Environmental engineer
Also known as: air protection environmental engineer, environmental engineering expert, environment engineer, industrial environmental engineer, water pollution engineer, environmental engineering adviser
About this occupation
Environmental engineers integrate environmental and sustainable measures in the development of projects of various natures. They seek to preserve natural resources and natural sites. They work together with engineers from other fields to envision all the implications that projects might have in order to design ways to conserve natural reserves, prevent pollution, and deploy sanitary measures.
Essential skills and knowledge
- address public health issues
- develop environmental remediation strategies
- perform scientific research
- technical drawings
- use technical drawing software
- carry out environmental audits
- regulations on substances
- civil engineering
- engineering processes
- chemistry
- approve engineering design
- process customer requests based on the REACh Regulation 1907 2006
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Environmental Engineers (O*NET 17-2081.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.
- Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
- Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
- Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
- Develop proposed project objectives and targets and report to management on progress in attaining them.
- Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs.
- Typical education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Preparation
- Job Zone 4 of 5
- Interests
- Investigative, Realistic, Conventional
Top skills: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring
US median pay: US$107,110 a year (2025), 38,340 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Design and TechnologyO*NET: Design + Engineering and TechnologyExtremely important (4.8)
- Technical DrawingO*NET: DesignExtremely important (4.6)
- ChemistryO*NET: ChemistryVery important (4.0)
- Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsVery important (4.0)
- WoodworkO*NET: Building and ConstructionVery important (3.9)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (3.8)
- PhysicsO*NET: PhysicsVery important (3.8)
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyVery important (3.6)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Bachelor's Degree
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Water/Wastewater Engineers
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
- Industrial Ecologists
- Water Resource Specialists
- Civil Engineers
- Conservation Scientists
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.