Environmental Planning Engineer

If you enjoy solving problems and protecting the environment, consider a career as an Environmental Planning Engineer. Based on the principles of science, this job lets you develop solutions to problems created by human behavior.

If the problem is human waste, Environmental Planning Engineers solve it by designing a wastewater treatment system, as water and air pollution are issues solved by engineering filtration systems. Planning to prevent a potential problem is also part of your job. You work with state and federal agencies to provide advice on the treatment or containment of potentially dangerous materials.

Following National Environment Policy Act (NEPA) guidelines, you oversee engineering projects to ensure that they meet federal requirements. Also, you investigate and obtain necessary environmental permits, which means you spend time researching laws and talking on the telephone.

Additionally, it’s your job as an Environmental Planning Engineer to oversee field studies and then draft environmental reports about the results. Attending meetings, presenting information to company executives, and answering questions from other departments also fill your days.

Be prepared to travel for this job, as you will need to visit jobsites quite often. Most employers expect you to travel up to 25 percent of the time. You should also be comfortable with computer operation, fully understanding the use of word processing, data collection, and presentation software. Proficiency in specialized engineering software may also be included in your skill set.

This is the perfect opportunity to combine a love for the environment and good, old-fashioned science. If you don’t particularly like either one, or sitting behind a desk, maybe you should consider something else.