Environmental engineers conduct research, advise on, design and direct implementation of solutions to prevent, control or remedy negative impacts of human activity on the environment utilizingvariety of engineering disciplines. They conduct environmental assessments of construction and civil engineering projects and apply engineering principles to pollution control, recycling and waste disposal.
Tasks include
- conducting research, assessing and reporting on the environmental impact of existing and proposed construction, civil engineering and other activities;
- inspecting industrial and municipal facilities and programs to evaluate operational effectiveness and ensure compliance with environmental regulations;
- designing and overseeing the development of systems, processes and equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality;
- providing environmental engineering assistance in network analysis, regulatory analysis, and planning or reviewing database development;
- obtaining, updating, and maintaining plans, permits, and standard operating procedures;
- providing engineering and technical support for environmental remediation and litigation projects, including remediation system design and determination of regulatory applicability;
- monitoring progress of environmental improvement programs;
- advising corporations and government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment;
- collaborating with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers from other disciplines, and specialists in law and business to address environmental problems.
Examples of the occupations classified here:
- Air pollution control engineer
- Environmental analyst
- Environmental engineer
- Environmental remediation specialist