Air Quality Planner (Natural Resource Specialist 4)

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality strives to build and sustain an inclusive environment that embraces and values diversity. Employees at all levels of the agency work together to foster fairness, equity, inclusion, and belonging. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ethnicity, veteran, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, or physical or mental disability. Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may not meet every one of our listed preferred qualifications. Lived experience may count towards the preferred qualification. If you are excited about this position, we encourage you to apply. If you are unsure as to whether or not you meet the qualifications of this position, please contact us to discuss your application.

Are you passionate about preserving, enhancing, and protecting Oregon’s environment? If so, please consider a career with the State of Oregon at the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). At DEQ, employees have the opportunity to work with a dynamic and supportive team of mission-focused individuals tasked with maintaining, restoring, and enhancing the quality of Oregon’s air, land, and water. Here is a video about DEQ: https://youtu.be/E-Cs6M9AAlU

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity available for an Air Quality Planner (Natural Resource Specialist 4) in Portland, Oregon.

This position is limited duration through January 31, 2026 with the potential of being extended or made permanent pending Budget and Legislature approval.

Please consider joining an innovative team, and work to advance our agency’s mission to protect and improve Oregon’s environmental quality. The Air Quality Division is responsible for collecting environmental information, analyzing environmental information, and developing sound and effective environmental strategies. The Division ensures that the technical and scientific expertise is available to inform and carry out these responsibilities. In partnership with others, the Division takes a comprehensive and holistic view of environmental impacts and seeks to create solutions that enable actions that can reduce those impacts. The goal of the Air Quality Division is to ensure clean and healthy air for all Oregonians.

This position is part of the Air Quality Planning section. The Air Quality Planning section develops policies, programs, rules, guidance, and legislative concepts to achieve the agency’s air quality protection goals and meet requirements of the federal Clean Air Act. A key function of this section is the development of air pollution reduction strategies needed to protect public health. These strategies address a broad array of emission sources that contribute significantly to air quality degradation and public health risks. All of these sources of air pollution fall under the department’s authority to regulate in a manner consistent with state statutory and administrative requirements, policies, objectives, and goals. For Oregon, these strategies and emission reduction plans are developed in coordination with other state and federal agencies, businesses, environmental groups, advocacy groups, tribes, and the public.

Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.

What you will do!

You will serve as a technical expert responsible for the development and implementation of local and statewide air pollution reduction strategies. You will serve as an air quality planner supporting efforts to reduce air pollution from a wide variety of sources. Your work will involve leading DEQ and interested parties to gather scientific, policy, legal, and other information, including public input, to formulate policy, regulations, and programs that satisfy state and federal law, as well as the agency’s strategic goals for air quality. Your work may address multiple types of air pollution, including federal criteria pollutants (such as ozone or fine particulate), toxic air pollutants (i.e. air toxics), regional haze, and greenhouse gas pollution. You will be responsible for outcomes of major significance to the agency and state, and will need to weigh and manage a wide range of factors and uncertainties to develop policy and regulatory proposals for action, including evaluating and considering technical, legal, policy, and political risks, as well as interested party and public input.

What’s in it for you!

The opportunity to work on pioneering new solutions to addressing transportation pollution and public health. You will work in a productive and creative environment where no two days are ever the same! We offer a competitive benefits package that offers comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for the employee and their qualified family members, as well as paid sick leave, vacation leave, personal leave, and 11 paid holidays a year. In addition, we offer membership in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), and you have the opportunity to potentially receive loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). If you are passionate about Oregon's environment, apply today!

This is a full-time, AFSCME represented position.

This recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies.

What are we looking for?

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in physical science, environmental science, natural resources, or a closely related field, AND 4 years of experience in a natural resource or environmental field (an equivalent combination of education and experience is acceptable). At least 1 year of experience at a technical or professional level performing activities in a natural resource program such as researching and analyzing data, conducting investigations, applying pertinent laws and regulations, or coordinating and monitoring project activities.

Candidates who are most competitive will also reflect the following:

• Demonstrated understanding of environmental justice and the historical impacts for marginalized and underrepresented communities; ability to take personal responsibility for increasing their knowledge of environmental justice and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to provide clear, concise, and compelling communication of policy and technical information tailored to the needs of diverse audiences; skill in writing and presenting clear and concise reports that include qualitative and quantitative analyses, recommendations, and conclusions to diverse audiences.
• Experience developing policy analysis for an air quality program or other natural resource program.
• Working knowledge of air pollution, its causes and effects.
• Experience with community engagement; experience coordinating committees representing diverse perspectives in order to reach a common goal.
• Demonstrated experience building and fostering relationships with a diverse group of partners including colleagues, interested parties, communities, organizations, and businesses.
• Skill in conflict resolution, negotiation, collaboration, and engagement; strong interpersonal skills with an ability to break down traditional barriers that exist between programs, challenging people to take a coordinated rather than independent perspective.
• Project management experience, including development, implementation, and evaluation; experience developing program performance metrics.

Working Conditions:

DEQ believes in a diverse and inclusive work environment. All employees are expected to contribute to a work environment that collectively values and benefits from respecting its diversity and promotes a culture of inclusiveness.

This position will be based out of DEQ’s Headquarters office in Portland, however, the successful candidate may be eligible for hybrid work. The logistics of hybrid work will need to be worked out with the Hiring Manager prior to your hire and may be changed at any time given specific job duties and business needs. DEQ will provide necessary hardware (laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse, and cell phone) for an employee to successfully work from home. At DEQ sites, you will have access to a workspace, however, it may be shared with other employees.

This position requires occasional travel statewide to attend meetings, trainings, public hearings, conferences, and seminars, some of which may involve extended work hours, overnight stays, and/or weekend work.

How to Apply: (complete the application in full)

• External Applicants Click on the “Apply” button and submit your application. Click this link for the External Candidate job aid, and view this video for additional information.
• Internal Applicants (current State of Oregon employees): Apply through your employee Workday account.  View this knowledge article for assistance.

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Please Note: In addition to your related work experience and education, DEQ will use the desired attributes and minimum qualifications above, under the “What are we looking for?” section to determine whom to interview. Please make sure your attributes and minimum qualifications are clearly demonstrated in your application material.

Veterans Information:

DEQ provides veterans’ preference points to all eligible veterans. For more information on veterans’ preference, please visit Veterans Resources, or call the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs at: 1-800-692-9666. For privacy reasons, please do not attach veterans’ preference documents when initially applying. You will be asked to submit those at a later time.

Equal Pay Analysis:

As an employer, the State of Oregon complies with HB 2005, the Pay Equity Bill. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected class in the payment of wages, and we do not screen applicants on the basis of their current or past compensation. Please visit http://www.oregon.gov/das/hr/pages/equity.aspx for more information. Please note: the salary listed is the non-PERS qualifying salary range. If the successful candidate is PERS qualifying, the salary range will reflect an additional 6.95% (6% goes to PERS and .95% covers payroll taxes). Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.

Work Authorization:

DEQ does not offer visa sponsorships. On the first day of employment, all hires will be required to complete the US Department of Homeland Security’s Form I-9, confirming authorization to work in the United States. In addition, hires will have three business days from their first day of employment to present documents that establish employment authorization and identity. DEQ is an E-Verify employer and will use E-Verify to confirm that hires are authorized to work in the United States.

Questions/Need Help?

If you have questions about the recruitment or need assistance to participate in the application process, please contact DEQ’s Recruitment Team at jobs@deq.oregon.gov or 503-229-5107. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.