APCD Air Quality Specialist- Inspector

Description

What We Offer
The County of Ventura offers an attractive compensation and benefits package. Aside from our base salary range, an employee within this position will also be eligible for the following:

• Educational Incentive - An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree, OR 5% for completion of a graduate degree.
• Bilingual Incentive - Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. To qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency examination.
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions.
• Health Plans: You are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
• Pension Plan - Participation in the County's defined benefit pension plan. If eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems such as CalPERS.
• Holidays - 12 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

The Position
Under immediate supervision the APCD Air Quality Specialist I conducts inspections of industrial and commercial facilities, crude oil and natural gas production facilities, and other non-vehicular sources of air pollutants and performs other duties in order to ensure compliance with the Air Pollution Control District Rules and Regulations, and federal and state pollution control requirements; performs related duties as required.
APCD Air Quality Specialist I Inspector is assigned the more routine inspections, tasks, and projects and follows clearly defined procedures under immediate supervision. Incumbents may also be assigned to assist APCD Air Quality Specialist IIs with the more complex inspections or assignments.

The ideal candidate will have:

• experience in either the public or private sector related to environmental compliance or code compliance as a regulator or a member of the regulated community
• the ability to work alone in the field with limited supervision, exercising sound independent judgment in a variety of situations within policy guidelines
• experience documenting information, writing reports and business letters, as well as general business writing
• the ability to establish and maintain working relationships and to confidently and effectively communicate with the regulated community

Candidates should be inquisitive, determined individuals who are undaunted in performing inspection duties under occasionally less than optimal circumstances.

PAYROLL TITLE/APPROXIMATE SALARY:
APCD Air Quality Specialist I: $2,739.36 - $3,842.12 biweekly

APCD Air Quality Specialist I is represented by the Service Employees' International Union (SEIU) and are not eligible for overtime compensation.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular, Temporary, Fixed-term, Intermittent, or Extra Help vacancies. There is currently one (1) Fixed Term position in the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District with an expiration date of one (1) year from the date of hire but may be extended up to two (2) years depending on the District's operational needs.

NOTE: A Fixed Term position is a position to which persons may be appointed for a specific duration of time not to exceed three (3) years. Fixed Term employees are eligible for the same benefits and compensation as Regular employees.

Examples Of Duties

Depending on the level, duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conducts annual compliance inspections, complaint inspections, pre-permit evaluation inspections, and other inspections of sources of air contaminants.
• Maintains, calibrates and uses testing or measuring instruments to determine compliance with air pollution control regulations at crude oil and natural gas production facilities as well as other non-vehicular sources of air pollution.
• Witnesses initial and annual performance verification testing at retail and non-retail gasoline dispensing facilities.
• Maintains records, analyzes data, prepares plot plans and flow diagrams, and prepares written reports on inspections, violations, and related information. Issues written Notices of Violation.
• Investigates equipment breakdowns and complaints from the public concerning air pollution.
• Secures samples (fuel oil, gasoline, coatings, solvents, etc.), conducts tests, calculates emissions, reviews permit conditions and source records to determine compliance with air pollution control regulations.
• Conducts inspections of portable engines and portable equipment units registered under the statewide equipment registration program (PERP) and verifies compliance with the Air Toxic Control Measure for Portable Diesel Engines.
• Conducts audits of air pollution source records to determine compliance.
• Conducts reviews of Annual Compliance Certification for facilities with Title V permits.
• Investigates compliance status of variances and abatement orders of the Air Pollution Control District Hearing Board.
• Assists in case development for office conferences, hearing board cases and court cases, and may appear as an expert witness.
• Participates in or represents the District at meetings, conferences, and workshops; may assist in training and providing technical guidance to enforcement personnel.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Typical Qualifications

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE: Any of the following education or experience that has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

APCD Air Quality Specialist I - Inspector
Bachelor's degree (or higher) in a science related field with no related job experience;
OR
Two (2) years of college in a science related field AND six (6) months in an inspector assignment;
OR
Two (2) years of college in a science related field AND one (1) year of experience in an industrial setting working with air pollution control equipment;
OR
Two (2) years of experience in an inspector assignment or working with air pollution control equipment and an adequate demonstration of mathematical ability.

