Enforcement Air Resources Engineer

This position can be located in Sacramento or Riverside County.

The District Support Section (DSS) at the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is seeking exceptional candidates for an Air Resources Engineer (ARE) position. DSS is at the forefront of CARB’s efforts to ensure all residents of the state benefit from clean air rules and regulations. 

The Section is responsible for providing broad oversight of and support to California’s 35 regional air quality management and air pollution control districts (air districts). DSS works with air districts to ensure that their stationary source rule implementation and enforcement programs support California’s efforts to achieve and maintain State and federal ambient air quality standards and minimize emissions of toxic air contaminants in accordance with applicable State and federal requirements.  

The responsibilities of DSS are diverse and dynamic, based on the specific needs identified by CARB or air districts. DSS focuses primarily on ensuring air districts effectively implement and enforce federal, State and local laws and regulations applicable to stationary sources of air pollution, especially in disadvantaged communities. 

Specific DSS functions include: review of air district compliance assurance and enforcement activities; evaluation of proposed stationary source emission control rules and rule amendments; oversight over hearing board activities; stationary source complaint management; federal enforcement data reporting for non-grantee air districts; and support of stationary source compliance assurance initiatives. These responsibilities and functions will evolve over time as current programs mature and new programs are implemented.

Working independently and as a team leader, the ARE will conduct investigations into air pollution sources that community members are concerned with. The ARE will develop an understanding of the permitting and enforcement practices and policies for air districts. Using this understanding, the ARE will identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness of the air districts and to share effective practices between air districts. Specific duties will include analyzing federal, State and local air pollution regulations, local permitting documentation and enforcement data; monitoring emerging emission control technologies; and addressing public complaints to ensure those complaints are addressed. 

The ARE will perform inspections and investigations, both separately and in conjunction with local air pollution control districts, of a wide variety of facilities subject to State and federal air pollution control regulations. Duties will focus on investigating stationary sources in disadvantaged communities that are or are suspected to be operating in violation of applicable rules or causing disproportionate health risks to neighboring residents. The ARE will prepare written inspection and investigation reports documenting their findings and recommendations for resolving the issues they identify.

Duties will also include working with CARB regulatory program staff as new policies and regulations are developed or existing regulations are modified. Additional activities will involve developing enforcement policy analyses and recommendations; preparing surveys and reports; understanding emissions inventories; summarizing important findings succinctly and coherently for decision makers and coordinating enforcement activities with other agencies. This will include giving presentations to affected stakeholders.  

Travel up to 30% of the time may be required.
 

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

Working Conditions

This position may be eligible for hybrid in-office work and in-state telework. The amount of telework is at the agency's discretion and is based on the California Air Resource Boards' (CARB) current telework policy. While the CARB may support telework, some in-person attendance is also required. 

The positions at the CARB may be eligible for telework with in-person attendance based on the operational needs of the position under Government Code 14200 for eligible applicants residing in California, subject to the candidate meeting telework eligibility criteria outlined in the CalEPA telework policy and/or future program need. Employees not residing in California are not eligible for telework. Regardless of hybrid telework eligibility, all employees may be required to report to the position’s designated headquarters location at their own expense.

• Requires being stationary, consistent with office work, for extended periods.
• Standard office environment (artificial lighting, controlled temperature, etc.)  
• Daily use of a personal computer, office equipment, and/or telephone.
• Additional working condition(s): A significant portion, up to 30%, of the work performed by the incumbent is expected to be conducted in the field. Overnight travel throughout the state, for periods of up to one work week, are expected. Inspections occur in industrial settings. The incumbent must be able to meet all of the health and safety requirements to perform inspections. Inspections involve the safe use of personal protective equipment, including respiratory protection, and can occur on elevated platforms and in hot/humid environments. The incumbent must be able to safely climb ladders while wearing personal protective equipment.