What does a senior environmental engineer do?
Senior Environmental Engineers are responsible for the supervision and implementation of processes that protect the environment intending to reduce contamination, control pollution, and optimize resource usage. They are responsible for identifying contaminant sources, managing sites assessments, carrying out technical audits, making waste-management recommendations, creating environmental impacts forecast using computer modeling and mathematical techniques as well as design technical solution to reduce an organization's negative environmental impact. They also ensure the site achieves environmental regulation compliance, keeps updated with environmental law changes, and assist in managing permits.
Senior environmental engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior environmental engineer resumes:
- Redevelop and manage SPCC and SWPPP plans for site.
- Manage company's response to groundwater Superfund issue and EPA investigation into the handling of ozone depleting substances.
- Manage and conduct various environmental engineering projects at DOD facilities.
- Work with project team to perform CERCLA and RCRA hazardous waste site investigation and remediation.
- Implement pollution prevention activities, compliance, auditing, and SPCC and SWPPP compliance plans.
- Communicate OSHA and EPA requirements to senior leadership, ensuring compliance with regulations and enabling employees to work in safe environment.
- Implement office ergonomics and participate in storm water outreach programs.
- Conduct routine in-house EHS audits and implement corrective actions to ensure regulatory compliance.
- Audit national sites for regulatory and ISO compliance.
- Develop, document and conduct the regulatory require yearly RCRA training to all site personnel.
- Used GIS to quantify and evaluate environmental impacts of the long-term operation of the program.
- Work closely with the EPA in supplying the aviation-sector greenhouse gas emissions for inclusion in their national emissions inventories.
- Develop and implement respiratory protection, certification and fit testing OSHA compliant program.
- Provide company leadership with analysis of pending EHS regulations and their associate cost impacts.
- Inventory and replenish equipment and materials used for safety and ergonomics by site personnel.
Senior environmental engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 7% of Senior Environmental Engineers are proficient in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Compliance, and OSHA. They’re also known for soft skills such as Reading skills, Writing skills, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Environmental Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Environmental Engineering, 7%
Moved to environmental engineering and managed air emissions work with contractors as well as performing individual contributor work.
- Environmental Compliance, 7%
Managed environmental compliance programs, provided regulatory guidance and interfaced with local, state, and federal regulatory agencies.
- OSHA, 6%
Provided a mixture of both direct and management oversight employee training for: EPA, OSHA and DOT regulations.
- Environmental Regulations, 5%
Interpreted and assessed complex environmental regulations and issues, focusing on maintaining and enhancing the Company's flexibility and business advantage.
- Technical Reports, 4%
Prepared and implemented quality assurance protocol for inter-company programs and technical report development.
- Project Management, 4%
Provide guidance to engineering, operations and project management teams for construction and remediation projects.
Most senior environmental engineers use their skills in "environmental engineering," "environmental compliance," and "osha" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior environmental engineer responsibilities here:
Reading skills. The most essential soft skill for a senior environmental engineer to carry out their responsibilities is reading skills. This skill is important for the role because "environmental engineers often work with businesspeople, lawyers, and other professionals outside their field." Additionally, a senior environmental engineer resume shows how their duties depend on reading skills: "led project to obtain permit for land spreading of waste water treatment plant sludge. "
Writing skills. Many senior environmental engineer duties rely on writing skills. "environmental engineers must write clearly so that others without their specific training can understand their documents, including plans, proposals, specifications, and findings, among others.," so a senior environmental engineer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways senior environmental engineer responsibilities rely on writing skills: "manage 31 continuous monitoring systems (cems) for environmental compliance including writing procedures, submitting reports and scheduling required testing. "
Problem-solving skills. senior environmental engineers are also known for problem-solving skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to senior environmental engineer responsibilities, because "when designing facilities and processes, environmental engineers strive to solve several issues at once, from workers’ safety to environmental protection." A senior environmental engineer resume example shows how problem-solving skills is used in the workplace: "provide compliance aided control solutions with multiple departments to achieve air quality compliance goals. "
The three companies that hire the most senior environmental engineers are:
- Burns & McDonnell57 senior environmental engineers jobs
- ERM35 senior environmental engineers jobs
- RGA Environmental, A Terracon Company15 senior environmental engineers jobs
Choose from 10+ customizable senior environmental engineer resume templates
Build a professional senior environmental engineer resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior environmental engineer resume.
Compare different senior environmental engineers
Senior 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.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, senior environmental engineer responsibilities require skills like "environmental engineering," "environmental compliance," "osha," and "environmental regulations." Meanwhile a typical engineering project coordinator has skills in areas such as "shop drawings," "powerpoint," "project documentation," and "purchase orders." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Engineering project coordinators earn the highest salaries when working in the technology industry, with an average yearly salary of $100,848. On the other hand, senior environmental engineers are paid more in the energy industry with an average salary of $90,509.On average, engineering project coordinators reach lower levels of education than senior environmental engineers. Engineering project coordinators are 13.0% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior 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.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real senior environmental engineer resumes. While senior environmental engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "environmental engineering," "environmental compliance," "osha," and "environmental regulations," engineering coordinators use skills like "purchase orders," "continuous improvement," "digital marketing," and "data entry."
Engineering coordinators may earn a lower salary than senior environmental engineers, but engineering coordinators earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $62,970. On the other hand, senior environmental engineers receive higher pay in the energy industry, where they earn an average salary of $90,509.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Engineering coordinators tend to reach lower levels of education than senior environmental engineers. In fact, they're 13.3% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior environmental engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Andrea Welker Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University
Senior 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.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, senior environmental engineers are more likely to have skills like "environmental engineering," "environmental regulations," "project management," and "storm water." But a waste management specialist is more likely to have skills like "waste disposal," "waste streams," "radioactive waste," and "waste materials."
Waste management specialists earn the best pay in the energy industry, where they command an average salary of $79,835. Senior environmental engineers earn the highest pay from the energy industry, with an average salary of $90,509.waste management specialists typically earn lower educational levels compared to senior environmental engineers. Specifically, they're 16.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior 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.
Types of senior environmental engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
