College Intern

Join an agency committed to creating a healthy breathing environment for every Bay Area resident while protecting and improving public health, air quality, and the global climate!

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) is a regional government agency, committed to achieving clean air to protect the public's health and the environment. The Air District accomplishes this goal through regulation of industrial facilities and various outreach and incentive programs designed to encourage clean air choices.

The Air District's jurisdiction encompasses all of seven counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Napa, and portions of two others - southwestern Solano and southern Sonoma.

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

At the Air District, we take pride in our commitment to fostering a workplace that values diversity and promotes cultural awareness. We prioritize employee engagement by providing a collaborative and inclusive environment that encourages active participation and open dialogue. Join us in a dynamic and inclusive culture where your contributions are celebrated, and your growth is nurtured.

At the Air District, environmental justice is at the heart of our mission to create equitable, sustainable communities. Our college internship program provides aspiring leaders with the tools, knowledge, and real-world experience to support initiatives that improve air quality and build capacity in underserved communities. Together, we can make environmental justice a reality.

• Provide Meaningful Agency Support to Advance Environmental Justice
• Integrate Environmental Justice Considerations in Core Functions
• Implement Environmental Justice Best Practices and Innovation
• Communicate with Clarity, Transparency, and Integrity
• Grow Capacity of Environmental Justice Communities and Organizations

In addition to providing general Procurement administrative and program support, the intern will work on several projects relating to the following activities:

• Procurement Policy and Procedures
• New eProcurement Application
• Vendor Outreach and Diversity
• Procurement Planning

• Procurement Policy and Procedures
  • Develop technical writing skills while updating procurement procedures to provide clarity and/or modifications where business processes or regulations have changed.
• New eProcurement Application
  • Learn a new eProcurement application.
  • Assist with contract data validation, conversion, and compliance review.
  • Coordinate product rollout meetings with project leads.
  • Communicate with the vendor community.
  • Provide training and guidance to internal stakeholders.
• Vendor Outreach and Diversity
  • Assist with a strategic plan initiative by enhancing the Air District's vendor diversity program.
• Procurement Planning<
  • Outreach to internal stakeholders to discuss annual procurement planning needs.

• Assist with updating and maintaining the Air District's social media presence, including scheduling social media updates.
• Assist in planning and writing e-newsletters.
• Assist with media events.
• Assist with the design of flyers, graphics and other marketing materials to highlight various Air District programs.
• Collaborate with staff on new ideas, directions, and venues for marketing and communications.
• Provides support for projects related to air quality by conducting research, reviewing policies or regulations, collecting and analyzing data and preparing documentation.
• Contacts public agencies, professional organizations, industry representatives, community groups and District staff to obtain or impart information and data.
• Participates in various public events or meetings.
• Responds by telephone and in writing to assignment-related inquiries from the public, industry representatives and District staff.
• Attend community events, media press conferences and meetings, as needed.
• Assist with contract oversight and create tracking spreadsheets.
• Assists with routine tasks related to the work.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• Valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion at the agency and throughout the Bay Area.
• Using diversity, equity, and inclusion as part of: decision-making strategies, policies, procedures, regulations, funding initiatives, public outreach, planning, and hiring.
• A zero tolerance of all forms of discrimination and harassment.
• Workplace and programmatic practices that exemplify these principles.

• Assist in researching best practices and benchmarking environmental justice scholarship and fellowship programs, including analyzing existing successful models and identifying potential program structures
• Support the coordination and documentation of employee resource group activities, including helping organize meetings, maintaining communication materials, and tracking engagement metrics
• Provide operational support for our established mentorship program, including tracking participant engagement, coordinating check-ins, gathering program feedback, and assisting with program activities
• Help compile and analyze diversity metrics and trends in hiring and promotion processes, creating clear data visualizations and summary reports
• Provide administrative and logistical support for DEI events, workshops, and program activities
• Assist in developing communication materials to promote DEI initiatives across the organization

• Work with engineering staff on development of technical Permit Handbook chapters for source categories.
• Participate in engineering studies such as emissions factor development, Best Available Control Technology/emissions control technology research.
• Assist engineering staff with review and handling of CEQA review for permits
• Assist engineering staff with Rule 11-18 support tasks (e.g., data review, databank queries, etc.).
• Write technical reports as assigned.
• Participate in field visits to permitted facilities.
• Participate in workshops, public meetings, hearings related to Air District permitting.
• Participate in training opportunities, such as, online training courses offered by the California Air Resources Board and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency.

