Air Pollution Specialist

This is a unique opportunity to join the Laboratory Support Section (LSS) as an Air Pollution Specialist within the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Monitoring and Laboratory Division. This position will support the Northern Laboratory Branch's (NLB) Inorganic Laboratory Section (ILS),  Organics Laboratory Section (OLS), and the Special Analyisis Section (SAS).

NLB provides analytical laboratory services for federal and State criteria pollutant, toxic air contaminant, and consumer product enforcement programs. Responsibilities of the Branch include overall sample management, and the analysis of ambient network and special study samples, including the review, validation, approval, and reporting of analytical results to U.S. EPA, CARB Enforcement Division, and other clients while maintaining laboratory health and safety and hazardous waste disposal programs. To support these regulatory mandates, LSS provides analytical support to ILS, OLS, and SAS for sample control and management (sample shipping/receiving, log-in, tracking, storage, and disposition), quality assurance and quality control oversight, and Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) database administration.

The Air Pollution Specialist (APS) position will work on multiple small teams in support of the Branch's laboratories as described above, most notably by providing quality assurance/quality control guidance, LIMS support, and health and safety assistance.

The APS will assist the Section in assessing various QA/QC questions/issues that occassionally arise in the Branch laboratories, including the review of updates to laboratory standard operation procedures, and offer appropriate responses based on good laboratory practices and policy manuals. LIMS support includes providing cradle-to-grave tools for various sample types from initial sample intake and data entry to the reporting of the approved sample results to end clients. The LIMS Team will also work with NLB management and staff in identifying desirable LIMS enhancements and developing plans to fulfill those requests. In addition, the Team responds to frequent, less complex requests for LIMS support within the Branch that require quick turn-around times.

Finally, the APS will assist in administering the laboratory health and safety program for ILS, OLS, and SAS to support the Branch per CARB's Injury Illness Prevention Program to ensure compliance with federal, State and local rules and regulations as they pertain to laboratory specific operations.  This includes maintaining compliance with and updating the Chemical Hygiene Plan, Hazardous Materials Plan, Hazard Communication Plan, Chemical Inventory, and other laboratory safety rules and regulations and develops and maintains the laboratory health and safety training program for NLB staff and management to comply with federal, State, and local rules and regulations.   

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. 

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.

• 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.