What does an Environmental Engineer do?

Environmental engineers use the principles of science, biology, engineering, and chemistry to create solutions to certain environmental problems. They primarily work to improve waste disposal, public health, recycling, and to control water and air pollution. It is also their responsibility to address global issues, such as climate change, unsafe drinking water, and environmental sustainability. They typically prepare and review environmental investigation reports so that documents and permits are updated and in compliance with environmental regulations.
Environmental engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real environmental engineer resumes:
- Manage and conduct various environmental engineering projects at DOD facilities.
- Create the 3D environment assets in Maya, texture in Photoshop.
- Prepare water quality reports by collecting, analyzing and summarizing data according to EPA regulations.
- Develop and implement a configuration management program for company documents require by both OSHA and EPA risk assessment regulations.
- Maintain HazWoper certification and are a member of the company spill team.
- Perform vendor audits for ISO 14000 and environmental company policies to insure contract compliance.
- Educate staff and other departments to ensure residents needs and rights are meet with compassion and understanding.
- Gather data from GIS, base records, and field visits to build and calibrate a model of each system.
- Perform groundwater sampling and assists with the development of large groundwater monitoring databases as well as databases for use in GIS.
- Supervise and train housekeeping staff to maintain cleanliness, sanitation, and security in all areas of hospital and medical facilities.
- Perform facility inspections according to RCRA guidelines.
- Develop HAZWOPER training package for operators and maintenance personnel.
- Develop retro-futuristic,``Jetsons"inspire environment concepts in Photoshop.
- Supervise inspections of facilities and laboratories to ensure cleanliness of all hospital areas.
- Perform in depth environmental site studies per federal ASTM guidelines for recognize environmental conditions.
Environmental engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 6% of Environmental Engineers are proficient in Environmental Compliance, Project Management, and OSHA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Imagination, Reading skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Environmental Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Environmental Compliance, 6%
Developed and implemented environmental compliance monitoring software/hardware.
- Project Management, 6%
Evaluated engineering design plans of existing facilities, refined operational requirements and collaborated with project management for facility overhaul and expansion.
- OSHA, 5%
Developed and implemented a configuration management program for company documents required by both OSHA and EPA risk assessment regulations.
- Autocad, 5%
Supervised facility and material flow diagram design/drafting via AutoCAD, and final permit renewal application documents preparation for TCEQ evaluation/approval.
- HAZWOPER, 5%
Developed HAZWOPER training package for operators and maintenance personnel.
- Environmental Regulations, 4%
Determined and interpreted regulatory requirements for plant personnel, and managed consultants and outside contractors to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
Most environmental engineers use their skills in "environmental compliance," "project management," and "osha" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential environmental engineer responsibilities here:
Imagination. The most essential soft skill for an environmental engineer to carry out their responsibilities is imagination. This skill is important for the role because "environmental engineers sometimes have to design systems that will be part of larger ones." Additionally, an environmental engineer resume shows how their duties depend on imagination: "managed and generate air quality annual, fire marshal inventory, artificial pond permit, stormwater, and sustainability reports. "
Reading skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling environmental engineer duties is reading skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "environmental engineers often work with businesspeople, lawyers, and other professionals outside their field." According to an environmental engineer resume, here's how environmental engineers can utilize reading skills in their job responsibilities: "led project to obtain permit for land spreading of waste water treatment plant sludge. "
Writing skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of environmental engineers is writing skills. This skill is critical to many everyday environmental engineer duties, as "environmental engineers must write clearly so that others without their specific training can understand their documents, including plans, proposals, specifications, and findings, among others." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "participated in writing air quality permits regulations for natural gas compressor stations on behalf of the state of west virginia. "
Problem-solving skills. A big part of what environmental engineers do relies on "problem-solving skills." You can see how essential it is to environmental engineer responsibilities because "when designing facilities and processes, environmental engineers strive to solve several issues at once, from workers’ safety to environmental protection." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical environmental engineer tasks: "performed water quality modeling using qual2k for a pulp and paper company to comply with state dissolved oxygen criteria. "
The three companies that hire the most environmental engineers are:
- CDM Smith777 environmental engineers jobs
- Ryder System87 environmental engineers jobs
- AECOM66 environmental engineers jobs
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Environmental engineer vs. Engineering project coordinator
An engineering project coordinator works with project managers and specialists to ensure that all aspects of the project are carried out and cared for. They make sure that work is done according to schedule, the staff is doing their job per timeframe, the budget is allocated for, and expenditures are accounted for. They must also have good communication skills to report to stakeholders and heads proficiently. They are also involved in project meetings and propose improvements.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of an environmental engineer are more likely to require skills like "environmental compliance," "osha," "autocad," and "hazwoper." On the other hand, a job as an engineering project coordinator requires skills like "shop drawings," "powerpoint," "project documentation," and "purchase orders." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Engineering project coordinators tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $100,848. In contrast, environmental engineers make the biggest average salary, $85,138, in the energy industry.On average, engineering project coordinators reach lower levels of education than environmental engineers. Engineering project coordinators are 6.9% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Environmental engineer vs. Waste management specialist
A waste management specialist designs and manages waste reduction and reclamation projects. They work with government officials to ensure that waste management goes smoothly. They ensure the implementation of waste management and evaluate a waste management program's success. This position requires a university degree or a recognized training certificate.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, environmental engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "project management," "autocad," "hazwoper," and "environmental regulations." Meanwhile, a waste management specialist has duties that require skills in areas such as "waste disposal," "waste streams," "radioactive waste," and "waste materials." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Waste management specialists earn a lower average salary than environmental engineers. But waste management specialists earn the highest pay in the energy industry, with an average salary of $79,835. Additionally, environmental engineers earn the highest salaries in the energy with average pay of $85,138 annually.waste management specialists earn lower levels of education than environmental engineers in general. They're 10.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University
Environmental engineer vs. Engineering coordinator
An engineering coordinator organizes and oversees engineering projects. They typically perform administrative support tasks such as conducting extensive research and analysis, arranging schedules with clients, handling calls and correspondence, liaising with internal and external parties, reviewing contracts and other documentation, and managing the flow of documents and information across different teams. They may also participate in the planning, designing, and developing stages of projects. Moreover, as an engineering coordinator, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with different departments while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from environmental engineer resumes include skills like "environmental compliance," "osha," "autocad," and "hazwoper," whereas an engineering coordinator is more likely to list skills in "purchase orders," "continuous improvement," "digital marketing," and "data entry. "
Engineering coordinators make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $62,970. On the other hand, environmental engineers are paid the highest salary in the energy industry, with average annual pay of $85,138.engineering coordinators typically earn lower educational levels compared to environmental engineers. Specifically, they're 7.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Environmental engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between environmental engineers and engineers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an environmental engineer might have more use for skills like "environmental compliance," "osha," "autocad," and "hazwoper." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of engineers require skills like "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #. "
Engineers enjoy the best pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $97,672. For comparison, environmental engineers earn the highest salary in the energy industry.engineers reach similar levels of education compared to environmental engineers, in general. The difference is that they're 3.7% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of environmental engineer
Updated January 8, 2025