Senior Air Quality Engineer

Salary : $140,210.24 - $170,426.43 Annually
Location : 375 Beale St # 600, San Francisco, CA
Job Type: Full Time
Remote Employment: Flexible/Hybrid
Job Number: AG-2026-6P003-ENG
Department: Engineering
Opening Date: 10/27/2026
Closing Date: 11/13/2026 5:00 PM Pacific

The Air District is currently accepting applications for the position of Senior Air Quality Engineer in the Refineries Section of the Engineering Division. This is an open recruitment for one (1) vacancy which is a full-time, represented position.
Under general direction, provides lead direction and performs the more complex engineering work in a variety of areas such as permit application evaluation, air pollutant emissions, toxic risk screening and assessment evaluations, compliance audits, modeling, source inventory, source testing, and rule development.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the advanced lead level in the engineering series. Incumbents perform the more complex engineering work and lead a variety of engineering projects, coordinating technical data collection and preparing detailed reports. Incumbents are assigned to implement programs that require increased professional knowledge and the use of independent judgement.

This class is distinguished from Principal Air Quality Engineer in that the latter is responsible for providing subject matter expertise and project leadership in the most difficult, sensitive, or critical projects. This class is also distinguished from Supervising Air Quality Engineer in that the latter assigns, supervises, and evaluates the work of assigned staff on a continuing basis.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND/OR EXERCISED

Supervision is provided by a supervisor or manager. No supervision is exercised over others.

Examples of Duties for this Position
The following duties are typical for jobs in the class. They are for illustrative purposes only and do not reflect the full scope of job duties.

Some positions in this classification may be assigned to one or several program areas; an exhaustive list of program-area specific duties is not provided.

Provides lead direction, coordination, training and work review to staff on routine, continuing, or well-defined tasks.

Coordinates, leads, and reviews the work of engineers, support staff, vendors, and contractors involved in complex, sensitive and controversial engineering projects, studies and audits.

Reviews and evaluates permit applications, including calculating emission rates of criteria air pollutants and toxic air contaminants and permit fees, determining compliance with air quality regulations, recommending best available control technology, defining permit conditions, and issuing authority to construct and/or permits to operate.

Uses a computer and a variety of software to make engineering calculations, enter and retrieve data and to monitor and correct data entry; investigates and corrects errors in the Permitting & Compliance System.

Coordinates on-site compliance inspections of sources and abatement devices. Evaluates compliance and recommends enforcement actions.

Responds to industry, public and Air District inquiries regarding regulation interpretation, permit preparation, various compliance measures and emission calculation methods.

Reviews permit and enforcement files to prepare responses for variance requests, violation notices, case summaries and hearing board referrals. Recommends appropriate actions.

Performs, reviews, and directs the preparation of air quality impact analyses for permits, risk assessments, and environmental impact documents. Recommends approval or denial of permit applications.

Uses emissions models, geographic information systems, and relational databases to prepare, quality-check, and modify large data files on inventory assessment and emissions input to air quality models.

Develops and documents procedures to calculate and forecast pollutant emissions from natural and man-created sources of air pollution.

Develops, calculates, reviews, corrects and documents the emissions inventory. Evaluates accuracy of source emission calculations and methodologies. Analyzes emissions inventory to determine baseline emissions and reduction estimates for rules under development.

Provides engineering expertise in preparing air quality plans, including developing required programs, structuring data and preparing long-range emission forecasts for major industrial classifications.

Conducts special studies and writes technical reports related to research and planning functions, and coordinate activities with Air District Staff, outside agencies and organizations.

Represents the Air District as a technical expert in meetings with outside agencies, environmental groups, and industry personnel regarding air quality control regulations.

Leads the research and development of new and revised rules and procedures for regulation of air quality. Determines emissions, potential emission reductions, and cost controls. Establishes control level and technology. Prepares technical assessment reports.

