Ascension LLC is seeking a highly analytical and technically proficient Air Quality Specialist to support transportation planning and environmental compliance efforts for state and regional agencies, including collaboration with Departments of Transportation (DOTs), Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and environmental regulatory bodies.

This role is critical to ensuring that transportation programs, plans, and projects comply with federal air quality conformity requirements under the Clean Air Act. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in transportation emissions modeling, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis, and air quality impact assessments, and will serve as a key contributor to regional emissions analysis and policy compliance.

This is an excellent opportunity for a professional who thrives at the intersection of data analytics, environmental science, and transportation systems, and who is motivated to influence infrastructure decisions that directly impact public health and environmental sustainability.

Position Summary

The Air Quality Specialist provides technical leadership and analytical support for transportation-related air quality analysis, ensuring compliance with federal and state environmental regulations, including conformity determinations.

This role requires a detail-oriented, self-driven professional capable of working in a multi-stakeholder, data-intensive environment. The candidate will analyze emissions from mobile and stationary sources, develop and apply transportation network models, and support regulatory coordination with agencies such as the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The ideal candidate is:

• Highly organized and analytical with strong problem-solving capabilities
• Comfortable working with complex datasets, models, and regulatory frameworks
• Able to translate technical outputs into actionable insights for planners and decision-makers
• Proactive in identifying risks, gaps, and compliance challenges

This role directly supports transportation conformity analysis, emissions forecasting, and environmental impact assessments, contributing to sustainable and compliant transportation planning outcomes.

Key Responsibilities / Day-to-Day Activities

• Develop and apply transportation network models to estimate VMT, speeds, and travel activity inputs
• Conduct emissions modeling using EPA’s MOVES model for CO, NOx, VOCs, and greenhouse gases
• Analyze and interpret mobile and stationary source emissions data
• Perform post-processing of travel demand model outputs for conformity analysis
• Evaluate transportation projects and plans for air quality impacts and regulatory compliance
• Support regional conformity determinations in coordination with MPOs and state agencies
• Collaborate with MDE and DOT stakeholders to ensure emissions analysis meets federal and state requirements
• Assess impacts of congestion mitigation, transit improvements, and land use strategies on air quality
• Prepare technical reports, documentation, and presentations for regulatory review and stakeholder engagement
• Utilize modeling tools such as CUBE, TransCAD/TransPlan, or similar platforms
• Analyze atmospheric dispersion and pollutant behavior to support environmental assessments
• Provide technical guidance to planners and project teams on air quality considerations
• Support data validation, QA/QC processes, and model calibration activities