Air Pollution Inspector

As an Air Pollution Inspector, you investigate air pollution sources and complaints to protect air quality. You're responding to citizen complaints, inspecting regulated and unregulated sources, investigating potential violations, and working to resolve air quality problems. It's reactive and proactive environmental protection work focused on air emissions.

Your day often starts with responding to complaints. Someone reports a smoky plume from a factory, unusual odors in a neighborhood, or dust from a construction site. You investigate — visiting the site, identifying the source, determining whether violations are occurring, and taking appropriate action. Between complaint responses, you may conduct routine inspections of regulated facilities.

The hardest part is investigating problems that may be intermittent, hard to locate, or difficult to prove. The smoke someone complained about may have stopped by the time you arrive. Odors may be coming from multiple possible sources. You need investigative instincts, technical knowledge to identify emission sources, and persistence to follow complaints to resolution. The people who thrive here care about community air quality and enjoy solving investigative puzzles.