• Digitization of HR Files
• Employee growth and development
• HR process improvements
• Employee Viewpoint Survey
• Learning Management System (LMS) record audit
• Internship and mentoring program enhancement
• Audit Documentation
• JDE Invoice Clean Up
• Financial Analysis

Examples of Duties (Illustrative only):

• HR process and program improvements
  • Review and recommend improvements to orientation programs
  • Research and make recommendations for on and off-boarding processes
  • Enhance our exit interview process
  • Research and present options for a "stay-interview" program
• Digitization of HR Files
  • Assist staff in digitizing paper files
  • Organizes electronic records into a user-friendly system
  • Assist staff in developing document retention policies, procedures, and workflows
• Employee growth and development
  • Audit training records in the Learning Management System (LMS); identify inactive and non-compliant records
  • Assist with trainings
  • Assist with development and rollout of an employee recognition program

• Employee Viewpoint Survey
  • Review and analyze survey data; identify themes and trends
  • Provide a summary of findings
  • Assist staff in developing strategies and recommendations to enhance employee engagement and in areas requiring improvement as a result of the survey
• Internship and Mentoring Programs
  • Assist in administering and coordinating sessions and activities for the internship program
  • Assist in identifying strategies to refine the internship program with Diversity, Equity and Inclusive (DEI) lens
  • Assist with mentoring program activities and data collection
• Audit Documentation
  • Assist with gathering financial records organization of grant files
  • Assist with gathering financial records for interim financial audit
• JDE Invoice Clean up
  • Assist with accounts receivable aging report clean up
  • Follow up with other divisions on outstanding payments/refunds
• Budget/Financial Analysis
  • Compare financial data for large variations and differences
  • Provide a summary report on findings
• Assist with day-to-day HR/Finance operations including record keeping, file maintenance, and processing paperwork.
• Assist with assignments for various HR initiatives around compliance, performance management, employee development.
• Assist with general administrative recruitment operations using the applicant tracking system (NEOGOV).
• Assist with maintaining the Human Resource Information System, including data clean up: updating and uploading employee information, deactivating retire/term employees and updating reporting structure.

• Access the development version of PEG Microsoft Access database through both user interface and Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio during mapping process.
• Write technical descriptions of actions performed and references used in user interface
• Develop Microsoft Power Platform tools to assist in managing data not currently present in DMS
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Major deliverables of this project include:

• PEG Microsoft Access database map
• Technical document that includes descriptions of user interface processes
• Microsoft Power Platform tools to supplement DMS as requested by MQA manager

Examples of Duties (Illustrative only):

• Test existing software on a virtual computer.
• Ensure forecast data transfer to interior and exterior websites.
• Investigate the use machine learning to develop air quality forecast guidance products.
• Learn about the Air District Air Quality forecast program.
• Learn about work other divisions do at the Air District.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• Actively collaborate with internal and external stakeholders
• Develop meeting agendas, take notes, summarize outcomes, and lead small team and working meetings
• Independently research, investigate and document policies, approaches and best practices to reduce greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions and exposures
• Draft policy documents such as model policies and best practices
• Develop resources such as fact sheets, brochures, templates, checklists, resource guides
• Present to small teams and work groups.
• Summarize information in accessible deliverables, potentially including charts, figures, and maps (Google Maps or ArcGIS maps), story maps or other interactive or visually appealing products
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• Work with staff on evaluation studies such as emissions and controls research, regulatory research, and impacts analyses.
• Assist staff with review and handling of CEQA review for rulemaking projects.
• Assist staff with public and stakeholder engagement efforts in support of rulemaking projects.
• Write technical reports and memos as assigned
• Participate in field visits to affected facilities
• Participate in workshops, public meetings, hearings related to Air District rulemakings
• Participate in training opportunities, such as, online training courses offered by the California Air Resources Board and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Contribute to the development of a dynamic emissions database, ensuring accuracy and integration of geocoded facility data and stack release parameters.
• Innovate by designing automated processes that streamline data updates and reduce manual corrections.
• Support regulatory compliance and community air quality modeling, directly impacting AB617-designated areas.
• Be part of a mission-driven team, advancing environmental expertise while developing professional skills in data science and air quality management.

See examples of duties for each internship in the description above.

Must be continually enrolled in and attending an accredited college or university (summer enrollment is not required).

Must be at or entering the junior, senior, or graduate level of college study with a declared major in engineering, chemistry, environmental science, policy, political science, communications, computer science, information system management, public relations, business administration, public administration, planning, atmospheric science, meteorology, public health or a closely related field.

Must have a grade point average of 2.5 or higher (where 4.0 is the highest GPA).

How to Apply

Interested individuals must submit a completed BAAQMD application, cover letter, resume, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire by 5pm on Friday, February 28, 2025. Applications are accepted online; please visit our website at www.baaqmd.gov/jobs to apply.

Resumes must be attached to the application, and will not be accepted in lieu of the required application materials. Postmarks, faxes, and e-mailed applications will not be accepted.

Except as requested in this announcement, do not include any additional documents, such as letters of recommendation, performance evaluations, work samples, etc. They will not be considered.

Supplemental Questions Instructions

Individuals who apply for this position must respond to each of the required supplemental questions. Applications must be received by the Human Resources Office no later than the time and date specified in this vacancy announcement.

Persons with disabilities who may require reasonable accommodations during the application and/or selection process should notify the Human Resources Office at (415) 749-4980.

The District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.