SOUTH COAST AQMD AND JOB OVERVIEW
South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) is one of the largest and most technologically sophisticated environmental regulatory agencies in the Nation. We serve a four-county region that includes large areas of Los Angeles, Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the Coachella Valley, which is home to more than 17 million people. South Coast AQMD's headquarters is located in Diamond Bar, 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, at the junction of the 57 and 60 freeways. With a highly diverse "Clean Air Team" of over 800 employees, an annual budget of $196.3 million, and a state-of-the art air quality laboratory, our mission is to ensure clean air and a healthy environment. South Coast AQMD is an organization you can be proud to work for -- we make a difference in the quality of life in Southern California!
ABOUT THE JOB
There are currently three vacancies in the Refinery and Public Services/Waste Management permitting teams approved to be filled for Senior Air Quality Engineer in Engineering & Permitting. However, in addition to filling these current vacancies, the eligible list created from this recruitment process may also be used to fill future Senior Air Quality Engineer vacancies in any permitting teams during the life of the eligible list.
Senior Air Quality Engineers directly coordinate, review, and supervise the work of Air Quality Engineers, Staff Specialists, Air Quality Specialists, and clerical/administrative staff.
If you are interested in this vacancy, or any other Senior Air Quality Engineer positions in South Coast AQMD’s Engineering and Permitting division, you are encouraged to apply now.EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Plans, organizes, trains, assigns, reviews and evaluates the work of assigned staff involved in evaluating permit applications, auditing and performing source emissions tests, monitoring emission and toxic reporting, or performing other engineering work, prepares performance appraisals, and provides technical and administrative supervision, support, coaching and guidance, as necessary, in any of a variety of staff program functions; and performs the more difficult or complex engineering assignments and special projects.
Reviews Permits to Construct and Permits to Operate and forwards recommended denials or the most complex permits for further review and final action; approves or disapproves source test protocols and reports; and reviews or performs complex engineering calculations and analyses of the design and operation of various industrial processes and air pollution control equipment to quantify and/or assess air emissions impact.
Provides technical guidance and rule interpretation to engineers and other professional and technical staff; and reviews staff recommendations with respect to permit applications, source emissions testing, technical reports, or other engineering matters.
Meets with business and industry representatives and consulting engineers to discuss permit application evaluations and suggest modifications required in correcting design deficiencies to conform with South Coast AQMD rules and regulations.
Oversees the design and selection of source emissions test methods and reporting requirements, the review of test results for adequacy and accuracy, and the evaluation and approval of continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS).
Designs, directs, and evaluates audits of various technical activities; and acts as project manager and supervises staff in completing various technical and administrative projects.
Testifies as a technical expert at public hearings, court hearings, and before the Hearing Board.
Acts for a higher-level supervisor, as needed.
MINIMUM AND DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:
In addition to the Minimum Qualifications which follow, the most competitively qualified candidates will possess:
Extensive knowledge of South Coast AQMD rules and regulations.
Knowledge of and/or experience with the technical aspects of reviewing, proofreading and approving permit and engineering evaluation reports, technical documents, compliance plans or other air quality related reports, and documents.
Ability to monitor and track rule and documents deadlines, permit backlogs, and status reports.
Lead-level experience overseeing complex permitting and/or rule-related projects, requiring the ability to plan and develop goals/objectives, establish timelines, monitor and track work output (including permit backlog) to ensure deadlines are being met, and provide regular status reports to supervisors.
Experience or demonstrated ability to perform training, coaching, and mentoring of both new and journey-level engineers.
Demonstrated diplomacy and tact in dealing with the public, members of the regulated community, representatives from other public agencies, elected officials, and South Coast AQMD staff.
Experience preparing and/or presenting technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple projects with shifting and competing priorities, and/or divergent viewpoints.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
Ability to operate different computer software programs, such as Word, Excel and familiarity with PAATS, PPS, CLASS, Facility Permit, and other software programs used by South Coast AQMD.
California State Registration as Professional Engineer.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
EDUCATION:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in chemical, mechanical, environmental, metallurgical, petroleum, or other related engineering field.
EXPERIENCE:
One year as an AQ Engineer II at South Coast AQMD. Equivalency may be demonstrated with more than 3.5 years in an air quality engineering role.
SUBSTITUTION:
An advanced degree from an accredited college or university in one of the above-listed engineering disciplines, or other related engineering field, may substitute for up to six months of the required experience.KNOWLEDGE OF:
South Coast AQMD air quality rules and regulations; complex engineering principles and practices; policies and procedures related to air pollution analysis and control; principles and practices of project management, supervision and training; instrumentation, methods, and techniques of air sampling; air pollution control measures and federal, State, and local laws and regulations related to air quality management; economic and health effects of the discharge of pollutants into the atmosphere; source test design, operations, and evaluation of test protocols; and PC software applications commonly used by professional engineers.
SKILL OR ABILITY TO:
Analyze and solve complex engineering problems involving advanced processes and control equipment; understand and evaluate complex industrial, chemical and refinery processes; understand, explain and apply South Coast AQMD engineering policies and procedures; read, understand, and follow verbal and written directions; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; prepare and present concise, logical reports and effective presentations of a technical nature; establish and maintain effective relationships with all those contacted in the course of work; understand, interpret, and explain South Coast AQMD rules and regulations, and complex technical information to technical and non-technical permit applicants, business representatives, and others; proficiently use PC software applications common to the field and the general business environment of South Coast AQMD; design and write computer programs may be required; and plan, organize, train, assign, review and evaluate the work of staff.
LICENSE: Possession of a California Class "C" Driver License and a good driving record.
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
APPLICATION PACKETS MUST INCLUDE (please read all instructions thoroughly):
- A completed employment application covering at least the past 10 years of employment, and including your entire South Coast AQMD employment history, listing separately, each position you have held. (You may make an appointment with Human Resources at x2800, to review your personnel file in order to verify actual job titles and dates they were held.)
- Up to four references which include the names and phone numbers of your present and past supervisor or managers, or persons for who you have directly provided services, not peers.
- Responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ). The SQ is a form of written test and will be evaluated as such. Your responses should be well written, clear, concise, and directly responsive to all parts of each question. Please limit your responses to no more than one page per answer. (If each answer can fit within a one-page Microsoft Word document, single-spaced, with one-inch margins, using Times Roman 11 font, the length of your responses are within acceptable parameters.)
- If not already on file, you must submit acceptable documentation of all education claimed as detailed in the "Educational Requirements" link on South Coast AQMD's Careers webpage. Unofficial copies are acceptable at this time.
Job applications must be completely filled out. A resume cannot be substituted for the required information. Be sure to detail any education, training or other relevant coursework that would make you a particularly strong candidate.
THE SELECTION PROCESS
Application packages and responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire will first be screened and the most competitively qualified candidates will be invited to the next phase of the recruitment process, which is expected to be an assessment and/or panel interview. The assessment and/or interviews (weighted at 100%) are expected to result in a ranked eligible list.
Pursuant to Section 4(g)(3)(d) of the Personnel Rules, this eligible list may be used to fill current and future Senior Air Quality Engineer vacancies, in any South Coast AQMD department, during the 6-month life of the list.
Only those who demonstrate they are among the most competitively qualified, at each successive step of the selection process, will be advanced to the next step. (Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee an invitation to the next step.) South Coast AQMD reserves the right to add, delete, and modify any elements of the selection process as deemed appropriate, based on the number and quality of applicants at each step.
Please call Human Resources at least one week in advance if you might need an accommodation at any step during the selection process.
If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Human Resources Department at (909) 396-2800.
