The Bay Area Air Quality Management 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.

The Air District is currently accepting applications for the position of Senior Air Quality Specialist for the Meteorology and Measurement Division (M&M). This is an open recruitment for two (2) full-time, represented positions.

This recruitment will fill vacancies in the following M&M sections:

- Air Monitoring - Projects and Technology (Quality Assurance), 1 vacancy
- Air Monitoring - Operations (Quality Control), 1 vacancy

The Meteorology and Measurement Division supports the mission of the District by monitoring air quality in the San Francisco Bay Area and emissions from industrial facilities; forecasting regional and local air quality; and conducting and supporting community organizations to do community-scale monitoring to guide actions to reduce emissions in the Bay Area and in neighborhoods most impacted by air pollution.

Air Monitoring - Projects and Technology
The Air Monitoring – Projects and Technology (AMPT) section of the Meteorology and Measurement Division is tasked with coordination of air monitoring Quality Assurance, management of data systems, and community focused air monitoring for the Air District. The Senior Air Quality Specialist for AMPT will primarily support the Quality Assurance Officer, serving as a lead for the quality assurance program and activities. Responsibilities include facilitating training for technical staff on quality assurance for air monitoring programs, performing data review, data-trail audits, and data certification, developing and updating quality system documentation, coordinating and tracking resolutions to process improvements in monitoring activities, and staying up to date with, implementing, and following current guidelines, regulations, and best practices for quality assurance in air monitoring programs.

Air Monitoring - Operations
The Air Monitoring – Operations section is responsible for the operation, maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting of the District’s ambient air monitoring and meteorological stations. The section is tasked to achieve National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) as delegated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as well as state and local air monitoring objectives. AMO works with various levels of the Air District, including staff, management, executives, and Board members to implement and decommission stationary air monitoring projects as needed.

In the AMO section, the Senior Air Quality Specialist provides quality control and technical support to the stationary ambient air monitoring program. The position supports various facets of operations including:

Data Acquisition and Review

The incumbent works with a data management team to ensure data systems meet the needs to comply with state and federal regulations for storage, processing and transmitting regulatory data. Data generated by the section is used to support data review activities tracked under the Division’s quality management system.

Documentation and Process Improvement

Documentation of air monitoring activities is a critical part of quality control and process improvement and is used to support internal processes, procedures, and standards as outlined under the Division’s quality management program. The incumbent will document all quality control activities and provide input to subsequent process improvement actions, as requested.

Quality Assessment and Control

The incumbent serves as the advanced technical lead to track quality assessments and perform quality control activities. Quality control activities include performing calibrations and verifications on assigned air monitoring equipment, evaluating, and repairing ancillary support systems and adherence to the Division’s quality control activity schedule. Examples of quality control activities include ensuring traceability for the section’s certified gas cylinders and transfer standards; conducting internal equipment performance audits, calibrations, and verifications, as required; and generating accurate, complete, and precise records of quality control activities as assigned and tracked under the Division’s quality management system.

Technical Support

The incumbent works closely with technical staff to assess and document instrumentation in their active and inactive states. In addition, the position works closely with instrument vendors to order equipment, parts, and consumables deployed throughout the air monitoring and meteorological network. In addition, the Senior Air Quality Specialist provides advanced troubleshooting services and supports the section to conduct advanced troubleshooting and repair for computers, dataloggers, electronics, mechanical, networking and telecommunications devices, and other air monitoring and meteorological sensors/equipment to the component level.

Operational Support

The Senior Air Quality Specialist may provide operational support at an assigned air monitoring or meteorological station in the District’s network, as needed

Definition

Under direction, provides lead direction and performs the more complex assignments in the areas of inspection, investigation, air monitoring instrument and equipment operation, air quality planning, rule development, enforcement and compliance operations, and other air quality program areas; performs related work as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is the advanced lead level in the Air Quality Specialist series. Incumbents provide lead direction and are assigned the more complex air quality program assignments that require considerable technical knowledge and use of independent judgement. Incumbents develop and provide in-depth training and technical guidance to employees. This class is distinguished from the Supervising Air Quality Specialist in that the latter assigns, supervises, reviews and evaluates the work of assigned staff. This class is also distinguished from the Principal Air Quality Specialist in that the latter has more responsibilities for developing new programs and handling the most difficult, sensitive, novel, or critical projects.

Education and Experience:

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:
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 II.

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.

Other Requirements:
Some positions may require a valid California driver's license.

Some positions may require a California Air Resources Board Visible Emissions Evaluation Certification obtained within 6 months of employment.

Some positions may require the physical ability to work near and in the presence of hazardous and toxic materials, climb high structures to evaluate processes in operation, lift heavy safety and test equipment, and to use self-contained breathing apparatus.