Job Details
Sector(s)
Component Manufacturing and Research & Development; Project Development; Construction; Operations & Maintenance
Median Pay
$96,820 per year
$46.55 per hour
Job Type
Entry- to Mid-Level
Typical Entry-Level Education and Work Experience Requirements
Bachelor's degree required; little to no experience required
Position Title
Environmental Engineer
Alternate Titles
Ecological engineer and water resource engineer
Job Description
Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, hydrology, biology, and chemistry to mitigate or develop solutions to environmental problems related to the hydropower industry. Environmental engineers design or improve systems that minimize hydropower industry impacts on upstream and downstream aquatic species, plants, ecosystems, communities, water quality, pollution, flooding, and sediment transport.
Education and Training Description
Environmental engineers typically need a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or a related field, such as civil, chemical, or general engineering. Employers also value experience, so internships or cooperative-education engineering programs while at universities are a plus. To be hired into formal engineering roles, environmental engineers generally need to acquire a Fundamentals of Engineering license by passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam to design health and safety systems.
With a Fundamentals of Engineering license and four or more years of work experience under a more experienced engineer, environmental engineers can take a test to acquire a professional engineering license. Environmental engineers with a professional engineering license can be a technical specialist within the environmental engineering discipline, oversee other engineers and technicians, develop designs and specifications, and oversee construction activities to minimize impacts on the environment. An advanced degree, additional work experience, and a professional engineering license can lead to more job and career advancement opportunities in the research and development sector, training or education field, and managerial roles.
Job Profile
Environmental engineers use the principles of engineering, soil science, hydrology, aquatic systems, biology, and chemistry to mitigate or develop solutions to environmental problems related to the hydropower industry. Environmental engineers design or improve systems that minimize hydropower industry impacts on upstream and downstream aquatic species, plants, ecosystems, communities, water quality, pollution, flooding, and sediment transport.
Environmental engineers typically:
- Prepare, review, and update environmental investigation reports on hydropower facilities or component manufacturing plants
- Identify appropriate measures and design projects that mitigate the environmental impacts of hydropower facilities, such as fish, sediment, or water transportation passages
- Obtain, update, and maintain plans, permits, and standard operating procedures
- Provide technical support for environmental remediation projects and for legal actions
- Analyze scientific data and perform quality-control checks
- Monitor the progress of environmental maintenance and improvement programs
- Inspect hydropower and hydropower component manufacturing facilities in order to ensure compliance with environmental regulations
- Research the environmental impact of proposed hydropower facility projects and design measures to mitigate impacts in construction and operation
- Collaborate with other scientists, engineers, technicians, urban and regional planners, and specialists across sectors to address environmental problems and environmental sustainability.
Job Skills
Environmental engineers typically need:
- Imagination. Environmental engineers often have to design systems that will be part of larger ones. They must foresee how the proposed designs will interact with components of the larger system, including the workers, machinery, and equipment, as well as with the environment.
- Communication and Interpersonal skills. Environmental engineers must work with others toward a common goal. They usually work with engineers and scientists who design other systems and with the technicians and mechanics who build and operate the systems.
- Problem-solving skills. When designing facilities and processes, environmental engineers strive to solve several issues, from workers’ safety to environmental protection, simultaneously. They must identify and anticipate problems in order to prevent losses for their employers, safeguard workers’ health, and mitigate environmental damage.
- Reading skills. Environmental engineers often work with businesspeople, lawyers, and other professionals outside their field. They frequently are required to read and understand documents that deal with topics outside their scope of training.
- 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.
More Information
For more information on industrial engineering jobs, see: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Environmental Engineers.