Job Outlook for Air Quality Specialists
California’s fight against air pollution goes back to 1967 when the Federal Air Quality Act was enacted, which offers the state government the right to develop stringent rules and regulations to reduce air pollution. In the past few years, many factors, including wildfires, increasing population, and the growing number of residential, industrial, and commercial construction projects, led to the poor air quality standard of the state.
Many architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) firms are hiring air quality specialists to monitor air quality and ensure there’s clean air to breathe. If you’re an aspiring air quality specialist and want to work with top companies in California, here’s what you need to know about the current job outlook. Read further to find out which AEC firms are hiring across different air quality projects.
Are air quality specialists needed in California?
The major pollutants that affect the residents of California include carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and toxic air contaminants. And the popular sources for all these air pollutants are:
- diesel-operated cars and trucks
- fireplace and woodstove smoke
- residential heaters and stoves
- building materials and products and,
- windblown dust from agriculture and construction activities
California is among the top states in the United States with the worst air quality index, majorly due to climate change, which, consequently, led to wildfire and seismic activities. It was also labeled as the state with the highest ozone level by the American Lung Association in its State of the Air 2017 report, with Los Angeles-Long Beach, Bakersfield, and Fresno-Madera as the top three regions with the worst smog levels. With worsening air quality in the Golden State, hiring air quality specialists for companies involved in different AEC and other projects has become significant.
The job outlook: What can these AEC professionals expect?
Air quality specialists are categorized as environmental scientists and specialists in the United States. The employment opportunities for environmental specialists and scientists are likely to grow by 8 percent in the next seven years. In fact, the average annual salary of these professionals is more than $76,000.
Moreover, as the population and construction activities grow, the need for air quality specialists is also expected to increase in the upcoming decade. In addition, climate change can also result in the frequency and severity of wildfires and storms, potentially damaging industrial activities.
Air quality specialists and environmental resources management professionals are required in these situations to curb the harmful effects on the environment and to devise stringent ways to maintain and monitor the conditions.
Find your dream air quality specialist job with Certis Solutions, an all-inclusive engineering staffing agency in California. It shares a strong partnership with top AEC firms to provide the candidate with an opportunity to work on different engineering, architecture, construction, and environmental projects. Contact us today to learn more about our exclusive AEC services.