Substitution:
One (1) year of experience similar to that gained in the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) may be substituted for the degree requirement.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Possession of or ability to obtain and maintain a valid California driver license.
• Must have ability to obtain and maintain valid Visual Emissions Evaluation (VEE) certification.
• Must be willing and able to travel to various sites throughout the County.

Verification of college coursework completed in a science related field is required. Transcripts or grade reports from an accredited college or university which reflect the date your degree was conferred and passing grades in the required subject areas must be submitted to Human Resources Attn: Lorin Calderon 800 So. Victoria Ave. Ventura, CA 93009 or at lorin.calderon@ventura.org within three (3) business days of the recruitment closing date. The closing date will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications to meet business needs. If transcripts or grade reports are not submitted, your application will be screened out and you will not be allowed to continue in the process - no exceptions. Degree(s) from a foreign institution require an academic credential evaluation to determine the U.S. equivalency.

You must submit the above documentation, a hard copy with a paper application or a scanned copy as an attachment for an online application. If you submit a hard copy with a paper application, be sure it's a copy. Whatever you submit will not be returned to you. To attach a scanned copy to an online application, use the Add Attachment(s) link in the Attachments section at the bottom of the page where you can edit the various sections of your application. If the name on this documentation is different from the name on your application, include document(s) that show the name change (e.g., a marriage certificate).

Work is performed primarily in the field with some office work. Incumbents may be required to bend, crawl, climb ladders and towers, reach, crouch, kneel, and routinely lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds. The classification will be exposed to hazardous conditions.

DESIRED:

• Previous work experience:
  • In the public sector as either a compliance regulator or a member of the regulated community.
  • Analyzing, interpreting, and applying federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations pertaining to Air Pollution.
  • Conducting ambient air sampling; preparing emission estimates and technical reports Operating and maintaining monitoring instruments, such as a flame ionization detector or photoionization detector.
  • With crude oil production facility operation and/or maintenance.
  • Involving public contact or public speaking.
  • Assisting and/or administering an asbestos program
• Proficiency with Microsoft tools in use at the APCD, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, and PowerPoint.
• Bilingual Skills (English/Spanish)
• Bachelor's degree in a related field, such as Environmental Science, Chemistry, Physics, Conservation, and Environmental Law Enforcement

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
Working knowledge of:

• District's Rules and Regulations;
• State of California Health and Safety Code and Business and Professions Code, Air Resources Board Executive Orders, and the Code of Federal Regulations where applicable to air pollution regulations;
• Air Pollution Control District and its operation;
• Industrial processes and equipment that emit air pollutants;
• Air pollution control devices;
• Safety equipment and where it should and should not be used;
• Basic principles of chemistry, physics, engineering, and mathematics;
• Methods used in investigation and inspection;
• Meteorology as it relates to air pollution;
• District's permit processing policies and procedures;
• District's permit renewal procedures.

Working skills in maintenance, calibration and use of instruments including:

• FID (Flame Ionization Detector) for volatile organic compound detection and calculation;
• PID (Photo Ionization Detector) for other organic and inorganic vapor detection, particulate and other analysis.

Some ability to:

• organize information and write effectively to create clear and concise reports on inspections, violations, and other written documents of permanent record.

Recruitment Process

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

First review of applications is anticipated to be on Monday, April 21, 2025.

To apply on-line refer to web site: www.ventura.org/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 S. Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.

NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) for additional information.

Note to applicants: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.

APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION
A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.

NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related oral examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.

If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination will not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

Candidates successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Lorin Calderon by e-mail to lorin.calderon@ventura.org or phone (805) 654-2959.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

YOUR BENEFITS AS A COUNTY OF VENTURA EMPLOYEE

Service Employees International Union (LOCAL 721)

(SEIU)

To learn more about Benefits, Retirement, and the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), see links below.

• Benefits website or you may call (805) 654-2570.
• Retirement FAQ's
• Memorandum of Agreement

Union Codes: UPA, UPC, UPE, UPH, UPI, UPJ, UPT, UWS

• 

• County of Ventura

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