Air Pollution Specialist (APS)

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is seeking a motivated, innovative, and technically oriented individual to contribute to a team of multidisciplinary scientists and engineers to develop, maintain, and enhance CARB’s emissions inventories in support of State Implementation Plans (SIPs), community health initiatives, and regulatory development.

The section is responsible for maintaining and updating CARB's criteria pollutant and toxic air contaminants emissions inventories. The section works closely with and collects stationary source emissions data from California's 35 air districts pursuant state and federal requirements. Through collaboration and coordination the team works with internal groups at CARB and local districts to gather emissions data related to area-wide categories. The section is then responsible for using growth and control factors developed in tandem with local air districts and other groups at CARB to forecast these inventories to future years to support the air quality modeling and planning projects for CARB and local air districts.

In order to improve the quality of this data of the emissions inventories, the section develops and maintains data applications for the collection of emissions data, data management, and reporting tools. These tools support State Implementation Plans (SIPs) and regulations, and provide communities, air districts, regulators, scientists, state agencies, and other stakeholders with accessible, reliable, and user-friendly emissions data, helping them understand what pollutants are released into the air and by whom. In addition, the section closely collaborates with CARB staff, other government agencies, and academic researchers to develop and implement novel QA/QC checks.

This position will serve a vital role in the section by helping to compile and perform quality assurance on reported emissions inventories from local air districts and internal groups at CARB. The position will also coordinate with the team's lead forecaster to develop growth profiles using demographic and socioeconomic data, develop tools and reports to evaluate emissions inventory forecasts used for air quality modeling and planning purposes, and create standardized documentation on the procedures used to forecast emissions.

The work this section produces is foundational to improving air quality in California. In this position you'll be a vital partner to air quality planning, photochemical modeling, regulation development, community-level emission reduction plans, and project-level assessments. The ideal candidate will possess a solid scientific background in emission forecasting, air quality, air quality modeling, emissions inventory, stationary source emissions, database management, or a closely related field.

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 Resources Board’s (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, as indicated on their duty statement.

Effective July 1, 2025, the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) implemented the Personal Leave Program 2025 (PLP 2025). PLP 2025 directs that each employee shall receive a 3 percent reduction in pay in exchange for 5 hours PLP 2025 leave credits, monthly. The salary range(s) included in the job advertisement do not reflect the 3 percent reduction in pay.

• Position located in a high-rise building.
• 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.