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Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
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POSITION DESCRIPTION FOR JOB POSTING |
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Position Number: 50515961 |
Description Activated On: 2/11/2026 2:14:31 PM |
Position Purpose: Describe the primary purpose of this position and how it contributes to the organization’s objectives. Example: Provides clerical and office support within the Division to ensure its operations are conducted efficiently and effectively. The employee in this position serves as the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) primary program specialist for maintaining and further developing its air quality forecasting program, which notifies the public of predicted air quality conditions within Pennsylvania, including predicted exceedances of the health-based primary National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and fine particulate matter, and helps the air quality program to better understand the atmospheric conditions that contribute to exceedances of the NAAQS for ozone and fine particulate matter. |
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Description of Duties: Describe in detail the duties and responsibilities assigned to this position. Descriptions should include the major end result of the task. Example: Types correspondence, reports, and other various documents from handwritten drafts for review and signature of the supervisor. 1. Prepares and issues daily air quality forecasts and, as necessary, declares Air Quality Action Days for ozone and fine particulate matter for forecast areas within Pennsylvania. In preparing the forecasts, (1) utilizes air quality forecasting tools, techniques, and data to predict near- to medium-range air quality conditions for ozone and fine particulate matter and (2) conducts daily air quality forecast discussions, if appropriate, with other air quality forecasters within the Bureau and/or air quality forecasting colleagues in other agencies. An Air Quality Action Day is declared to alert the public that an exceedance of the ozone or fine particulate matter NAAQS is forecasted. Additionally, prepares and issues air quality forecasts in accordance with 25 Pa. Code Chapter 137, relating to air pollution episodes, as necessary. 2. Tracks daily forecasted and monitored ozone and fine particulate matter concentrations and air quality indices (AQI) for all forecast areas to identify areas and days for further analysis and determine forecasting accuracy. For ozone and fine particulate matter, analyzes (1) all monitored exceedances of the NAAQS and (2) all forecasted exceedances of the NAAQS, without a corresponding monitored exceedance, and prepares periodic reports to better understand the atmospheric conditions contributing to NAAQS exceedances and improve forecasting accuracy. 3. Maintains and further develops the DEP’s air quality forecasting procedures, tools, and techniques. Additionally, makes certain that air quality forecasting information and products available through the websites of the DEP, communications office, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow, EnviroFlash, National Weather Service (NWS), and air quality partnerships are accurate and, if not, takes corrective action to resolve the issue. 4. Communicates and coordinates with the Bureau, regional offices, communications office, EPA, NWS, local air pollution control agencies, and air quality partnerships on matters related to air quality forecasting. 5. Writes clear, concise, and accurate technical support documents, reports, guidance, policy, and correspondence, as necessary, related to air quality forecasting. 6. Attends, participates, and/or presents work products in conferences, workshops, training, webinars, meetings, or conference calls relevant to air quality forecasting. Such events may be held at a state, regional, or national level and be sponsored by the DEP, EPA, NWS, Ozone Transport Commission (OTC), Mid-Atlantic Regional Air Management Association (MARAMA), National Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA), an air quality partnership, professional organization, another state, or academic institution. 7. Understands and applies federal and state air quality statutes, regulations, policies, and technical guidance related to air quality forecasting. Reviews and provides comments on proposed revisions to federal regulations, policies, and technical guidance related to air quality forecasting. Develops revisions to the DEP’s regulations, policies, and technical guidance related to air quality forecasting, as necessary. 8. Provides meteorological support to the Bureau or regional offices, as necessary. This support may include using appropriate tools, techniques, and data to determine atmospheric conditions contributing to a measured exceedance(s) of the ozone or fine particulate matter NAAQS or to determine appropriate locations for the Bureau’s ambient monitoring equipment for ozone or fine particulate matter. 9. Inputs appropriate data in a prescribed format to meet data quality standards set forth by guidance, training, and policy across all of the DEP’s electronic data systems; to include ensuring accuracy and completeness of entries, and where available, the use of system specific tools to ensure duplicative entries and data quality issues are minimized. 10. Analyzes meteorological data for trends and provides updates on changes to DEP's overall meteorological monitoring program. 11. Assists with the develop of the Annual Monitoring Network Plan, the 5-year Air Monitoring Network Assessment, and annual monitoring "Year in Review" reports. 12. Promotes the Department's mission. 13. This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. The employee will perform other job-related duties as assigned. |
Decision Making: Describe the types of decisions made by the incumbent of this position and the types of decisions referred to others. Identify the problems or issues that can be resolved at the level of this position, versus those that must be referred to the supervisor. Example: In response to a customer inquiry, this work involves researching the status of an activity and preparing a formal response for the supervisor’s signature. Work is assigned by the Environmental Group Manager (EGM) according to the employee’s workload with general instructions. All tasks are performed with minimal supervision by the EGM. The employee in this position makes recommendations based on regulations, policy, guidance, known principles, and relevant data. Recommendations that impact other sections, other divisions, the Bureau, and/or the DEP are discussed with and approved by the Section Manager, Division Manager, and/or Bureau Director, as appropriate. |
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Requirements Profile: Identify any specific experience or requirements, such as a licensure, registration, or certification, which may be necessary to perform the functions of the position. Position-specific requirements should be consistent with a Special Requirement or other criteria identified in the classification specification covering this position. Example: Experience using Java; Professional Engineer License Experience: Licenses, registrations, or certifications: 1. Class C Driver's License 2. N/A 3. N/A 4. N/A 5. N/A 6. N/A |
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Essential Functions: Provide a list of essential functions for this position. Example: Transports boxes weighing up to 60 pounds.
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