Enforcement Air Pollution Specialist

Job Description and Duties

This position may be based in either Sacramento or Riverside County.

The Enforcement Division of the California Air Resources Board is hiring a Staff Air Pollution Specialist for its Vehicle Enforcement Section.

The Vehicle Enforcement Section enforces CARB regulations aimed at improving air quality by reducing emissions from non-compliant vehicles. This includes on-road vehicles such as cars, trucks, motorcycles, recreational marine vessels, and kit cars, as well as off-highway recreational vehicles such as ATVs, sand rails, sand carts, utility carts, golf carts, dirt bikes, and other vehicles with engines above 25 horsepower.

This role involves specialized work in environmental inspections and investigations. The position focuses on technically complex automotive and aftermarket industries, high-profile defeat device cases, and politically sensitive enforcement matters. These cases often require coordination with internal CARB divisions, federal agencies, state attorneys, local governments, and the public.

The Staff Air Pollution Specialist role requires expertise beyond the full journey level and is considered critical to CARB’s mission. The selected candidate should have strong knowledge of regulations, investigations, enforcement settlements, penalty calculations, precedents, enforcement policies, and Vehicle Enforcement Section programs.

Candidates are expected to demonstrate leadership skills, including collaboration, coordination, clear communication, case leadership, and oversight of complex aftermarket parts investigations, settlements, laboratory issues, certification fraud matters, and high-profile defeat device cases.

A cover letter and a separately labeled Statement of Qualifications are required. Failure to submit either document will disqualify the applicant from consideration.

The Statement of Qualifications must explain how the applicant’s skills, knowledge, abilities, education, training, and experience qualify them for the role. It also serves as a writing sample to show the applicant’s ability to communicate clearly and concisely.

The SOQ must include:

• Applicant’s name
• Job Control Number
• Maximum length of 2 pages
• Arial 12-point font
• No AI-generated content

A resume or cover letter cannot replace the required SOQ.

Applicants must address the following:

• Describe your experience leading a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers on complex enforcement cases involving add-on or modified parts and defeat devices.
• Describe your experience coordinating and consulting with diverse stakeholders to resolve add‑on or modified part and defeat device cases.
• Describe your background and experience and explain why it qualifies you for this position.