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How to hire an environmental compliance inspector

Environmental compliance inspector hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring environmental compliance inspectors in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire an environmental compliance inspector is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new environmental compliance inspector to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an environmental compliance inspector, step by step

To hire an environmental compliance inspector, you should clearly understand the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, and allocate a budget for the position. You will also need to post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire an environmental compliance inspector:

Here's a step-by-step environmental compliance inspector hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write an environmental compliance inspector job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new environmental compliance inspector
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an environmental compliance inspector do?

An environmental compliance technician performs the collection of hazardous wastes from schools to a central location for processing. They are also responsible for the proper labeling and recording of samples. They assist supervisors in collecting samples and setting up instruments for the collection. They also help make sure spills, hazardous or not, are contained by using absorbents, sweepers, and vacuums. They must communicate well, expressing concerns and suggesting improvements. They must maintain records strictly for future reference.

Learn more about the specifics of what an environmental compliance inspector does
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the environmental compliance inspector you need to hire. Certain environmental compliance inspector roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect environmental compliance inspector also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list shows salaries for various types of environmental compliance inspectors.

    Type of Environmental Compliance InspectorDescriptionHourly rate
    Environmental Compliance Inspector$16-37
    Compliance AnalystA compliance analyst is in charge of ensuring that every operation and aspect in a company or facility adheres to the laws and regulations. They are also responsible for conducting regular inspections and assessments, producing reports and presentations, disseminating necessary information and reminders, researching existing policies and laws related to the industry, and remaining updated with new regulations... Show more$18-41
    Environmental InspectorEnvironmental Inspectors search websites for job searching to check if there are any violations of the environmental code and take immediate proper actions to restore the site's compliance. They also look through different permits, licenses, and records to ensure that everything has been done properly... Show more$13-31
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Environmental Compliance
    • Inspection Reports
    • Compliance Audits
    • Water Quality
    • OSHA
    • Local Regulations
    • Hazardous Waste
    • Federal Regulations
    • Pollution Prevention
    • Technical Assistance
    • Compliance Inspections
    • EPA
    • Environmental Regulations
    • Management Practices
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage NPDES permitting requirements in compliance assurance and permit interpretation.
    • Solve issues relate to EPA, sampling data management, internal and external reporting, compliance and permitting issues.
    • Present design and product engineers with cost effective FCC compliance solutions to certify new products to domestic and international regulatory standards.
    • Perform inspection of PCB trough system in cascade buildings.
    • Conduct inspections of school systems in accordance with EPA AHERA management protocols.
    • Inspect both public and private schools to ensure compliance with the federal AHERA regulation.
    More environmental compliance inspector duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your environmental compliance inspector job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An environmental compliance inspector can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, environmental compliance inspectors' average salary in arkansas is 48% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level environmental compliance inspectors 56% less than senior-level environmental compliance inspectors.
    • Certifications. An environmental compliance inspector with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an environmental compliance inspector's salary.

    Average environmental compliance inspector salary

    $51,859yearly

    $24.93 hourly rate

    Entry-level environmental compliance inspector salary
    $34,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 17, 2025

    Average environmental compliance inspector salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$71,814$35
    2Virginia$54,228$26
    3Texas$52,494$25
    4Washington$47,533$23
    5Colorado$47,017$23
    6Indiana$46,659$22
    7Ohio$42,844$21
    8Iowa$40,057$19
    9South Carolina$39,138$19
    10Oklahoma$38,848$19
    11Georgia$37,715$18

    Average environmental compliance inspector salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1City of Seattle$75,108$36.114
    2City of Los Angeles$75,046$36.083
    3City Of San Mateo$71,812$34.52
    4Energy$64,013$30.78
    5Tetra Tech$63,611$30.5850
    6Chumash Casino Resort$57,431$27.61
    7City Of Toledo$52,829$25.40
    8U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission$52,491$25.24
    9City of Simi Valley$51,232$24.631
    10Amazon$51,167$24.60114
    11Sealaska$51,099$24.57
    12Fantasy Springs Resort Casino$51,089$24.56
    13Sea$50,334$24.201
    14City of Salinas$50,106$24.09
    15Colorado State Express$49,977$24.03
    16City of Norfolk$48,180$23.16
    17State of West Virginia$44,206$21.25162
    18RealManage$42,421$20.393
    19Southwest Florida Water Management District$42,407$20.39
    20Firstservice Residential California, Inc.$42,387$20.38
  4. Writing an environmental compliance inspector job description

    An environmental compliance inspector job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an environmental compliance inspector job description:

    Environmental compliance inspector job description example

    Arcadis is currently looking for a junior level Sustainability Oversight Compliance Inspector to join the exciting High-Speed Rail Project Construction Management (PCM) team. This role will serve to monitor the Design Builder (DB) contract Sustainability commitments and requirements on the project both in field and office related tasks.

