How to hire an environmental manager

How to hire an environmental manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step environmental manager 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 manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new environmental manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an environmental manager do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The environmental manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An environmental manager's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, environmental managers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of environmental managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Environmental Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Environmental Manager	Natural sciences managers supervise the work of scientists, including chemists, physicists, and biologists. They direct activities related to research and development, and coordinate activities such as testing, quality control, and production.	$20-50
   Microbiology Laboratory Manager	A Microbiology Laboratory Manager is a leader who is in charge of the overall operations of a facility. Microbiology laboratory managers focus on the consistent implementation of the facility's procedures, business practices, and policies for employees... Show more	$31-64
   Wild Life Manager	A wildlife manager is responsible for overseeing the safety and health of animals in a habitat. Day-to-day duties include keeping track of animal populations, developing effective plans on wildlife management, and ensuring the preservation of the habitat and food supply of wildlife threatened by human activities... Show more	$20-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Regulatory Agencies
   • Environmental Regulations
   • Project Management
   • Oversight
   • Environmental Issues
   • EPA
   • Due Diligence
   • Corrective Action
   • OSHA
   • Storm Water
   • Regulatory Compliance
   • EHS
   • SPCC
   • ISO

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage training and execution of asbestos and lead abatement efforts while working with all state environmental agencies to ensure proper compliance.
   • Manage sewage treatment plant direct discharge monitoring, operation, reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
   • Assist in compliance inspections for air and water programs dealing with CAA, RCRA, and SARA.
   • Act as contact point to environmental regulators (EPA, DEQ, DEC) and conduct quarterly audits for each facility.
   • Ensure proper packaging, labeling, loading, transportation, and documentation of non-regulate as well as RCRA regulate hazardous wastes.
   • Direct safety operations to meet OSHA regulations.

   More environmental manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your environmental manager job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An environmental manager salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, environmental managers' average salary in montana is 60% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level environmental managers earn 59% less than senior-level environmental managers.
   • Certifications. An environmental manager with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an environmental manager's salary.

   Average environmental manager salary

   $67,747yearly

   $32.57 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level environmental manager salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average environmental manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$92,262	$44
   2	Texas	$77,342	$37
   3	Arizona	$76,540	$37
   4	Ohio	$64,095	$31
   5	Virginia	$62,844	$30
   6	District of Columbia	$62,843	$30
   7	New Jersey	$60,564	$29
   8	North Carolina	$60,280	$29
   9	Illinois	$58,256	$28
   10	Utah	$57,004	$27
   11	Michigan	$55,661	$27
   12	Florida	$55,650	$27
   13	West Virginia	$55,245	$27
   14	Washington	$55,145	$27
   15	Georgia	$55,008	$26
   16	Oregon	$54,780	$26
   17	Colorado	$54,578	$26
   18	South Carolina	$53,917	$26
   19	Indiana	$47,568	$23
   20	New Hampshire	$45,429	$22

   Average environmental manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$147,690	$71.00	7
   2	Apple	$133,530	$64.20	1
   3	Intel	$104,608	$50.29
   4	Johnson & Johnson	$101,496	$48.80
   5	Occidental Petroleum	$99,031	$47.61	4
   6	Wacker Chemie	$91,881	$44.17
   7	Baxter International	$90,898	$43.70	3
   8	Pacifi	$89,518	$43.04
   9	The AES	$89,347	$42.96	1
   10	Morris & Ritchie Associates, Inc. (mra)	$88,966	$42.77	2
   11	Dewberry	$87,989	$42.30	15
   12	Celanese	$86,614	$41.64	5
   13	Bechtel Corporation	$86,411	$41.54	8
   14	Talen Energy	$85,893	$41.29	3
   15	McWane	$84,439	$40.60	3
   16	BNSF Railway	$83,483	$40.14
   17	Enel X	$83,478	$40.13
   18	Granite Construction	$82,495	$39.66	7
   19	Planate Management Group	$81,725	$39.29
   20	MDU Resources	$81,231	$39.05

4. Writing an environmental manager job description

   An environmental manager 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. Below, you can find an example of an environmental manager job description:

   Environmental manager job description example

   With our strong investment in research and development and our culture of continuous improvement, Hexcel is the industry leader in the manufacturing of advance composite materials, including carbon fiber, woven reinforcements, resins, prepregs, honeycombs and additive manufactured parts. We invite you to join the Hexcel team at various manufacturing sites, sales offices and R&T centers around the globe. Become a part of the “strength within.”
   Hexcel is currently seeking an Environmental Manager for our Salt Lake City, UT. USA facility.
   
   The engineering position will provide environmental engineering support in permitting, regulatory interactions and project-management for manufacturing processes at SLC plant. Candidates should have a proven track record in facilitating compliance with environmental regulatory standards as well as corporate environmental standards. This position will directly support Hexcel's business expansion activities by coordinating and collaborating with corporate and plant personnel to achieve the company's environmental compliance, environmental performance and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) goals and objectives.
   
   The selected individual will be responsible for the following efforts:
   Perform engineering calculations to determine air emissions, hazardous waste volumes, waste water constituent loads and other environmental performance values. Support revision and implementation of a focused environmental compliance and management systems auditing program and support compliance with ISO 14001 standards where applicable. Support the development and implementation of a corporate program that assures operational compliance with the various environmental reporting obligations. In collaboration with corporate and plant staff, assist in the development of environmental permitting and compliance strategies and lead the preparation of applications for environmental permits and plans that support Hexcel's operations. Provide support for Hexcel's legacy environmental matters, including Superfund sites, from active remediation to Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA). Establish strong practices, systems, collaboration, and best practice sharing to drive and lead continuous improvement activities in energy, water, GHG emissions, etc. across all company operations. Prepare and deliver presentations and other communications to keep others informed about Hexcel's environmental permitting, performance and compliance activities.
   
   Qualifications:
   BS Environmental Engineering or related degree, Masters preferred with 5+ years of related experience HAZ MAT / HAZWOPER / M-9 VEE Certification desired Proficiency in data management, mathematical computations, interpreting environmental information and understanding of the principles of chemistry and physics as they pertain to environmental engineering processes. Superior communication skills, specifically ability to write and speak to small as well as large audiences. A successful history of regulatory agency interaction with a demonstrated ability to manage complex technical projects and their financial elements Prior experience in all aspects of environmental compliance assurance ( air / water / waste, etc. ), responsible for environmental compliance for multiple sites in a global manufacturing company, environmental regulatory agency interactions and negotiations and preparation of environmental permit applications and plans.
   
   Eligible candidate must be: U.S. citizen, U.S. national, a person lawfully admitted for permanent residence, a temporary resident under sections 210(a) or 245(A) of the Act, a person admitted in refugee status, a person granted asylum. Hexcel (NYSE: HXL) is a global leader in advanced composites technology, a leading producer of carbon fiber, and the world leader in honeycomb manufacturing for the commercial aerospace industry.
   
   Hexcel is an Equal Opportunity Employer of Minorities/Females/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, status as protected veteran, or any other protected class.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find environmental managers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any environmental managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level environmental managers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your environmental manager job on Zippia to find and recruit environmental manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with environmental manager candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   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 manager

   Once you've found the environmental manager candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new environmental manager first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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