Day in the Life
Environmental
engineers develop ways to solve problems related to the environment.
They are involved in both local and global environmental protection
efforts such as air and water pollution control, recycling, and
waste disposal.
Most environmental engineers work full time. Those who manage projects often work more than 40 hours per week to monitor the project's progress, ensure that deadlines are met, and recommend corrective action when needed..
 Job
Duties
Environmental engineers' job duties include collecting soil or
groundwater samples and testing them for contamination; designing
municipal sewage and industrial wastewater systems; analyzing
scientific data; researching controversial projects; and performing
quality control checks. They may be involved in legal or
financial consulting regarding environmental processes or issues.
They may study and attempt to minimize the effects of large-scale
problems such as acid rain, global warming, and ozone depletion.
Many environmental
engineers work as consultants, helping their clients comply with
regulations and the cleanup of hazardous waste sites. One
emphasis in environmental engineering consulting is on brownfields
-- land areas that are abandoned because of contamination by
hazardous substances. Environmental engineers help clients
clean up the brownfields for reuse in place of premium land,
minimizing the liabilities and the costs of infrastructure or
building projects. Environmental engineers typically do the following:
-- Prepare, review, and update environmental investigation reports
-- Design projects that lead to environmental protection, such as water reclamation facilities or air pollution control systems
-- Obtain, update, and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures
-- Provide technical support for environmental remediation projects and for legal actions
-- Analyze scientific data and do quality-control checks
-- Monitor the progress of environmental improvement programs Inspect industrial and municipal facilities and programs in order to ensure compliance with environmental regulations
-- Advise corporations and government agencies about procedures for cleaning up contaminated sites.
The
Workplace
The type of job
environmental engineers have often determines whether they work
inside or outside. However, most work inside a majority of the
time. Environmental engineers work in a variety of settings because of the nature of the tasks they do. When they are working with other engineers and with urban and regional planners, environmental engineers are likely to be in offices. When they are working with businesspeople and lawyers, environmental engineers are likely to be at seminars, presenting information and answering questions. When they are working with hazardous materials removal workers and environmental scientists, environmental engineers work at specific sites outdoors.
Teams
and Coworkers
Almost all jobs in engineering require some sort of interaction with
coworkers. Whether they are working in a team situation, or just asking
for advice, most engineers have to have the ability to communicate and
work with other people. Engineers should be creative, inquisitive,
analytical, and detail-oriented. They should be able to work as part of
a team and to communicate well, both orally and in writing.
Communication abilities are important because engineers often interact
with specialists in a wide range of fields outside engineering.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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