Air Quality Technician

Air Quality Technician follows protocols and provides hands-on help, illustrated by 22 standard tasks you can try. These show the rhythm of a shift, typical tools like Microsoft Excel, and what success looks like. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

22evidenced tasks
22ready prompts
8tools of the trade
17-3025.00O*NET-SOC code
12,190hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$59,920median pay/yr (US)
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What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians in the U.S. earn more than $59,920 a year — the middle 80% land between $39,910 and $96,660. About 12,190 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$59,920typical pay / year
12,190people in this work
$96,660+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
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The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Analysing1

Analyze pollution samples and test results

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Analyze the set of particulate and gas sample results from the downtown monitoring round, flag exceedances…
Analyze the set of particulate and gas sample results from the downtown monitoring round, flag exceedances against the urban air quality limits, calculate summary statistics and uncertainty, and draft the findings section for the incident folder by Wednesday noon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
Keeping the record4

Develop environmental assessment reports

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Compile the environmental assessment report for the Riverside site including executive summary, method…
Compile the environmental assessment report for the Riverside site including executive summary, method descriptions, lab result interpretation, maps of sampling locations, and recommended mitigation actions, and produce a print-ready draft for the client meeting on Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordESRI ArcGISjob descriptionsO*NET

Review work plans to schedule activities.

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Review the upcoming two-week field work plans, sequence the sample collection and instrument calibrations to…
Review the upcoming two-week field work plans, sequence the sample collection and instrument calibrations to minimise travel time, identify permit or access constraints, and publish a revised schedule with task owners by end of day Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsO*NET

Maintain project records and computer files

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Bring the project records up to date: file the latest chain-of-custody forms, scan and rename the three lab…
Bring the project records up to date: file the latest chain-of-custody forms, scan and rename the three lab reports, sync the QA logs, and archive closed sampling campaigns into the project folder before Friday close of business.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET

Record laboratory or field data

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Enter the field and lab measurements from yesterday’s sampling round into the master data log, QC the entries…
Enter the field and lab measurements from yesterday’s sampling round into the master data log, QC the entries against field notebooks, flag any outliers for re-check, and save a timestamped copy of the dataset before midnight.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
Protecting1

Arrange for disposal of hazardous materials

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Organise removal of the expired calibration gases and contaminated wipes from the mobile lab: confirm…
Organise removal of the expired calibration gases and contaminated wipes from the mobile lab: confirm hazardous waste contractor availability, prepare the manifest and safety data sheets, schedule collection for Thursday morning, and notify the site supervisor.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
The daily work16

Inspect structures to ensure compliance with design

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Inspect the sampling shelters, stacks and duct supports at Riverbend Pump Station today, check drawings and…
Inspect the sampling shelters, stacks and duct supports at Riverbend Pump Station today, check drawings and fixings against the approved design, note any deviations with photographs and mark required corrective actions for the engineering team.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADjob descriptionsO*NET

Maintain process parameters and evaluate process anomalies.

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Review the past 72 hours of process logs and sensor trends from the Midtown treatment line, adjust target…
Review the past 72 hours of process logs and sensor trends from the Midtown treatment line, adjust target setpoints where drift shows a clear bias, document anomalies with timestamps and trigger a root cause follow-up with operations by end of shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET

Provide technical engineering support in the planning of projects, such as wastewater treatment plants, to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and policies.

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Prepare a technical memo for the preliminary layout of the new Greenway wastewater plant showing required…
Prepare a technical memo for the preliminary layout of the new Greenway wastewater plant showing required emission controls, applicable permit limits, and a compliance checklist for the design team before the next client review on Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelO*NET

Oversee support staff.

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Schedule weekly briefings, assign the field sampling rota, and review the junior technicians' outstanding…
Schedule weekly briefings, assign the field sampling rota, and review the junior technicians' outstanding reports so corrective training and task reallocation are set before Monday's site visits.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookO*NET

Create models to demonstrate or predict the process by which pollutants move through or impact an environment.

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Build a dispersion model for the Eastvale industrial park showing hourly concentration plumes for the…
Build a dispersion model for the Eastvale industrial park showing hourly concentration plumes for the worst-case release, include receptor locations and meteorological inputs, and produce maps and a short interpretation for the planning meeting.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISPythonO*NET

Improve chemical processes to reduce toxic emissions.

