Occupation · SOC 17-3025
Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians
Apply theory and principles of environmental engineering to modify, test, and operate equipment and devices used in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental problems, including waste treatment and site remediation, under the direction of engineering staff or scientists. May assist in the development of environmental remediation devices.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 4
Typical preparation
Considerable preparation
Stackable credential programs
143 mapped
Core skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingActive ListeningActive LearningSpeakingScienceMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingWritingTime ManagementQuality Control AnalysisComplex Problem SolvingSystems AnalysisSocial PerceptivenessOperations MonitoringMathematicsManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesCoordinationSystems EvaluationPersuasionOperation and ControlNegotiationInstructingTroubleshootingService OrientationOperations AnalysisEquipment SelectionRepairingManagement of Material ResourcesEquipment MaintenanceProgrammingManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignInstallation
Knowledge areas
Engineering and TechnologyMathematicsCustomer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageChemistryMechanicalPhysicsPublic Safety and SecurityEducation and TrainingBuilding and ConstructionDesignComputers and ElectronicsAdministration and ManagementBiologyProduction and ProcessingLaw and GovernmentAdministrativeGeographyPersonnel and Human ResourcesTransportationSales and MarketingCommunications and MediaEconomics and AccountingTelecommunicationsHistory and ArcheologyPsychologyForeign LanguageMedicine and DentistrySociology and AnthropologyTherapy and CounselingPhilosophy and TheologyFood ProductionFine Arts
Technology & tools
ANSYS simulation softwareAdobe PageMakerAir dispersion modeling softwareAutodesk AutoCADAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DBentley MicroStationC++Computer aided design and drafting CADD softwareContinuous emission management softwareDHI Water and Environment MIKE SHEDatabase softwareESRI ArcGIS softwareEcological risk assessment softwareEmail softwareEnvironmental health and safety documentation softwareFormula translation/translator FORTRANFugitive emission leak detection softwareGAEA Technologies WinSieveGas dispersion model softwareGel documentation softwareGeographic information system GIS softwareGeographic information system GIS systemsGeomechanical design analysis GDA softwareGreenhouse gas management softwareHEC-RASHazardous materials management HMS softwareHydrologic simulation program fortan HSPF softwareInsightful S-PLUSInternet browser softwareLINDO Systems optimization modeling softwareLaboratory information management system LIMSMaplesoft MapleMaterial safety data sheet MSDS softwareMathsoft MathcadMicroscopic image capturing softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPoint
Representative tasks
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesGetting InformationDocumenting/Recording InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsWorking with ComputersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing Data or InformationProcessing InformationMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationScheduling Work and ActivitiesCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersThinking CreativelyResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersPerforming General Physical ActivitiesPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersControlling Machines and ProcessesDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationTraining and Teaching OthersDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentHandling and Moving ObjectsRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentPerforming Administrative ActivitiesDeveloping and Building TeamsAssisting and Caring for OthersCoaching and Developing OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesSelling or Influencing Others
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Project logbooks and computer program files — maintain under direct supervision using established templates on active environmental monitoring projects.Field and laboratory data including numerical results, photographs, and visual observations — record accurately following standardized protocols at regulated field sites.Environmental quality tasks in office and field settings — perform under technician guidance using prescribed checklists and safety procedures.Pollution samples from air, soil, and groundwater matrices — collect using designated sampling equipment under the direction of a licensed environmental engineer.Environmental samples for shipping or laboratory analysis — prepare, label, and package in compliance with chain-of-custody requirements and hazardous materials regulations.Field equipment used to test or remediate pollutants — decontaminate following written standard operating procedures between sampling events.Basic data tables, charts, and graphs for environmental assessment reports — compile from field measurements using spreadsheet software under senior staff review.Technical environmental literature and regulatory guidance documents — read and summarize key requirements to support project team decision-making.Process parameters within environmental control systems — monitor instrument readings and flag anomalies to supervising engineers during routine operations.Geographic information system (GIS) and analytical software tools — operate at a basic level to input field data and generate preliminary site maps under guidance.
