Environmental Engineers : Career Profile

With the growth in population, the impact on the environment also increases. At the same time, more and more people are becoming aware of the environmental issues and how environment affects public health. To safeguard the communities and public from polluted environment and hazardous waste, business organizations and individuals call upon environmental engineers for assistance. Career prospects and employment opportunities in this field are quite good, as environment happens to be among the top five global concerns today.

Job Description
Today, people are faced with a number of environmental issues that affect public health. Environmental engineering professionals look after such issues and provide effective solutions to resolve such problems. These engineers are employed both in the public as well as the government sector and work on numerous projects. Some of the key issues that environmental engineers work on include pollution control, management of hazardous materials, waste management, safe storage solutions and waste recycling among others.

Environmental engineers have a crucial role to play in the workforce. They handle situations that may damage the environment and provide remedial solutions. During the procedure, they may also closely work with the nearby inhabitants who are affected. In case of damaging chemical spill, they take up measures to clean the contaminated air, soil and water. They ensure that the environment has no detrimental effect on public health and ensure safe work environment for individuals.

Environmental engineers are also involved in the designing of water supply system and waste water treatment system. They also play an important role in the planning of construction projects to provide effective solutions for global warming issues and reducing the harmful effects of emissions at industrial sites. While working, these engineers also need to abide by the environmental policies, rules and regulations. Professionals can also choose to specialize in an area of their interest. Some of the environmental engineering professionals choose to specialize in hazardous waste management.

Educational Requirement & Training in Environmental Engineering
To obtain entry level jobs, a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering is required. Internships are an important part of most of the degree programs offered by universities. Summer internships are a good option for acquiring some real world experience. Besides being equipped with a degree in environmental engineering, candidates also need to meet the licensure requirements of the state where they practice the profession. To obtain the license, candidates need to complete a degree program approved by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), pass two exams and a few years of working experience in the field of environmental engineering.

Career Prospects & Annual Salary
Environmental engineering is one of these fields where the demand outperforms the talent supply. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the employment growth rate for these jobs will increase at a rate of 25% through to the year 2016. Starting annual salaries for environmental engineers ranges between $45,000 and $56,000. Those who possess a master’s degree can earn an annual salary up to $100,000.