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Run the solvent combustion mass balance on the current process, identify steps with highest fugitive loss,…
Run the solvent combustion mass balance on the current process, identify steps with highest fugitive loss, propose three engineering changes to cut VOC emissions by at least 30 percent, and prepare cost-benefit notes for the operations manager.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET

Build, calibrate, and repair instruments

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Build, calibrate and repair the urban particulate monitor and two ozone analysers at the depot today, replace…
Build, calibrate and repair the urban particulate monitor and two ozone analysers at the depot today, replace the depleted zero/span cylinders, run the factory calibration routine, log serial numbers and calibration certificates, then leave the instruments operating and note any follow-up parts needed.
The tools that do the workC++job descriptions

Detect and analyse environmental issues

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Survey the Riverside industrial corridor for elevated NO2 and PM2.5, deploy the handheld analysers at four…
Survey the Riverside industrial corridor for elevated NO2 and PM2.5, deploy the handheld analysers at four fixed locations, log GPS coordinates and timestamps, upload the raw readings, flag exceedances above legal limits and draft a brief incident note for the regulator.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Develop new technological production processes

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Design and prototype a low-cost sampling skid for continuous VOC capture, produce simplified fabrication…
Design and prototype a low-cost sampling skid for continuous VOC capture, produce simplified fabrication drawings, list required sensors and flow components, estimate materials cost per unit and schedule a bench trial next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Present their findings in scientific reports

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Prepare a 10-page scientific report on last quarter’s monitoring at Portview: describe methods, present…
Prepare a 10-page scientific report on last quarter’s monitoring at Portview: describe methods, present time-series plots of PM10, NO2 and ozone, include calibration details and uncertainty, summarise regulatory exceedances and recommend two remediation actions for the port operator.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCO

Obtain product information, identify vendors or suppliers, or order materials or equipment to maintain inventory.

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Find current product datasheets and lead times for VOC canisters, pump spare diaphragms, and HEPA in-line…
Find current product datasheets and lead times for VOC canisters, pump spare diaphragms, and HEPA in-line filters used in our routine site sampling, list approved vendors that supply them within three business days, and add minimum reorder levels for stock control.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookO*NET

Operate sampling and monitoring equipment in the field

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Run the daily field checklist for the mobile particulate monitor and four gas detector trains at Cedar Street…
Run the daily field checklist for the mobile particulate monitor and four gas detector trains at Cedar Street site, configure sample flow and alarm thresholds to project specs, record start and stop times, and flag any sensor faults for follow-up.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions

Test and evaluate performance of equipment

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Carry out the factory acceptance sequence on the new ozone analyzer: perform zero/span checks, log drift over…
Carry out the factory acceptance sequence on the new ozone analyzer: perform zero/span checks, log drift over three hours, note response time and any maintenance actions, then summarise whether performance meets the instrument spec.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Produce charts, graphs, or sketches from data

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Create time-series concentration plots and a site map sketch showing sampler locations from last month’s…
Create time-series concentration plots and a site map sketch showing sampler locations from last month’s campaign, annotate exceedances and export three publication-ready charts for the client report.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Identify solutions to design problems

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Propose two fixes for frequent pump flow instability at Bayview: one short-term parts replacement and one…
Propose two fixes for frequent pump flow instability at Bayview: one short-term parts replacement and one routing change to reduce suction head, list materials, estimated down-time, and risk to sample validity.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions

Estimate costs for equipment or system operation

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Estimate annual operating cost for the ambient monitoring trailer: electricity, calibration gases,…
Estimate annual operating cost for the ambient monitoring trailer: electricity, calibration gases, consumables, and scheduled maintenance, show monthly cashflow and a three-year projection for budget approval.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions

Says who?

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The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

The LLOS Work Atlas is the world's largest evidenced task library — a map of human work, with a ready prompt behind every task. 1,774 careers · every task named by the sources that witnessed it — O*NET, ESCO, real job descriptions, Wikipedia — and the deepest tasks by several at once. And it is honest about limits: where AI cannot help, the map says so.

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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses