Senior Air Quality Modeler (Natural Resource Specialist 5)
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/iP3K7JoLe1k
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has a full-time opportunity for a Senior Air Quality Modeler (Natural Resource Specialist 5) in Portland, Oregon.
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, which directly supports DEQ’s mission. The Air Quality Division is responsible for developing new air quality programs and supporting the Regions as they implement existing air quality programs. Click here to view a map of all of the DEQ offices.
What you will do!
You will provide technical assessments, air quality analyses, and environmental analyses (including on regional haze) for the development and support of air program policy goals that encompass regional, local, and source-specific air quality objectives through air quality modeling. This work will include program development with Federal and State agencies, DEQ Headquarters and regional offices, and private sector stakeholders; use of air quality and meteorological models; evaluation of air quality impacts on regional and local scales from permitted industrial sources, area and mobile sources, and sources from outside the State; evaluation of the effectiveness of mitigation strategies; and analysis of the cumulative impacts from criteria pollutants and toxic air contaminants. In addition, you will provide high level technical assistance to staff and other agencies; serve as the agency’s technical lead on national and regional air quality modeling policy; and provide support and assistance to regional offices to ensure air quality analyses are consistent with national standards and guidance.
What’s in it for you!
The opportunity to 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 a physical science, environmental science, natural resources, or closely related field, AND 5 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:
- Experience in atmospheric science, air dispersion theory, industrial processes, air pollution control technologies, and computer modeling.
- Experience with air quality models including Gaussian plume, photochemical, and receptor models (such as chemical mass balance (CMB) and Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF)); deposition models; and meteorological models such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) meteorological model.
- Experience evaluating air quality impacts from a variety of sources including permitted industrial sources, area sources, and mobile sources, from both within and outside the State,
- Experience analyzing cumulative impacts from criteria pollutants and toxic air contaminants in support of regional analyses including non-attainment areas, regional haze, and environmental justice.
- Experience applying analytical results in a regulatory context (including air quality permitting), working with the regulated community, and public outreach.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills; skill in writing clear and concise reports describing complex industrial processes, application of control technologies, regulatory requirements, and air quality modeling parameters.
- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with staff, many sectors of the public, and other natural resource agencies, including communicating detailed technical information, with professional level writing and presentation skills.
- Advanced Geographical Information System (GIS) software skills; experience providing spatial distribution and statistical analyses with R-code packages.
Working Conditions:
Work is primarily in an office setting with occasional travel throughout the state for meetings, presentations, educational seminars, and conferences. Occasional travel out of state to attend national conferences and meetings may be necessary. Meetings may occur in the evenings.
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 job aid 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.
COVID-19 Vaccination Information:
The State of Oregon requires all executive branch employees to complete their COVID-19 vaccination series or have an approved exception to the requirement due to a medical condition or sincerely held religious belief. Successful candidates for this position must submit vaccination documentation or be approved for an exception prior to their first day of employment. Failure to provide proof of full vaccination or receipt of an approved exception will lead to withdrawal of the job offer. For more information, visit our policy listed here.
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.
Pay Equity:
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 Maddy Ouye, Human Resources Analyst, at madeline.ouye@deq.state.or.us or (503) 347-5759. TTY users: please use the Oregon Telecommunications Relay Service at 1-800-735-2900.