Science & ResearchISCO 2143
Environmental engineer
An environmental engineer is a person who builds environmental and sustainability measures into technical projects of every kind.
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Rate 5 of the 51 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
process customer requests based on the REACh Regulation 1907 2006
address public health issues
monitor nature conservation
analyse energy consumption
perform data analysis
About environmental engineer
The environmental engineer works alongside engineers from other disciplines, with the aim of protecting natural resources and natural areas. Their task is to set out every effect a project may have on its surroundings — on water, air, soil, noise and wildlife — and then to propose solutions that limit those effects. The engineer analyses environmental data: measurement results, ground and water investigations, ecological surveys.
The engineer works to prevent pollution and designs wastewater treatment, emission control, waste handling and sanitation measures. The engineer knows environmental law and manages environmental and safety risk, working out what happens if a system fails and how to limit the effects on people and nature.
The engineer solves public health problems, ensures compliance with safety regulations, and processes customer requests under the EU REACH regulation on chemicals. Entry to the profession runs through an engineering degree in environmental engineering or a related field.
Key Work Functions
Core areas of responsibility for a environmental engineer.
1
Environmental Impact Assessment and Compliance
- Conduct environmental impact assessments (EIA) for proposed projects across industrial, infrastructure, and development sectors
- Ensure project compliance with EU and Polish environmental legislation, directives, and local regulations
- Identify environmental risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize ecological damage
- Prepare environmental documentation and permits required by authorities
2
Pollution Prevention and Control
- Design and implement systems to prevent air, water, and soil pollution in industrial and urban settings
- Develop waste management and treatment protocols complying with circular economy principles
- Monitor emissions and pollution levels using sensors and analytical equipment
- Advise on best available techniques (BAT) for pollution reduction and environmental protection
3
Sustainable Design and Energy Efficiency
- Integrate renewable energy systems and energy-efficient technologies into project designs
- Analyze product life-cycles to reduce environmental footprint and promote circular economy
- Develop energy audits and efficiency improvement plans for buildings and industrial facilities
- Recommend sustainable materials and construction practices to minimize environmental impact
4
Ecosystem and Resource Management
- Assess and protect critical ecosystems, biodiversity, and natural habitats affected by projects
- Manage coastal zones and water resources following environmental best practices
- Develop conservation strategies to preserve natural reserves and sensitive environmental areas
- Conduct environmental monitoring and data analysis to track ecosystem health
5
Interdisciplinary Project Collaboration
- Collaborate with civil engineers, architects, and project managers to integrate environmental solutions from project inception
- Present environmental findings and recommendations to stakeholders and decision-makers
- Prepare technical drawings and environmental plans using engineering software
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (51)
legal studieslegal studiesThe study of law; the situations and causes that elicit responses from institutions in the form of laws and regulations. Some areas of law are civil, business, criminal, and property law.environmental policyenvironmental policyLocal, national and international policies dealing with the promotion of environmental sustainability and the development of projects which reduce negative environmental impact and improve the state o...engineering principlesengineering principlesThe engineering elements like functionality, replicability, and costs in relation to the design and how they are applied in the completion of engineering projects.product life-cycleproduct life-cycleThe management of the life-cycle of a product from the development stages to the market entry and market removal.circular economycircular economyThe circular economy aims to keep materials and products in use for as long as possible, extracting the maximum value from them while in use and recycling them at the end of their life cycle. It impro...ecosystem managementecosystem managementThe set of approaches that takes into account the effect of a management decision on other elements of an ecosystem. It also addresses the optimization of diverse management strategies and the challen...pollution legislationpollution legislationBe familiar with European and National legislation regarding the risk of pollution.technical drawingstechnical drawingsDrawing software and the various symbols, perspectives, units of measurement, notation systems, visual styles and page layouts used in technical drawings.risk managementrisk managementThe process of identifying, assessing, and prioritising of all types of risks and where they could come from, such as natural causes, legal changes, or uncertainty in any given context, and the method...environmental legislationenvironmental legislationThe environmental policies and legislation applicable in a certain domain.sensorssensorsSensors are transducers that can detect or sense characteristics in their environment. They detect changes in the apparatus or environment and provide a corresponding optical or electrical signal. Sen...pollution preventionpollution preventionThe processes used to prevent pollution: precautions to pollution of the environment, procedures to counter pollution and associated equipment, and possible measures to protect the environment.civil engineeringcivil engineeringThe engineering discipline that studies the design, construction and maintenance of naturally built works such as roads, buildings, and canals.energy efficiencyenergy efficiencyField of information concerning the reduction of the use of energy. It encompasses calculating the consumption of energy, providing certificates and support measures, saving energy by reducing the dem...biologybiologyTissues, cells, and functions of plant and animal organisms and their interdependencies and interactions with each other and the environment.public healthpublic healthThe principles of health and sickness affecting the population, including the means for health promotion and prevention and community and primary care.data storagedata storageThe physical and technical concepts of how digital data storage is organised in specific schemes both locally, such as hard-drives and