting and permitted facilities.
Beyond specific permitting work, some of the important programs and projects in which the Engineering Division are actively engaged include but not limited to:
- Verification of emissions inventories
- Database development & testing, including user interfaces
- Data management
- Emissions modeling
- General technical support of Air District programs
Under general supervision, the Air Quality Specialist will perform a variety of duties in support of Engineering Division programs. Duties include but are not limited to processing permit applications, handling permit renewal tasks, data management (extracting, organizing, validating, maintaining), calculating emissions, drafting & updating program documentation (e.g., policies
There are vacant Air Quality Specialist positions in the following areas.
- Two (2) positions would be assigned to the backup generator and remediation (e.g., soil vapor extraction, sub-slab depressurization) programs.
- Staff would manage and process permit applications from a high-volume category. The work would involve managing assigned applications, documenting the evaluation following standard procedures, meeting timelines, communicating with applicants, and recommending a permit decision.
- Other duties include but are not limited to handling permit renewal tasks, maintaining documentation, recommending & implementing program improvements, managing data & documentation, updating templates including emission calculations, providing technical support, participating with rule development efforts, training staff, and performing other specialized work, as assigned.
- One (1) position would be assigned to the Title V program.
- Staff may be assigned to process Title V application types such as initial permits, renewals, minor revisions, administrative amendments, closures, and reclassifications. The work would involve managing assigned applications, documenting the basis of the permit, meeting timelines, communicating with applicants, collaborating with Air District staff, and tracking the approval process.
- Other duties include but are not limited to reporting to government agencies, managing data, tracking program metrics, maintaining documentation, analyzing program data metrics, updating templates, training, contributing to the development of system tools, participating with rule development for Air District’s Title V rule (Regulation 2, Rule 6), and performing other specialized work, as assigned.
This position is not eligible to be fully remote.
Ideal Candidate
- Minimum Qualifications
A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills is:
Education:
Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university with major coursework in chemistry, computer science, electronics, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, meteorology, physical sciences, physics, or a closely related field.
AND
Experience:
Air Quality Specialist I: Two (2) years of experience performing duties equivalent to the Air District’s Assistant Air Quality Specialist II, including performing air quality inspections; installing, operating and maintaining air monitoring and quality assessment instruments and equipment; or developing and administering air quality programs.
Air Quality Specialist II: Four (4) years of experience performing air quality inspections; installing, operating and maintaining air monitoring and quality assessment instruments and equipment, or developing and administering air quality programs, of which at least two (2) years included performing work equivalent to the Air District’s Air Quality Specialist I.
Substitution: Any combination of relevant training and work experience in the listed or related fields may substitute for the education criteria on a year for year basis.
Special Instructions
Interested individuals must submit a completed Air District application and responses to the supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. Resumes are encouraged, but not mandatory, and will not be accepted in lieu of the required application materials. Applications are accepted online; please visit our website at www.baaqmd.gov/jobs to apply. 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.
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 Air District may hire from this recruitment process to fill future vacancies occurring within the next 18 months.