    At Arcadis we focus on attracting, retaining and developing people who share our passion and commitment to improve quality of life. In return we offer you the opportunity to transform your world and the world around you, that could be through client work, upskilling yourself, championing equality and inclusion or getting involved in charity work, to name just a few. Our people value different perspectives, they care about the sustainability of our planet and dare to shape the future.

    One of our core values is 'people first', and supported by our Lovinklaan foundation, we invest in you for the long term, to ensure you reach your full potential. You'll have the opportunity to own your career and work on industry-defining projects, finding solutions to real challenges that make a difference to people's lives. You're encouraged to have a growth mindset and are given the space to develop personally and professionally, building a flexible career that works for you.
    Role description:

    Sustainability Oversight is responsible for managing the Design-Builder's (DBs) Sustainability Management Plan and Construction Waste Management Plan for implementation and compliance. Coordinate and manage compliance field audits, monthly/annual reporting requirements

    Role Accountabilities:

    * Compliance Inspector will clearly understand the system's Sustainability contract requirements throughout the Authority and its delivery team;
    * Review the DB's Sustainability Management Plan (SMP)/Construction Waste Management Plan (CWMP) and conduct audits for compliance with contractual requirements and effectiveness of implementation and reporting.
    * Review of DB's compliance reporting submitted through the Authority's web portal, identified as the Environmental Mitigation Management Assessment (EMMA), to evaluate the sufficiency of DB environmental reporting and the DB's adherence of monitoring activities in the field to contract requirements.
    * Manage correspondence with the High-Speed Rail Authority (Authority) and between the Design Builder on Sustainability actions required in the delivery of the system by the design-build contractors, other contractors, and consultants;
    * Tracking key performance indicators (i.e., EIN, DOORs #, clean idle stickers, water conservation etc.) throughout the design, construction and final close out milestone to project completion.

    Required Qualifications:

    * 1-3 years of demonstrated compliance experience in field - construction projects
    * Bachelor's Degree in Sustainability related field

    Key Skills and Attributes:

    * Demonstrates high level of proficiency in writing and communication skills.
    * Sustainability focus education accolades
    * Database management enhanced proficiency Excel workbooks
    * Diligent and focus delivering for the client
    * Results driven and problem-solving skills

    Preferred Qualifications:

    * Knowledge of the environmental regulations and permits relevant to the project is preferred.
    * Experience with San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control Districts criteria and annual reporting.
    * Professional registration/certification: Sustainability practices or Resource Conservations related field of Environmental Services
    * Foundation in Sustainability practices on large scale construction projects.

    Why Become an Arcadian?

    Our work with clients has a direct impact on people's lives and on the planet. We make moving, living and belonging in cities safer, more resilient and more sustainable. By partnering with our clients as responsible custodians of our earth's resources, we can create a sustainable planet.

    We continue to think of new ways to make positive impacts and create better experiences for people; data driven and digital solutions have become part of the Arcadis DNA. Working together with clients and using techniques like design thinking, we can get to the heart of our clients' most pressing challenges and work together to solve them.

    As a global business, we have committed to support five of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to ensure that our projects contribute to a better and more sustainable future for all. But it's not just the work that we do on client projects that benefits communities and our planet. As a global business, we are committed to making a positive impact to society by supporting local communities where we operate.

    To help protect our planet, we monitor and measure non-financial information to inform business decisions and reduce our own environmental impact as part of our commitment to be net zero carbon as a global company by 2030.

    Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging:

    We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

    Transform Your World

    #LI-VF3

    #LI-Onsite

    #CAHSR
  5. Post your job

    There are various strategies that you can use to find the right environmental compliance inspector for your business:

    • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your environmental compliance inspector job on Zippia to find and recruit environmental compliance inspector candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting environmental compliance inspectors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

    It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new environmental compliance inspector

    Once you've selected the best environmental compliance inspector candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

    It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new environmental compliance inspector. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
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How much does it cost to hire an environmental compliance inspector?

There are different types of costs for hiring environmental compliance inspectors. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new environmental compliance inspector employee.

The median annual salary for environmental compliance inspectors is $51,859 in the US. However, the cost of environmental compliance inspector hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring an environmental compliance inspector for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $16 and $37 an hour.

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