random-access memories (RAM) and remotely, via network, internet ...coastal managementcoastal managementThe process of reaching and maintaining an equilibrium between natural phaenomena and human activities in coastal areas.augmented realityaugmented realityThe process of adding diverse digital content (such as images, 3D objects, etc) on surfaces that exist in the real world. The user can interact in real-time with the technology by using devices such a...environmental engineeringenvironmental engineeringThe application of scientific and engineering theories and principles aimed at improving the environment and sustainability, such as the provision of clean habitation necessities (such as air, water, ...cloud technologiescloud technologiesThe technologies which enable access to hardware, software, data and services through remote servers and software networks irrespective of their location and architecture.chemistrychemistryThe composition, structure, and properties of substances and the processes and transformations that they undergo; the uses of different chemicals and their interactions, production techniques, risk fa...mining, construction and civil engineering machinery productsmining, construction and civil engineering machinery productsThe offered mining, construction and civil engineering machinery products, their functionalities, properties and legal and regulatory requirements.regulations on substancesregulations on substancesThe national and international regulations on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures, e.g. regulation (EC) No 1272/2008.principles of artificial intelligenceprinciples of artificial intelligenceThe artificial intelligence theories, applied principles, architectures and systems, such as intelligent agents, multi-agent systems, expert systems, rule-based systems, neural networks, ontologies an...radiation protectionradiation protectionThe measures and procedures used to protect people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation.Internet of ThingsInternet of ThingsThe general principles, categories, requirements, limitations and vulnerabilities of smart connected devices (most of them with intended internet connectivity).process customer requests based on the REACh Regulation 1907 2006process customer requests based on the REACh Regulation 1907 2006Reply to private consumer requests according to REACh Regulation 1907/2006 whereby chemical Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) should be minimal. Advise customers on how to proceed and protect the...address public health issuesaddress public health issuesPromote healthy practices and behaviours to ensure that populations stay healthy.ensure compliance with safety legislationensure compliance with safety legislationImplement safety programmes to comply with national laws and legislation. Ensure that equipment and processes are compliant with safety regulations.monitor nature conservationmonitor nature conservationEvaluating and monitoring features of nature conservation interest in habitats and sites.analyse energy consumptionanalyse energy consumptionEvaluate and analyse the total amount of energy used by a company or an institution by assessing the needs linked to the operative processes and by identifying the causes of superfluous consumption.perform data analysisperform data analysisCollect data and statistics to test and evaluate in order to generate assertions and pattern predictions, with the aim of discovering useful information in a decision-making process.analyse information processesanalyse information processesAnalyse internal processes, implement procedural or policy changes to improve internal operations, such as supply changes or the disposal of records.adjust engineering designsadjust engineering designsAdjust designs of products or parts of products so that they meet requirements.analyse big dataanalyse big dataCollect and evaluate numerical data in large quantities, especially for the purpose of identifying patterns between the data.perform scientific researchperform scientific researchGain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.use technical drawing softwareuse technical drawing softwareCreate technical designs and technical drawings using specialised software.carry out environmental auditscarry out environmental auditsUse equipment to measure various environmental parameters in order to identify environmental problems and investigate manners in which they can be resolved. Perform inspections in order to ensure comp...analyse environmental dataanalyse environmental dataAnalyse data that interpret correlations between human activities and environmental effects.conduct quantitative researchconduct quantitative researchExecute a systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques.promote environmental awarenesspromote environmental awarenessPromote sustainability and raise awareness about the environmental impact of human and industrial activity based on the carbon footprints of business processes and other practices.conduct environmental surveysconduct environmental surveysConduct surveys in order to collect information for analysis and management of environmental risks within an organisation or in a wider context.implement traceability systemsimplement traceability systemsImplement traceability systems in respect of different aquatic resources species.advise on environmental remediationadvise on environmental remediationAdvise on the development and implementation of actions which aim to remove sources of pollution and contamination from the environment.abide by regulations on banned materialsabide by regulations on banned materialsComply with regulations banning heavy metals in solder, flame retardants in plastics, and phthalate plasticisers in plastics and wiring harness insulations, under EU RoHS/WEEE Directives and China RoH...mitigate waste of resourcesmitigate waste of resourcesEvaluate and identify opportunities to use resources more efficiently with continuously striving to reduce waste of utilities.develop environmental remediation strategiesdevelop environmental remediation strategiesDevelop strategies for the removal of pollution and contaminants from soil, groundwater, surface water, or sediment, taking into account environmental remediation regulations and available technologie...approve engineering designapprove engineering designGive consent to the finished engineering design to go over to the actual manufacturing and assembly of the product.cyber securitycyber securityThe methods and best practices that protect ICT systems, networks, computers, devices, services, processes and people against unauthorised access, modification and/or denial of service of assets.machine learningmachine learningThe principles, methods and algorithms of machine learning, a subfield of artificial intelligence. Common machine learning models such as supervised or unsupervised models, semi- supervised models and...
