Staff Air Pollution Specialist

Applying electronically via CalCareers is highly recommended. If submitting a hardcopy application (mail/drop-off), please send an email to Essam.Gad@arb.ca.gov to confirm submission.

CARB offers various modern interview options including remote phone and video interviews. 

The Air Quality Planning Branch of the Air Quality Planning and Science Division seeks a motivated Staff Air Pollution Specialist (SAPS) to provide federal and State policy work on technically complex State Implementation Plan (SIP) development related to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), PM10, and ozone criteria pollutants. PM2.5 is a complex mixture of pollutants including directly emitted PM2.5 such as diesel exhaust and woodsmoke and secondarily formed PM2.5 such as ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate formed from precursor emissions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently strengthened the level of the PM2.5 standard, which could impact large areas of the state who have never been non-attainment, requiring significant air quality planning, analysis, and policy input for plan development and implementation. The underlying state and regional plans drive immediate and long-range emission reductions and are a key part of the Board’s basic mission. 

Currently California has four nonattainment areas for the 2012 annual PM2.5 standard including the most challenging in the country, the San Joaquin Valley (Valley). Understanding the nature of the PM2.5 problem along with understanding the appropriate precursor to control is critical to providing healthier air to Californians as quickly as possible. The Valley, only recently met the original 1997 PM2.5 standard, is also one of only two extreme ozone areas in the country. The complexity of Valley air quality issues for both direct and secondary PM2.5, along with an extreme ozone problem, has made continued progress in the region challenging. The South Coast Air Basin (South Coast) with over 13 million residents has had more success with PM2.5 over the years driven by reductions in secondary PM2.5 and is the other extreme ozone area in the country. However, the PM2.5 improvement has stalled, and the area is struggling to meet the 12 µg/m3 annual standard. Imperial County is also nonattainment for the12 µg/m3 annual standard. Imperial County is next to the Mexico border and the PM2.5 problem is driven by pollution from the international city of Mexicali with over a million residents. Finally, the fourth area, Portola, is a small community in the mountains where the PM2.5 problem is dominated by directly-emitted woodsmoke from home heating. The new PM2.5 nonattainment areas will likely have their own unique challenges. 

Under direction of an Air Resources Supervisor I, the SAPS will lead coordination efforts to successfully develop PM2.5 SIPs to meet EPA’s SIP requirements and due dates outlined in the Clean Air Act (CAA). The SAPS will be responsible for significant planning, highly technical data analysis, policy input and requirements for the planning and development of the PM2.5 SIPs in various nonattainment areas across the state, struggling to meet current standards, and affected by the lowering of the standard. This involves a rigorous public process with a broad range of industry and government stakeholders including air districts, federal agencies, environmental advocates, community groups, municipal planning organizations, other divisions within CARB and the Executive Office. The SAPS will assess emissions inventories and air quality challenges in non-attainment areas, provide control strategy evaluations, science-based policy interpretations and recommendations, and advises and consults with federal, State, and local agencies. The SAPS represents CARB in various joint operations, speaks before groups, responds to external inquiries, prepares briefing documents, reports, presentations, web pages, correspondence, and other materials to assist with public outreach and communication to all stakeholders pertaining to SIP development. The SAPS establishes and maintains cooperative working relationships, adheres to CARB policies and procedures, and communicates effectively with management. The SAPS will work as part of an essential team with a diverse skill set and will play a key role in SIP development and planning efforts. 

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.

Beginning July 1st, 2025, per Executive Order N-22-25, CARB employees will be required to report into office four days a week.

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.

• 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.