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The Research Division (RD) of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is seeking academic or government researchers with expertise in the health impacts of air pollution and environmental justice for five contract positions. Selected applicants will serve as consultants who will: 1) review CARB’s current health analysis methodology, 2) gather and review existing science and methodologies related to understanding air pollution health impacts in diverse communities and subgroups, and 3) provide recommendations on options to integrate scientific findings and methods into CARB's current approach to evaluate the public health benefits of the agency's air pollution reduction programs.
Consultants will be asked to provide input and advice through meetings with CARB staff, a public meeting, and brief written submissions on five key areas, including, but not limited to:
- Population subgroups (e.g., race/ethnicity) or overburdened communities at greatest risk for health effects of air pollution
- Health outcomes of high concern for tracking and health analysis in overburdened communities
- Approaches to understand impacts of income and other societal factors on air pollution health outcomes
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Qualitative and quantitative approaches to incorporating factors related to environmental justice (e.g., income level, employment status, and cumulative environmental exposure in communities) into health analysis
- Application of methods and approaches to regulatory health analyses
The length of the contract will be 2 years, with a compensation of $6,000 per consultant.
Successful applicants will have experience in one or more areas listed above. Please note that consultants will be reviewing and providing advice individually to CARB who may also collaborate with CalEPA. Therefore, members of existing CARB or CalEPA advisory committees may NOT be applicants under this contract solicitation (prohibition due to provisions in Gov. Code § 87104). This prohibition applies to all members of existing CARB or CalEPA advisory committees, including the Assembly Bill 617 Consultation Group, Environmental Justice Advisory Committee, Research Screening Committee, and the Scientific Review Panel on Toxic Air Contaminants.
Instructions for Applicants
Applicants must submit the following materials:
1) Resume or curriculum vitae (CV) listing or demonstrating subject matter knowledge and expertise, work history, and/or personal experience showing proficiency in research methods and/or application of knowledge related to air pollution, health, and environmental justice, including other factors that may disproportionately affect communities. Please also include a list of relevant publications.
2) Letter of interest, not to exceed two pages, demonstrating the following:
- (i) Candidate's summary of relevant experiences,
- (ii) Candidate’s ability and willingness to meaningfully participate and provide thoughtful and actionable input, and
- (iii) Candidate’s ideas about how they would contribute to CARB’s understanding of health analysis in socio-economically diverse communities.
Applications will be scored on the following criteria:
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Topic experience: Relevance, length, and strength of described expertise in one or more of five key areas listed above relevant to health analysis and/or environmental justice
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Research efforts: Relevance, length, and strength of described research, including providing relevant published research articles/reports authored or co-authored by the applicant
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Interest in participating: Describes willingness to meaningfully participate
Note that applications will be evaluated based on qualifications for and research experiences in the sought expertise area(s).
Applicants must submit the above materials by 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) on December 29, 2023 via email to Dr. May Bhetraratana at may.bhetraratana@arb.ca.gov.
Background
CARB is charged with protecting the public from the harmful effects of air pollution and developing programs and actions to fight climate change. In carrying out this mission, CARB relies on robust science to develop and implement programs to achieve state and federal air quality standards and reviews benefits to the public. CARB evaluates, quantifies, and makes publicly available the benefits of actions to reduce air pollution to support plans and regulations. In April 2020, the Board directed staff in Board Resolution 20-13 (Health Evaluation of Air Quality and Climate Regulations and Programs) to update and expand these health analysis methodologies to capture a broader and more comprehensive range of benefits from reductions in air pollution. This includes efforts to "explore and develop new methods for evaluating health impacts in disadvantaged communities that account for increased vulnerability and exposure to sources of pollution that impact communities."
Contact
For more information, please email Dr. May Bhetraratana, staff in the Health & Ecosystems Analysis Section.
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