Optional (29) — show
business intelligencebusiness intelligenceThe tools used to transform large amounts of raw data into relevant and helpful business information.project commissioningproject commissioningProcess of supervising the correct functioning of systems, buildings or plants during the final stages before deployment.hazardous waste typeshazardous waste typesThe different types of waste which poses risks to the environment or public health and safety, such as radioactive waste, chemicals and solvents, electronics, and mercury-containing waste.hydrologyhydrologyThe study of the water concerning the availability and movement of water as well as the impact of human activities on the water cycle.project managementproject managementThe discipline of project management, the activities which comprise this area and the variables implied in it, such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.consumer protectionconsumer protectionThe current legislation applicable in relation to the rights of consumers in the marketplace.nuclear energynuclear energyThe generation of electrical energy through the use of nuclear reactors, by converting the energy released from nuclei of atoms in reactors which generate heat. This heat subsequently generates steam ...watershed developmentwatershed developmentThe study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain an...wildlife projectswildlife projectsWildlife and animal conservation projects, which aim to protect and preserve ecosystems and habitats of a wide range of animals under threat from urbanisation.ethicsethicsThe philosophical study that deals with solving questions of human morality; it defines and systemises concepts such as right, wrong, and crime.environmental designenvironmental designThe approach that is used to face environmental problems related to buildings, plans, and products in various fields such as engineering, interior design and architecture.hazardous waste storagehazardous waste storageThe regulations and procedures surrounding the safekeeping of materials and substances which pose health and safety risks.perform laboratory testsperform laboratory testsCarry out tests in a laboratory to produce reliable and precise data to support scientific research and product testing.advise on mining environmental issuesadvise on mining environmental issuesAdvise engineers, surveyors, geotechnical staff and metallurgists on environmental protection and land rehabilitation related to mining activities.inspect compliance with hazardous waste regulationsinspect compliance with hazardous waste regulationsInspect an organisation's or facility's strategies which deal with the management of hazardous waste in order to ensure that their actions are compliant with relevant legislation and that measures are...conduct quality control analysisconduct quality control analysisConduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.collect samples for analysiscollect samples for analysisCollect samples of materials or products for laboratory analysis.advise on pollution preventionadvise on pollution preventionAdvise individuals and organisations on the development and implementation of actions which aid in the prevention of pollution and its related risks.assess the life cycle of resourcesassess the life cycle of resourcesEvaluate the use and possible recycling of raw materials in the whole product life cycle. Consider applicable regulations, such as the European Commission's Circular Economy Policy Package.inspect industrial equipmentinspect industrial equipmentInspect equipment used during industrial activities such as manufacturing or construction equipment in order to ensure that the equipment complies with health, safety, and environmental legislation.manage air qualitymanage air qualityMonitoring, audit and management of air quality, including remedial measures.listen activelylisten activelyGive attention to what other people say, patiently understand points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times; able to listen carefully the needs of cus...conduct field workconduct field workConducts field work or research which is the collection of information outside of a laboratory or workplace setting. Visit places in order to collect specific information about the field.develop non-hazardous waste management strategiesdevelop non-hazardous waste management strategiesDevelop strategies which aim to increase the efficiency in which a facility treats, transports, and disposes of non-hazardous waste materials, such as packaging, textiles, scraps, debris, and paper.perform project managementperform project managementManage and plan various resources, such as human resources, budget, deadline, results, and quality necessary for a specific project, and monitor the project's progress in order to achieve a specific g...ensure material complianceensure material complianceEnsure that the materials provided by suppliers comply with the specified requirements.investigate contaminationinvestigate contaminationPerform tests to investigate the properties of contamination in an area, or on surfaces and materials, in order to identify the cause, its nature, and the extent of the risk and damage.advise on waste management proceduresadvise on waste management proceduresAdvise organisations on the implementation of waste regulations and on improvement strategies for waste management and waste minimisation, to increase environmentally sustainable practices and environ...develop hazardous waste management strategiesdevelop hazardous waste management strategiesDevelop strategies which aim to increase the efficiency in which a facility treats, transports, and disposes of hazardous waste materials, such as radioactive waste, chemicals, and electronics.
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Frequently asked questions
What does an environmental engineer do?
Environmental engineers integrate environmental and sustainable measures in the development of projects of various natures. They seek to preserve natural resources and natural sites. They work together with engineers from other fields to envision all the implications that projects might have in order to design ways to conserve natural reserves, prevent pollution, and deploy sanitary measures.
What skills does an environmental engineer need?
An environmental engineer needs 51 essential skills, including legal studies, environmental policy, engineering principles, product life-cycle, circular economy.
Will AI replace environmental engineer jobs?
The AI disruption score for environmental engineer is 65/100 (high risk). Skills most exposed to automation: sensors, business intelligence, analyse energy consumption. Most resilient: listen actively, ethics, machine learning.
AI Replacement Risk
65/ 100
High Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Skills most at risk from AI
Skills resilient to automation
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