Leads and coordinates with internal and external professional and technical staff to conduct scientific research and engineering evaluations. Participates in developing regulations to control air pollutants, including pollutants contributing to climate change and localized air quality impacts in overburdened communities.

Performs and reviews economic and environmental analyses.

Researches and develops recommendations concerning air quality and climate protection reports, programs, plans, legislation, and regulations.

Prepares and presents staff reports and recommendations to the Air District's Board of Directors, sub-committees, leadership, and others as assigned.

Performs quality control functions on air monitoring or source test equipment and calibrations in conformance with Air District, state, and federal standards. Coordinates and tracks the certifications of reference standards used in the section.

Evaluates and determines submissions to install and/or modify continuous emission monitoring equipment.

Researches new air emissions measurement technologies and test methods for unique applications and remains up to date on technologies.

Reviews, calculates, evaluates, summarizes and records emissions data collected electronically or manually from scientific/analytical instrumentation, and ensures accuracy, completeness, validity, and compliance with Air District, state, and federal standards.

May testify on behalf of the Air District.

Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
The items listed below are the minimum requirements for this classification.

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in environmental, chemical, mechanical, petroleum engineering, or a closely related field and three years of air quality or environmental engineering experience.
Any equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the necessary qualifications to successfully perform the duties of the position will be considered.

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS:

Some positions in this classification may require possession of a valid California driver's license or ability to obtain one.

How to Apply & Selection Criteria

Interested individuals must submit a completed Air District application and responses to the supplemental questions no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2026. Applications are accepted online only. Please visit our website at www.baaqmd.gov/jobs to apply or to download an application.

Resumes can be included, but not in lieu of the required application materials. 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 or returned.

Supplemental Questionnaire Instructions:Individuals who apply for this position must respond to each of the supplemental questions. Both paper and online applications must be received by the Human Resources Office no later than the time and date specified in the vacancy announcement. The responses to the supplemental application questions will be used in accordance with the procedures indicated under the Selection Criteria in the vacancy announcement.

Instructions: Please limit your responses to one page 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. Please be advised that the information you provide will be evaluated "as is" and incomplete or illegible applications will likely receive lower ratings. Therefore, it is very important to provide a concise, organized, and easy to follow response to each question.

You must provide the following for each question regarding experience: The name of the employer where you gained your experience, your job title, length of time in years/months performing the specific function, and detailed examples that illustrate your duties and responsibilities.

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.

Updates regarding your status in the recruitment will be sent via email, unless you indicate a different preference on your application.

The Air District offers the following benefits for full-time, represented and management positions:

• Cost-Sharing Medical, Dental & Vision Options
• Life Insurance (up to 5 times annual salary)
• CalPERS Retirement Plan
• Money Purchase Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Transit Subsidy
• Education Reimbursement
• Vacation Leave
• Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Floating Holiday Leave
• 9-80 Compressed Work Week
• Flexible schedule and Remote Work option
• Employees Assistance Program
• and the Opportunity to Help Provide a Healthy Breathing Environment for Every Bay Area Resident.

For a list of the full benefits, please click
01

Please describe your professional experience that qualifies you for this position. Include a) where you obtained your qualifying experience, b) your role(s) related to this position, c) description of your air quality environmental engineering experience, d) descriptions of the types of calculations that you performed, and e) experience related to evaluating District, State and Federal regulations.
02

Please describe a complex and collaborative project in which you played a major role that involved emissions analysis. Include the objectives and elements of the project, whether the project involved a team, your role and responsibilities, the duration and the outcome(s) of the project.
03

Describe your experience communicating with various audiences, specifically Executive Management, the Board of Directors, industry representatives, community groups and the public. Provide any experience when mixed audiences were present at the same time. Give specific examples including what communication methods and considerations were used.
04

Describe your knowledge of industrial processes, practices and equipment that generate air pollution. Describe any special training or course work that you have done related to environmental permitting.
Required Question