developing
Project logbook records and digital program files — maintain independently across multiple concurrent environmental field projects, ensuring completeness and regulatory defensibility.Field and laboratory datasets including test results and observational summaries — record, validate, and organize with reduced oversight, identifying data gaps before submission.Environmental quality work across field and office settings — perform routinely, adapting sampling and monitoring techniques to varying site conditions and seasonal constraints.Air and groundwater pollution samples — collect and conduct preliminary chemical analyses, interpreting results against applicable regulatory benchmarks.Environmental assessment reports with tabulated data, charts, and sketches — produce to a draft-final standard using desktop publishing and analytical software tools.Field sampling and decontamination equipment — test, calibrate, and maintain to manufacturer and regulatory specifications, documenting findings in equipment logs.Process anomalies within environmental control or remediation systems — evaluate against baseline parameters and recommend corrective actions to project engineers.Chain-of-custody documentation and sample packaging protocols — execute with accuracy for complex multi-media sample shipments to accredited analytical laboratories.Environmental compliance software and database interfaces — query and update project records, generating status reports to support client deliverables.Technical findings from field investigations — communicate clearly in written reports and oral briefings to project teams and agency representatives.
proficient
Comprehensive project logbooks and electronic file systems — manage autonomously across the full project lifecycle, ensuring data integrity for regulatory submittals and legal defensibility.Multi-parameter field and laboratory datasets — analyze independently, applying statistical methods and scientific judgment to identify trends, outliers, and site-specific contamination patterns.Complex environmental quality investigations in diverse field and office settings — conduct across the full scope of site characterization, remediation monitoring, and compliance verification.Air, soil, and groundwater pollution samples — design site-specific sampling programs, oversee collection, and interpret analytical results to guide remedial decision-making.Detailed environmental assessment reports and technical memoranda — author with professional-level rigor, integrating data visualizations, regulatory citations, and risk-based conclusions.Non-routine process anomalies in remediation or environmental control systems — diagnose root causes using systems analysis and inductive reasoning, implementing corrective operational changes.Field equipment decontamination and QA/QC programs — develop and oversee site-wide protocols, ensuring equipment performance meets data quality objectives across all sampling events.CAD and GIS platforms — utilize proficiently to produce site maps, cross-sections, and spatial analyses that support technical reports and regulatory submissions.Environmental regulations and engineering standards — interpret and apply to novel site conditions, exercising independent judgment to select appropriate compliance strategies.Interdisciplinary project teams and client stakeholders — coordinate technical workflows, resolve scheduling conflicts, and present findings with credibility and clarity.
advanced
Organization-wide environmental data management systems and project file standards — architect and enforce, ensuring consistent quality across all programs and regulatory jurisdictions.Strategic environmental assessment frameworks — develop and institutionalize, guiding the methodology by which the organization characterizes, evaluates, and reports site conditions at scale.Technical staff performing environmental quality work in field and office settings — mentor and evaluate, building team competency through structured training and performance feedback.Firm-level sampling and analytical quality assurance programs — design and lead, establishing data quality objectives and corrective action protocols that meet or exceed regulatory requirements.Complex, multi-site remediation and compliance portfolios — direct as principal technical authority, integrating engineering judgment, regulatory strategy, and resource allocation across concurrent projects.Environmental process control systems with recurring or systemic anomalies — lead root-cause investigations, recommending capital improvements or operational redesigns to senior leadership and clients.Regulatory agency relationships and technical negotiations — represent the organization authoritatively, interpreting emerging policy and advocating for science-based compliance pathways.Cross-functional project delivery teams spanning engineering, science, and field operations — coordinate at an organizational level, aligning timelines, budgets, and technical outputs to client objectives.Advanced GIS, analytical, and industrial control technologies — champion adoption and integration across the organization, evaluating emerging tools against operational and regulatory requirements.Environmental engineering and science knowledge — contribute to the profession through technical publications, peer review, or regulatory comment, elevating organizational and industry standards.
Also known as
31 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Air Analysis Engineering TechnicianAir Analysis TechnicianAir AnalystAir Moving TechnicianAir Pollution SpecialistAir Quality Instrument SpecialistAir TechnicianAquatic Technician (Aquatic Tech)Emissions Technician (Emissions Tech)Engineer TechnicianEngineering TechnicianEnvironmental Engineering AideEnvironmental Engineering AssistantEnvironmental Engineering TechnicianEnvironmental Engineering TechnologistEnvironmental Field LaborerEnvironmental Field ProfessionalEnvironmental Field Team MemberEnvironmental Field TechnicianEnvironmental Remediation Engineering TechnicianEnvironmental TechnicianField TechnicianHaz Tech (Hazardous Technician)Intake Technician (Intake Tech)Pollution Control Engineering TechnicianPollution Control TechnicianPrograms TechnicianQuality TechnicianSoil Field TechnicianSoil TechnicianWater Pollution Control Technician