How to Become an Environmental Engineer
Air and water pollutants can have severe environmental impacts and pose a significant risks to health. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to high levels of air pollution can increase the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer. When it comes to water pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency states that unsafe levels of contaminants in drinking water can cause gastrointestinal illnesses, nervous system and reproductive effects and even cancer. Luckily, professionals are working to reduce pollution and even reverse environmental damage.
Environmental engineers are in a unique position to combat the negative side effects of how we treat our world through their expertise. In their role, they help design of environmentally friendly industrial systems, reduce the impact of pollution and more. They are vital players in environmental protection, preservation and improvement.
So, what is environmental engineering? Read on to discover how you can make a difference in this career.
What Do Environmental Engineers Do?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, environmental engineers use the discipline of engineering to develop solutions to problems of planetary health. They can work in both an office setting or in the field and contribute to a variety of projects in various specialties, including:
Water and Wastewater Treatment
Environmental engineers can work designing, troubleshooting and upgrading drinking water treatment plants and wastewater treatment plants. They often conduct quality analysis of water, drainage systems, pipelines and pump systems.
Water Resources
Many environmental engineers work in water resources, managing rivers, reservoirs and groundwater to provide an adequate water supply for a variety of uses like potable water, farming, recreation, fishing and mitigating flooding.
Environmental Compliance
Those who work in environmental compliance ensure that projects and equipment meet the requirements set by laws, regulations and codes meant to protect the environment. Environmental engineers may collaborate with regulatory authorities to clean up hazardous sites, uncover violations, propose new regulations and conduct audits and reviews.
Environmental Remediation
Environment engineers who work in remediation work to improve the process of removing contaminates from water and soil. This work often includes efforts to restore sites once used for disposing hazardous waste. It can also include short-term projects like cleaning up oil spills.
Waste Management
Environmental engineers often work in waste management. In their roles, they focus on the treatment and disposal of waste, which includes solid waste and recycling. Their goal is to limit the effect of this waste on the environment through designing secure landfills, improving systems that treat waste water, developing innovative techniques for recycling and more.
Air Pollution Control
Air pollution control is another common focus of environmental engineers. They may help during the development of factories and industrial complexes, analyze production processes to see what kind of pollutants they will generate, write reports about the impacts of proposed projects and design new technology, such as emissions filtration systems and ventilation systems.
Education
Environmental engineering is a constantly evolving field. Experts are needed to train the next generation of engineers at the university level and to help educate the public about how to care for our planet and our health.
No matter their role, environmental engineers will work with a variety of professionals, including scientists, lawyers and urban planners.
Advance Your Engineering Career
What are Average Environmental Engineering Salary Ranges and Role Requirements?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that environmental engineers made a median salary of $96,530 per year in 2022. The highest paid 10% made more than $150,840 with many of the highest paid engineers working for the federal government.
Environmental engineers need at least a bachelor’s degree, usually in engineering, which takes about four years to complete. For advancement, many in the field choose to pursue civil engineering master’s degrees. Master’s programs can be completed in person or online and take a around two years to complete.
A master’s degree, such as the online Master of Science in Civil Engineering from Ohio University, can set you apart from your competition for high-profile, impactful roles.
What Are Common Environmental Engineering Skills?
Vital skills needed when pursuing environmental engineering include the following:
- Communication: Environmental engineers must verbalize or write down plans, specifications, findings and other information to both expert and non-expert audiences.
- Creativity: Environmental engineers design systems that interact with equipment that makes up large systems, making creative thinking a vital skill.
- Math: Environmental engineers must use all types of math skills to analyze, design and troubleshoot their work.
- Physics: Environmental engineers must have a good grasp of physics knowledge to ensure they can design safe and efficient equipment and systems.
- Chemistry: Chemistry is a vital knowledge area for many environmental engineers, helping them understand how to improve human and ecological health.
- Critical Thinking: Environmental engineers must identify issues and conceptualize was to prevent or mitigate environmental damage.
- Broad Science Knowledge: Environmental engineers must be able to integrate geology, microbiology and other sciences into effective designs.
What Are the Environmental Engineer Education Requirements?
Step 1: Complete a Bachelor’s Degree
All those hoping to start a career as an environmental engineer must complete an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accredited bachelor’s degree program in civil or environmental engineering. An undergraduate degree offers a strong foundation in science, math and engineering. Many offer advanced coursework in water treatment, air quality management, environmental remediation and pollution control.
Step 2: Take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam
This test measures understanding of key engineering principles, along with environmental chemistry and environmental legal regulations. You can display to employers that you have the knowledge required to work in environmental engineering.
Step 3: Gain Work Experience
To obtain your Professional Engineering (PE) license, you must first complete four years of work experienced under a PE, either in an internship or full-time position. Internship programs can help aspiring environmental engineers gain valuable experience. The EPA and other governmental agencies offer internship opportunities in all areas of environmental work. Some internship positions require applicants to already hold an environmental engineering degree and give students the opportunity to get their foot in the door for future full-time jobs.
Step 4: Earn a Master’s Degree
Master’s degrees provide specialized knowledge of the environment and engineering. This will help you gain the knowledge you need to succeed when taking the PE exam. Online master's degrees, like the one offered at OHIO, can ensure you're able to maintain your professional commitments while advancing your education.
Step 5: Take the Professional Engineering Exam
Engineers who have earned their degree can obtain a PE license to indicate their level of knowledge in engineering and prepare for leadership roles. After completing the previous requirements, take the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam overseen by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Once you pass this exam, you can apply for licensure in the state you want to work.
Choose Ohio University for Your MS in Civil Engineering
OHIO’s online MS in Civil Engineering is an advanced program that meets the growing demand for leaders in civil engineering who understand the evolving nature of their profession. Delivered in a completely online learning environment, our online civil engineering master’s degree focuses on showing students how to address globalization, sustainability and emerging technologies using advanced techniques and principles of mathematics and physical science.
Choose from concentrations in transportation engineering, structural engineering, construction engineering or environmental engineering. The environmental engineering concentration allows you to specialize your education through diverse course topics, including chemical fate and transport, water resources engineering, environmental analysis of transportation systems and more.
As you earn the online MS in Civil Engineering, you will join expert faculty in exploring topics and techniques that will help you understand the engineering industry's current landscape and how it is continuing to evolve. When you complete your degree, you will be prepared to advance into a range of leadership roles within civil engineering.
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