Air Resource Specialist

WHY PUGET SOUND CLEAN AIR AGENCY?

The Agency’s vision is for everyone, everywhere to breathe clean, healthy air all the time regardless of who they are, or where they live and to become the most climate-friendly region in the United States. The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is a regional government agency created in 1967. Our jurisdiction covers King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties. We achieve our mission by monitoring air quality, sponsoring voluntary initiatives, educating people and businesses about air quality issues, and enforcing state and federal air quality laws.

Our Agency is composed of approximately 70 staff members in two main divisions, Compliance and Air Quality Programs. Agency roles include inspectors, air resource specialists, engineers, meteorologists, monitoring technicians, project managers and communications. Our operations are supported by a team of specialists, as well as IT services, human resources, legal, records management, finance and administrative staff. For more information on the Agency, please visit www.pscleanair.gov. We are governed by a Board of Directors which includes elected officials from each of our four counties, a representative from the largest city in each county, and one member representing the public at large.

The Opportunity

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency is seeking a full-time Air Resource Specialist.  This position will work within the Clean Air & Climate Initiatives Department of the Air Quality Programs Division.  An Air Resource Specialist develops, implements, and manages programs and projects in a lead role.

In our 2030 Strategic Plan, the Agency set ambitious regional goals for 2030.  These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from 1990 levels, reducing cancer risk from air pollutants by 50% from 2022 levels, reducing air pollution overall by 20%, and reducing socioeconomic disparities in air pollution exposure by half compared to 2022. Working toward these goals, this position has the opportunity to effect local change, leveraging new and existing programs to achieve results for communities across our four-county jurisdiction.

This position will lead efforts to reduce emissions, primarily in the transportation sector, with an initial focus on transportation electrification and diesel emission reduction projects. Work may include coordinating regional clean transportation and climate action efforts, identifying funding opportunities for project implementation, leading grant applications, managing and implementing grants, supporting grant applications of partner organizations and collaboratives, and supporting policy development.  These efforts will leverage resources to reduce harmful air pollution, especially in our overburdened communities.

Work is highly collaborative, expanding our reach through partnerships.  Initial priorities may include:

• Lead uptake and use of the Regional Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Roadmap: Lead next steps to support implementation of the soon-to-be-completed (December 2026) Regional Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Roadmap (REV Roadmap), which provides a regional strategy for expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure across King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish counties through 2035. Work will leverage the Regional Electric Vehicle Collaborative, a partnership with the Puget Sound Regional Council to accelerate transportation electrification in the region.
• Expand efforts to accelerate EV charging deployment for multifamily housing: Convene cross-sectoral partners to build on successful models in the region to advance EV charging deployment for multifamily housing, aligned with the REV Roadmap recommendations and strategies and actions described in the Puget Sound Region Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).
• Coordinate medium and heavy-duty charging infrastructure deployment in the region: Lead coordination with the Zero-Emission Truck Collaborative to accelerate planning and siting of medium and heavy-duty vehicle charging infrastructure, aligning clean transportation strategies in the CCAP with REV Roadmap recommendations and the Agency’s diesel emission reduction priorities.
• Lead the Agency’s Diesel Reduction Program: Manage the Agency’s current Diesel Emission Reduction Act (DERA) grant, coordinate with external partners to ensure projects are completed according to grant requirements and timelines, and proactively seek project ideas and partners to build a pipeline for future funding opportunities to be supported through the Agency’s Diesel Reduction Program.
• Support the Agency’s regional climate action coordination efforts: Support the project manager of the Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) to complete final grant deliverables, participate in regional climate forums, participate in planning discussions for regional legislative priorities and policies, and coordinate regional efforts to identify and implement projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

We seek applicants who apply our values of excellence, innovation, integrity, leadership, collaboration, active transparency, equity, and inclusion in their day-to-day work.

The Agency provides an environment for work-life balance.  This position is currently hybrid, with a possibility of days in our downtown Seattle office.   The successful candidate should expect to be in-office or reporting in person to partner meetings as Agency needs dictate.  This position is represented by the Teamsters 763 collective bargaining unit.

All Agency employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Position Information

This position will deliver programs and projects to advance the strategic priorities of the Agency to reduce air pollution and attain air quality standards and targets, with an initial focus on transportation emissions and diesel pollution.  Work includes leading efforts to identify, apply for, and administer aligned grants, as well as building out regional programs for project implementation.  The position will engage with a variety of key collaborators in air pollution reduction programs, developing relationships with external partners, and engaging with policy development and analysis on clean air topics.

This description is a summary of the types of responsibilities the Air Resource Specialist is responsible for at the Agency and is not intended to be all encompassing.  Please review the full job description on our website.

This position requires excellent project management, communication skills, and grant implementation skills, as well as policy and program analysis and development skills. 

Application Process

This position will remain open until filled. Please submit all application materials by Monday, October 5, 2026, at 4:30 pm to be considered during the first review of applicants.  Visit www.pscleanair.org/jobs for a complete job description and to apply online. 

The timeline for this hiring process is:

• Selected candidates may be invited for a phone screen beginning the week of October 5th
• Candidates invited to a panel interview will be notified beginning the week of October 19th
• Panel interviews are tentatively scheduled to begin the week of October 26th

For questions, clarifications, or other information please contact Sharon Helmstetter, Sr. HR Analyst, at (206) 689-4096. 

Prior to employment, a criminal history background check and reference checks will be conducted on the top candidates. The Agency requires all employees to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The Agency is an Equal Opportunity Employer and maintains policies for a drug-free and smoke-free work environment.

Puget Sound Clean Air Agency provides reasonable accommodations to assist qualified individuals to perform the essential functions their job requires.

Benefits:

Including but not limited to the following

• Washington Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS)
• Medical (100% of premium paid for the employee and 80% paid for dependents)
• Dental (100% of premium paid for employees and dependents)
• Vision (100% of premium paid for the employee and 80% paid for dependents)
• Section 125 Flexible Spending
• Employer-paid ORCA public transit within the Agency jurisdiction (King, Pierce, Kitsap and Snohomish counties)
• 11 paid holidays scheduled throughout the year plus 2 floating holidays
• Accrued leave – Sick leave (7.75 hours/month) and vacation leave (8.4 hours/month)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – the EAP provides a free confidential resource outside the workplace for full-time employees and immediate family members
• Life Insurance – employer-paid term life insurance equal to the employee’s annual salary
• Deferred Compensation Account
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability
• Tuition Assistance