When you think of environmental engineers, what do you picture? A person with a hard hat and safety glasses, walking through a field of toxic waste?
Well, that’s not entirely inaccurate. But it doesn’t tell the whole story.
Table of Contents
ToggleWhat Is Environmental engineering
Environmental engineering is the practice of using science to solve problems related to the environment. It’s about building sustainable communities, cleaning up hazardous waste sites and industrial pollution, and protecting our natural resources.
It’s an exciting field because it allows you to save the environment using dumpster rental to make a difference in people’s lives by helping them meet their needs while protecting the environment at the same time.
Key Environmental Engineering Sectors and Industries
Environmental engineering is a broad field that encompasses many different areas of specialization.
The most common sub-fields include
Catchment Management:
This is the process of managing water supplies. It is often used in agricultural practices, but it can also be used for water conservation and other purposes.
Civil/infrastructure:
This area focuses on designing and building roads, bridges, buildings, dams, etc., with an emphasis on sustainability and environmental impact.
Conservation and natural resource management:
This area includes managing forests or other natural resources like fish stocks or water sources.
Management:
This area deals with managing waste water treatment plants and other types of waste management systems to ensure that they are safe for humans and the environment at large; it also deals with the regulation of these systems through policymaking processes like writing laws.
Energy:
This area encompasses all forms of energy production from renewable sources (like solar panels) to non-renewable sources like oil wells or coal mines—it also includes electricity transmission lines.
Mining:
Mining companies need environmental engineers to make sure they do not cause any damage to the surrounding area during the process of extracting minerals from the earth.
Resource Planning and Management:
Resource planners and managers work with oil companies to ensure that there is enough supply for future use without depleting resources too quickly or causing pollution issues with production methods that are used today by oil companies around the world today.
Oil and Gas:
Environmental engineers are responsible for designing and implementing systems that help companies minimize their impact on the environment. They can also help oil and gas companies reduce their energy consumption, which is important because these companies use a lot of energy.
Waste and Water Management:
This encompasses a wide range of environmental engineering, from recycling to water treatment to waste disposal.
Why Pursue A Career In Environmental Engineering?
These are the engineers who make sure that we can enjoy clean water, breathable air, and a stable environment. They’re the ones who design and implement strategies for reducing waste and pollution and maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
Here are some of the reasons why you should pursue a career in environmental engineering:
You have an interest in science and technology
Environmental engineers are responsible for researching, designing, and implementing innovative solutions to problems related to waste management, pollution control, and water quality.
They use their knowledge of chemistry, biology, and physics to design systems that can treat water or air pollution, clean up contaminated sites after industrial accidents, and may work at a research facility or in an industry, where they can apply new technologies to solve problems.
You like working with people
Environmental engineering is a field where you’ll have the opportunity to work closely with a variety of people. From business professionals to engineers and scientists, you’ll be able to collaborate with a wide range of experts.
You’ll also have the opportunity to interact with the public and make an impact on their lives by helping them understand how their actions can affect the environment and how we can all work together to solve some of the world’s biggest problems.
You will be a part of the solution to some of the world’s biggest problems.
Environmental engineers are often called upon to solve some of society’s most pressing issues—and they do so by applying their expertise in biology, chemistry, and physics in order to find solutions that preserve our environment while also helping us live better lives.
You’ll be able to make a real difference in this world by working towards sustainability through conservation efforts or by developing new ways to purify water supplies so that nobody has to go without clean drinking water ever again!
You enjoy working in an interdisciplinary field
Environmental engineers have to collaborate with scientists who study chemistry and physics as well as other engineers who specialize in different areas like construction or transportation design so that they can create sustainable solutions that address problems such as climate change or sea-level rise.
It’s a growing field
There are more than 200,000 jobs available for environmental engineers right now, and the need for these professionals is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. In fact, by 2024, there will be more than 1 million jobs for this type of engineer. That’s pretty amazing!
