Air Pollution Control Engineer - Associate

Placer County Air Pollution Control District is recruiting for one full-time Air Pollution Control Engineer in Auburn, CA. The position will be filled at either the Assistant or Associate level. The Air Pollution Control Engineer will be responsible for overseeing the issuance of renewal and initial permits for stationary sources of air pollution. This includes engineering analysis and evaluation of new permit applications, engineering plans, and requests for modifications to existing permits, for compliance with various air pollution control standards.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees, including:

• Holidays: 14 paid holidays per year, 2 of which are floating holidays*
• Vacation leave: 10 days/year with ability to accrue 25 days/year
• Sick leave: 12 days/year*
• Cafeteria plan: 6% of employee’s salary will be contributed towards employee to use towards 401(k), dependent care, medical co-insurance, or cash
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance available for employees and dependents
• $50,000 life insurance policy at no cost to employee
• CalPERS retirement plans
• Retiree medical insurance
• Deferred compensation
• Education allowance: up to $1,200 per year
• Bilingual incentive: incumbents may be eligible for bilingual incentive pay depending upon operational needs and certification of proficiency.

*Amounts will be prorated for part-time employees and employees hired after the first of the year.

The information above represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire about the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department. For a detailed listing of benefits, please click here to view General benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To perform professional engineering duties in the administration and enforcement of federal, state, and local air pollution control statutes and regulations; and to assist the public in providing information in understanding and complying with air pollution standards and regulations.

This is the full journey-level class within the Air Pollution Control Engineer series. This class is distinguished from the Assistant Air Pollution Control Engineer by the assignment of the full range of duties assigned. Employees at this level receive only occasional instruction or assistance as new or unusual situations arise and they are fully aware of the operating procedures and policies within the work unit.  Positions in this class are flexibly staffed and are normally filled by advancement from the entry level.

This class is distinguished from Senior Air Pollution Control Engineer in that the latter performs the most difficult and responsible engineering work and exercises direct supervision over lower level professional, technical, and clerical staff.

Receives general supervision from supervisory or management staff.

May exercise technical and functional supervision over technical and clerical staff.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

Experience and Training

Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Two (2) years of responsible air pollution control engineering experience performing duties similar to an Assistant Air Pollution Control Engineer with Placer County.

Training: Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in air pollution, environmental, chemical, mechanical, petroleum, or combustion engineering or a related field.

Required License or Certificate:

• Possession of within one (1) year of employment, a California Air Resources Board Visible Emission Certificate.
• May need to possess a valid driver's license as required by the position.  Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of engineering as applied to evaluating and controlling sources of air pollution.
• Principles and practices of algebra, geometry, trigonometry, chemistry, and physics.
• General application of current federal and state air pollution statutes.
• Computer software spreadsheet and data base applications.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and computer equipment.
• Occupational hazards and standard safety measures. 
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; statistics and statistical analysis and advanced mathematical calculations.

Ability to:

• Learn and understand all aspects of the job.  Intermittently analyze work papers, reports, and special projects; identify and interpret technical and numerical information; observe air pollution control activities and problem solve when appropriate; recall, understand, interpret, and explain applicable statutes and regulations. 
• On a continuous basis sit at a desk and in meetings for long periods of time; intermittently walk, stand, reach, push, pull, bend, squat, crouch, crawl, climb, stoop, kneel, or twist to reach office equipment surrounding desk or while conducting field inspections; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use a telephone and write or use keyboard to communicate through written means; see with sufficient acuity to read characters and decipher colors on a computer screen; regularly lift heavy weight.  
• Operate various testing and sampling equipment.
• Compile, analyze, and evaluate technical data using sophisticated computer spreadsheet and data base applications and prepare recommendations and reports based on such data.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Obtain information through interview and work firmly and courteously with the public.
• Analyze situations quickly and objectively and to determine proper course of action.
• Use a computer, calculator, telephone, facsimile machine, postage meter and photocopy machine.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Federal, state, and local statutes and/or regulations governing air pollution control.
• Operation, policies, and procedures of the Air Pollution Control Department.
• Computer database applications and air dispersion modeling software.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job. Independently interpret and enforce air pollution control statutes and regulations.
• Independently assess various air quality permit applications and air pollution control engineering plans and specifications to determine compliance with air pollution laws and regulations.
• Perform studies and analyses; prepare reports, draft rules, and regulations.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification. For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over),  marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Preciosa Ayala-Burkhardt, Administrative Technician, at (PAyala@placer.ca.gov) or (530) 886-4637.