Senior Air Quality Engineer

Position Overview

The Air Quality Permitting Professional Engineer (PE) will serve as a subject matter expert, advising clients, and leading regulatory compliance, emissions analysis, control technology analysis, and permitting activities for fossil fuel-fired power generation facilities. This role requires deep technical expertise in combustion emissions, Clean Air Act regulations, and air permitting programs, along with demonstrated experience collaborating with utilities, independent power producers (IPPs), and other energy-sector stakeholders.

Duties And Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage NSR/PSD, Title V, and state-level permits for new and existing fossil fuel units in utility-owned and IPP-owned facilities.
• Conduct regulatory applicability analyses for NAAQS, NSPS, NESHAP/MACT, and state SIP rules.
• Develop BACT, LAER, and control technology assessments with an understanding of utility fleet configurations and IPP commercial operating models.
• Evaluate emissions controls for combustion turbines, boilers, reciprocating engines, and auxiliary equipment across diverse owners and operators.
• Conduct facility-wide emissions inventories and project emission calculations using EPA and state level methodologies, stack testing results, AP-42 emissions factors, and engineering estimates.
• Run or oversee AERMOD/CALPUFF modeling to demonstrate ambient air quality compliance for utility-scale, merchant, and behind-the-meter generation projects.
• Provide engineering guidance on combustion performance, heat-rate impacts, emissions controls, and unit modifications.
• Review utility and IPP project plans, outage activities, and capital improvements to identify permitting pathways and regulatory triggers.
• Support air strategy and compliance planning for power plant upgrades, reliability projects, capacity expansions, and energy transition initiatives.
• Serve as a technical liaison with state and federal regulators, representing the interests of clients in permitting actions and compliance discussions.
• Prepare detailed technical reports, compliance certifications, and agency submittals.
• Track evolving regulations and communicate impacts to utility environmental teams, IPP project developers, and plant managers.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental, Chemical, Mechanical, or related engineering discipline.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.
• 10+ years of air quality permitting experience in power generation or similar heavy industry.
• Strong understanding of NSR/PSD, Title V, air toxics, and combustion emissions.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with utility environmental teams and/or IPP project developers.
• Valid driver’s license and active personal automobile liability insurance by the first day of employment.
• Proven experience supporting electric utilities, public power agencies, and independent power producers in permitting, compliance, and project development contexts.
• Understanding of utility planning drivers (reliability, rate impacts, fleet optimization) and IPP dynamics (merchant market demands, PPA obligations, financing constraints).
• Ability to adapt permitting strategies to different ownership structures, operational philosophies, and regulatory risk tolerances.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with diesel and natural gas internal combustion engines, natural gas combined-cycle and simple-cycle turbines in both utility and IPP settings.
• Familiarity with multiple/many state-specific permitting programs.

Compensation

$110,000 - $160,000 annually*

Final agreed-upon compensation will be based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, an individual’s related experience, education, certifications, skills, and work location.

Successful candidates must pass a pre-employment drug test and background check prior to beginning employment.

Working Conditions

This job operates in a remote or office-based environment and this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, etc. This job requires occasional project site visits, based outdoors which can include excessive noise, uneven walking surfaces, extreme weather, and moving vehicles and equipment.

Physical Requirements

This job requires the following: Working on a computer, sitting, or standing for long periods of time in an office or remote office setting. Attending meetings, both in person and virtually, and speaking on the phone with peers, clients, etc. Specific vision abilities, including close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.