More opportunities for advancement
You’ll have more opportunities for advancement than you’d get in other branches of engineering. Environmental engineers can move into positions of leadership at companies and within government agencies, where they can help shape environmental policy and regulations on a larger scale than an individual project or company might allow.
You’ll get to work outdoors
You’ll spend time outside every day inspecting lakes, streams, rivers, and oceans—and sometimes even volcanoes! And when you’re not out in nature? You’ll be inside designing new ways to clean up pollution from our environment without sacrificing efficiency or effectiveness.
You’ll be able to work on projects that are directly impacting people’s lives
Environmental engineers are the only ones who can design buildings that reduce their impact on the environment by using green materials such as solar panels and recycled plastics instead of cutting down trees for lumber or concrete for foundations—and it’s fun!
You’ll have great job security and high pay compared to other industries
The average annual salary for an environmental engineer is about $75K per year according to Payscale data from 2017 (the most recent year available). That means you’ll be able to have a comfortable lifestyle while still having enough money left over for fun things like vacations or buying new clothes once in a while.
You’ll be helping people
Environmental engineers work on projects that help improve our world and make it healthier for everyone who lives here.
They work on everything from cleaning up pollution in our water supply to finding ways to reduce greenhouse gases in the air we breathe.
They also look at how we can make our cities more environmentally friendly by using renewable energy sources like wind or solar power instead of fossil fuels like coal or natural gas. It’s an exciting way to make a difference in people’s lives.
You can make an impact right away!
When you choose environmental engineering as your career path, you’ll have the chance to make an impact right away—whether that means helping developing countries develop clean water sources or creating new biodegradable materials that won’t harm the environment when they’re disposed of.
You’ll be part of a team!
Environmental engineers work with others who share their passion for protecting and preserving the planet, including scientists, economists, and public health professionals.
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to collaborate with experts in other fields as you develop solutions that benefit communities worldwide.
Conclusion
Environmental engineering is a diverse field of study that allows you to create solutions to environmental problems.
You can work in environmental consulting, the public sector (like city or state government), or the private sector (like an engineering firm).
So if you’re ready for that kind of challenge—and if you love nature, solving problems and want to help protect it—then environmental engineering may be your calling!
Frequently Asked Questions
Environmental engineering is a growing field that has been rapidly expanding over the past few decades. In fact, it’s estimated that there will be a shortage of environmental engineers in the coming years.
If you’re interested in pursuing a career in this field, here are five frequently asked questions that we hear from potential students:
Q1. Is an environmental engineer a scientist or an engineer?
Both! Environmental engineers & scientist need a solid foundation in science, but they also have to be able to work with hardware and technology.
Q2. What does an environmental engineer do?
Environmental engineers can work in a variety of settings, including government agencies, private companies, nonprofit organizations, and universities. They work on projects related to water resources, air pollution control, hazardous waste management, and remediation, solid waste disposal and recycling, noise pollution control, renewable energy systems (solar panels), and more.
Q3. How much money do environmental engineers make?
The average salary for an entry-level position is $63,000 per year, and the average salary for someone with five years of experience is $95,000 per year. This number can go up significantly if you have more experience. You can also increase your earning potential by getting certified through organizations like ASME or AIChE.
Q4. What are some examples of jobs that people with an environmental engineering degree can do?
There are hundreds of different kinds of jobs available to graduates with an environmental engineering degree.
Some common ones include working for an industrial company designing waste-reduction methods, monitoring progress toward reducing emissions at manufacturing plants, designing municipal water systems and treatment plants, designing and implementing recycling programs for businesses and municipalities, and conducting research into new techniques for purifying water and removing contaminants from soil or water sources such as lakes or rivers (like mercury).
Q5. How much education do you need to be an environmental engineer?
You will need a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering or civil engineering with a specialization in environmental engineering from an accredited university or college before seeking employment as an environmental engineer.
After obtaining your degree, you’ll have to pass a series of exams before becoming licensed as an engineer (PE). This process can take up to two years after graduation from college but varies depending on each state’s requirements for licensure as well as personal factors like experience level within the field).