Air Quality Program Lead (Classification: Engineer III)

Salary: $52.24 - $66.21 Hourly
Location : Maple Valley, WA
Job Type: Career Service, Full Time, 40 hrs/week
Job Number: 2025JM24024
Department: DNRP-Natural Resources & Parks
Division: SWD -Solid Waste
Opening Date: 04/10/2025
Closing Date: 4/27/2025 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Bargaining Unit: C1 : PROTEC17-DES, DLS, DNRP
Full- or Part-Time: Full Time

Summary
Exciting opportunity for an Air Quality Program Lead (Engineer III). Is air quality and climate action important to you? This position works with teams across the Solid Waste Division to ensure air regulations and permit conditions are met and control systems are operating effectively while delivering resource recovery and waste disposal services throughout King County. This position also leads greenhouse gas reporting efforts, contributes to emissions reduction projects, and will play a key role in developing a comprehensive program to implement Washington State's new Landfill Methane Emissions rule.

Do you like variety? The programs and projects this position supports deal with a variety of emissions sources commonly found at municipal solid waste landfills & transfer stations and are governed by federal, state, and local regulations. This position also collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to solve problems by applying engineering and scientific principles.

Do you enjoy a challenge? The solid waste industry and environmental regulations are constantly changing and the Solid Waste Division must adapt to continue delivering high-quality services to its customers.

This position will be part of the Facility Engineering and Science Section (FESS), which is committed to providing quality solid waste and recycling facilities for residents of King County while preserving and protecting natural resources and communities. This position helps the Division provide recycling and waste disposal services to the residents and businesses of King County and protect human health and the environment. These efforts allow SWD to provide services in alignment with King County goals and values.

In addition to filling one (1) Career Service Engineer III position, we may use this recruitment to create a list of candidates for any potential vacancies in similar positions within the next 12 months.

About the Role:
This position works with multidisciplinary teams across the Solid Waste Division to ensure the services we provide are done in accordance with environmental regulations and industry best practices. This position will lead air quality and greenhouse gas emissions programs for King County's only active landfill, several closed landfills, and transfer stations located throughout King County.

About the Team:
This position is part of a welcoming and dedicated team of engineering and environmental professionals who are committed to preserving and protecting the natural resources and communities within King County. Led by an Engineer Supervisor, the Cedar Hills Unit includes a team of Engineers II and III who support active landfill operations, provide engineering subject matter expertise on landfill construction/improvement projects, and evaluate the performance of environmental control systems at the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill. This position will also have a matrixed relationship with the Environmental Science and Compliance Unit (ESCU) in FESS. ESCU includes environmental compliance coordinators (i.e. Environmental Scientist III) who manage programs aimed at satisfying the requirements of various environmental permits and regulations. The Air Quality Program Lead will serve at the compliance program lead for all air quality and greenhouse gas-related regulatory requirements.

Commitment to Equity Racial and Social Justice:
King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As an Engineer III, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Solid Waste Division of the King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks. Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

Job Duties
What You Will Be Doing:

• Lead programs that support compliance with federal, state, and local air quality and climate regulations and permits applicable to SWD transfer stations and active & closed landfills. Lead air permit acquisition and renewal efforts. Optimize compliance outcomes through division-wide coordination and collaboration.
• Represent SWD in interactions with various federal, state, and local regulatory agencies, and other interested parties. Foster respectful and professional relationships focused on finding mutually acceptable solutions to air quality challenges.
• Perform site visits to evaluate compliance status and/or provide technical assistance for air quality problems. Accompany regulators on announced site visits/inspections/audits.
• Track compliance program outcomes and effectiveness. Identify improvement opportunities and recommend actions to strengthen programs. Effectively communicate program status to supervisor and SWD Management on a regular basis.
• Prepare, review, and/or submit air quality compliance documentation including, but not limited to, routine reports, permit applications, and required plans.
• Manage consultant and contractor teams and deliverables including, investigation work plans, monitoring work plans, design drawings, record drawings, and contract specifications.
• Provide technical review for environmental impact assessment studies. Review of greenhouse gas calculations, assumptions, and reporting.
• Evaluate existing emissions source control technologies and practices, identify opportunities for improvement, and make recommendations to optimize system performance.
• Provide day-to-day oversight of staff team providing data analysis, data reporting, interpretation, and completion of compliance activities.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills
Qualifications You Bring:

• A bachelor's degree in engineering with coursework in the physical sciences, or a bachelor's degree in a physical science discipline with coursework in engineering, OR the equivalent combination of training and experience necessary to demonstrate working knowledge of air quality issues.
• A minimum of five years of work experience applying engineering and scientific principles to air quality-related challenges, including emissions measurement, quantification, and/or control.
• A minimum of three years of environmental compliance work experience representing a regulated source, or a regulatory agency overseeing regulated sources, or acting as an expert advisor to regulated sources.
• Skill in program development, initiation, and follow-through.
• Experience leading and overseeing the day to day work of a team.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and local regulations and laws related to air quality and emissions, preferably those applicable to stationary sources.
• Working knowledge of the following practices; air monitoring principles and protocols, emissions calculations, control technologies, air modeling, and health assessments.
• Knowledge of operation and maintenance of engineering and environmental control systems.

Competencies You Bring:

• Business Insight: Applying knowledge of business and the marketplace to advance the organization's goals.
• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, high quantity, and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems.
• Builds Networks: Effectively building formal and informal relationship networks inside and outside the organization.
• Communicates Effectively: Develop and deliver multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

It Would Be Great If You Also Bring:

• Master's degree in chemical, mechanical, or environmental engineering, or closely related field.
• Experience implementing or overseeing a program designed to comply with a Title V air operating permit.
• Experience working on gas collection and control systems (ex. GCCSs).
• Experience working with supervisory control and data acquisition (ex. SCADA) systems.

Supplemental Information
Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite reporting requirements approximately 2-4 days onsite/week. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including Cedar Hills Landfill, 16645 228th Avenue SE, Maple Valley, WA 98038. This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department's vision of Green Where We Work.
• Remote Work Location Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance of King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is represented by PROTEC 17.
• Physical Requirement: The candidate must be able to work in an office environment in addition to working in active and closed landfill settings and at operating transfer stations. This may include working on uneven grades, slopes, surfaces, and slippery terrain in inclement weather and other adverse conditions such as darkness, dust, odor, high volume noise, heavy traffic, and working near construction and industrial activities/equipment.
• Workplace Exposures: Workplace exposures may include physical, mechanical, thermal, or chemical hazards associated with working outdoors, working at solid waste facilities, and working around environmental control systems.

Application and Selection Process: We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives, and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness, and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in a technical screening interview and a final panel interview.

To apply, submit a:
Complete Application
Note: Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact

Discover More About the Solid Waste Division: Visit our website at our website at and check us out at| | |

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News

Sign up for to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest.
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Guided by our , we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.
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No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees' health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage options: King County provides eligible employees with options, so they can decide what's best for themselves and their eligible dependents
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: eligible King County employees may participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails.

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.
01

Explain how your education and/or experience make you a competitive candidate for this Air Quality Program Lead. Be sure to speak to your experience that is listed under "Qualifications You Bring" within this job posting.
02

Are you applying to this position as an eligible current or previous King County Employee Priority Placement Program Participant? ANDIs this position the same or lower percentage of full-time when compared to the position held at the point of the notification of layoff? ANDDo you possess the skills and abilities to qualify for this position?

• Yes, I was given a layoff notice from my Career Service role at King County and I am within two years of the effective date of my layoff. Additionally, the position I was laid off from was the same or a higher percentage of FT status when compared to this one.
• No.

03

If you answered yes to the question above and you are applying for this position as a Priority Placement Participant, to be considered, you must provide the following three pieces of information in the space provided:1. The title you held when you received your layoff notice2. The department you worked in3. The effective date of your layoff
Required Question