Air Quality Officer

The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea Council; City Of London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the UK seeks an Air Quality Officer to improve air quality and public health in the community. This role involves reviewing planning applications, monitoring air quality, and analyzing environmental data. Candidates should hold a relevant degree and have experience in air-quality monitoring and legislation. This full-time position offers significant professional development opportunities in a challenging field.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Mentoring support

Commitment to equality and diversity

Qualifications

• Proven experience in air-quality monitoring and reporting.
• Strong knowledge of air-quality legislation at local and national levels.
• Experience with reviewing air-quality assessments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Review planning applications to ensure air-quality impacts are identified.
• Monitor air quality across the borough.
• Analyse environmental data and report progress against guidelines.
• Collaborate to embed best practices and reduce pollution.
• Inspect small industrial processes and maintain accurate records.

Skills

Air quality monitoring

Data analysis

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Education

Relevant degree in Environmental Science or related discipline

Tools

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Job description

Overview

Help drive cleaner air, protect public health and create a greener future for everyone in our borough. As an Air Quality Officer at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, you will play a vital role in tackling one of the borough's biggest environmental challenges. By improving air quality you will directly contribute to better public health, stronger communities and a fairer, more sustainable borough for generations to come.

Working Style

You will be based in the Borough for a minimum of 3 days a week, working alongside a dedicated team focused on improving air and land quality to make a real difference to residents' lives and the environment.

Responsibilities

• Review planning applications and dust management plans to ensure air‑quality impacts are identified and developments remain air‑quality neutral or positive.
• Monitor air quality across Kensington and Chelsea, overseeing the operation and maintenance of the borough‑wide network of monitoring stations and mobile sensors.
• Analyse complex environmental data, identify trends and report progress against statutory targets and World Health Organisation guidelines, translating technical findings into actionable insights for internal strategy and public reporting.
• Deliver key actions from the Council’s Air Quality Action Plan, collaborating across departments to embed best practice and reduce pollution.
• Inspect and permit small industrial processes under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, coordinate the monthly diffusion tube monitoring programme and maintain accurate records and reports.
• Apply technical knowledge and problem‑solving skills to make measurable progress toward cleaner air – one dataset, inspection and policy review at a time.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree (or equivalent experience) in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering or a related discipline that includes air pollution.
• Proven experience in air‑quality monitoring, data analysis and reporting, with the ability to interpret complex datasets and communicate findings clearly to a range of audiences.
• Strong working knowledge of air‑quality legislation and policy at EU, national and local levels, including the Local Air Quality Management framework and the Environmental Permitting Regime.
• Experience reviewing air‑quality assessments for planning applications or construction management plans is a real asset.
• Confident in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), ideally ArcGIS or ArcView, and comfortable handling data and reports with precision.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills – able to engage confidently with colleagues, consultants, residents and external agencies.
• Highly organised, methodical and proactive, with a drive to find solutions and make a difference in a challenging but rewarding field.

Why Join Us

At RBKC we are all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future. This two‑year fixed‑term role offers a unique opportunity to work in one of the country’s most complex Air Quality Management Areas, where your work will have a direct, measurable impact on residents’ quality of life. We support professional development with training, mentoring and opportunities to deepen your expertise, and you will work alongside experienced officers who share your passion for sustainability and public wellbeing.

Interview Details

Interviews will be held in person at Kensington Town Hall on Monday 1st or Tuesday 2nd December 2025.

Application

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants. Please apply online, explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description.

We are committed to promoting equality, respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.

We are committed to fair, transparent and consistent pay practices. New hires will start at the bottom of the salary range; employees receive annual salary increases until they reach the top of the pay scale, plus any agreed cost of living pay rises.