What Do Environmental Engineers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Environmental Engineers 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. They also design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.

Other tasks include:

• Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
• Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
• Obtain, update, or maintain plans, permits, or standard operating procedures.
• Serve as liaison with federal, state, or local agencies or officials on issues pertaining to solid or hazardous waste program requirements.
• Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
• Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports.

We asked Environmental Engineers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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72% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 70% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Environmental Engineers collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems. They coordinate or manage environmental protection programs or projects, assigning or evaluating work.

• Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.
• Inform company employees or other interested parties of environmental issues.
• Provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties.
• Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs.
• Assist in budget implementation, forecasts, or administration.

We asked some Environmental Engineers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	89% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	63% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	85% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	30% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	0% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	19% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Environmental Engineers also obtain, update, or maintain plans, permits, or standard operating procedures. They may also inspect industrial or municipal facilities or programs to evaluate operational effectiveness or ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Environmental Engineers Serve as liaison with federal, state, or local agencies or officials on issues pertaining to solid or hazardous waste program requirements. They might also Provide assistance with planning, quality assurance, safety inspection protocols, or sampling as part of a team conducting multimedia inspections at complex facilities.

In addition, they Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Assist in budget implementation, forecasts, or administration.

To some Environmental Engineers, it is also their responsibility to Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Environmental Engineer, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. They like searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/architecture-and-engineering/environmental-engineers.htm

http://www.abet.org/

http://www.asee.org/

http://www.ncees.org/