Just about every large-scale human activity has an impact on the environment. Preventing damage, and managing it when it does occur, is the job of environmental engineers. This is a career that combines practicality and creativity to keep air, soil, and water quality healthy and productive. Environmental engineers use research and design skills to manage waste treatment and pollution control efforts. They also use a variety of tools, and the latest technology, to find efficient ways to monitor environmental well-being. Since much of their work involves meeting government regulations, environmental engineers need to be experts at requesting permits and maintaining plans and procedures that insure others support the systems they put in place. Environmental engineers divide their work between the office and the outdoors. They often do some traveling to collaborate with scientists and experts in law or business. Many work as consultants to help corporations and government agencies with cleanup of contaminated sites. A master’s degree in environmental engineering or a related field is required for some positions, while other positions require only a bachelor’s degree. When this job is done well, the earth gains a little protection, so future generations can enjoy its bounty.
What they do:
Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.
On the job, you would:
Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
Engineering and Technology
product and service development
design
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
chemistry
Arts and Humanities
English language
Safety and Government
law and government
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
reading work related information
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
People and Technology Systems
thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one
figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it
Verbal
read and understand what is written
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
make general rules or come up with answers from lots of detailed information
use rules to solve problems
Math
add, subtract, multiply, or divide
choose the right type of math to solve a problem
Visual Understanding
see hidden patterns
People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.
They do well at jobs that need:
Integrity
Attention to Detail
Analytical Thinking
Cooperation
Dependability
Achievement/Effort
You might use software like this on the job:
Analytical or scientific software
Insightful S-PLUS
The MathWorks MATLAB
Desktop communications software
Eko
Compliance software
Material safety data sheet MSDS software
Regulatory compliance management software
bachelor's degree or master's degree usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.
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