Environmental Engineer Careers

Without the strong efforts and tireless vision of today's environmental engineers, tomorrow's atmosphere will not sustain life, as we know it. Our water and soil will not be clean, and the oceans will be foul.

Environmental engineers use science and engineering principles to protect and improve the environment. The quality of air, water, and soil is their primary focus. They seek solutions to water-borne diseases, wastewater management, and air pollution.

They work to improve recycling, waste disposal, and industrial hygiene. They analyze soil and water samples. They understand the law as it applies to protecting the environment.

These engineers focus on hydrology—water resources, treatment plants/design, and bioremediation (water clean-up). They concentrate on global issues, acid rain, climate change, and causes of ozone depletion.

They create advanced air and water treatment technologies, and look for sustainable energy sources. Radiation protection and the environmental effects of new technologies are other priorities.

What Does an Environmental Engineer Do?

Cause-and-effect experts, environmental engineers predict the consequences of our projects before we dig, reroute, dump, exhaust, flush, funnel, plant, cut down, or build. Projects that got off the ground without this tedious management, or those that have run amuck for lack of enforced guidelines need environmental engineers to bail them out and undo the unthinkable.

These experts work typical 40-hour weeks in industrial plants, offices, or labs. It is also common to see them working onsite near water sources, energy systems, and construction projects. Dealing with serious environmental issues can also be stressful—the health and welfare of the earth are not taken lightly.

Environmental engineers write reports and recommendations on their investigations. They work with scientists, planners, hazardous waste specialists, and others addressing legal and business connections to environmental problems.

They monitor environmental improvement programs, inspect industrial and municipal facilities, develop objectives for proposed projects, and advise corporate and government agencies of clean-up procedures for contaminated sites.

They design processes, systems, and equipment to control water, air, and soil quality, and they manage remediation and clean-up. They prepare detailed hazardous-waste documents and disposal restriction notifications. They train others in compliance standards and maintain quality-assurance documentation Environmental engineers develop and use programs related to conservation and management of natural resources. They also provide expert assistance in database development, network, and regulatory analysis.

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