Environmental Engineering Technician

• Perform environmental quality work by conducting pollution surveys
• Use equipment to prevent or clean up environmental pollution
• Collect and analyze air and water samples
• Dispose of hazardous materials like lead and asbestos
• Participate in hazardous environmental clean up projects
• Record lab and field data and write assessment reports
• Maintain computer program files and project records
• Review technical documents to make sure they are complete and conform to requirements
• Go over work plans and schedule various activities
• Mitigate the causes of environmental pollution
• Work as a team member with engineers and other technicians

A day in the life of an environmental engineering technician would involve being in the laboratory to test results, record observations, and document photographs. He or she may also go into the field to collect samples for testing. They may enter facilities to inspect that they are in compliance with environmental regulations. Many environmental engineering technicians are also responsible for keeping the lab supplied by ordering materials and equipment and talking to vendors and suppliers.

During the course of a typical day, an environmental engineering technician may be expected to communicate with a variety of different people about a project, including engineers, other technicians, clients, or people in the community. They may inspect equipment, structures, or material to ensure they are safe and without defect. Much of their job involves gathering, recording, and analyzing data. 

General skills

• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Observational skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Reading and written comprehension skills
• Active listening and learning
• Monitoring skills
• Judgement and decision making
• Deductive and inductive reasoning
• Quality control analysis 

Technical skills

• Analytical or scientific software
• Compliance software
• Computer aided design (CAD) software
• Data base user interface and query software
• Development environment software
• Graphics or photo imaging software
• Map creation software
• Object or component oriented development software
• Spreadsheet software
• Word processing software

• Agri-food producers and distributors
• Engineering consulting firms
• Federal government departments 
• Provincial/state government departments
• Municipal government departments
• Utility companies
• Energy companies
• Mining and lumber companies
• Colleges and universities
• Public and private research firms
• Special interest groups
• Non-profit organizations
• Conservation and environmental groups
• Chemical development and processing companies 

A willingness to take on new challenges in both laboratory and outdoor settings will help environmental engineering technicians move ahead. Sometimes longer hours are required if a major environmental issue or project is underway. Being flexible with your schedule will be an asset to your employer.  As a side note, working with hazardous chemicals or in hazardous conditions can be stressful, so those in this profession will want to make sure that they are receiving proper training and equipment for the jobs they are assigned to. 

In terms of skill building, because environmental issues can be controversial, learning how to talk about them diplomatically with the various people involved (community leaders, clients, residents) can be advantageous in this profession.

Our environment is constantly changing, and so are the ideas and technology about how to best handle these changes. Here are some of the trends that professionals in this field are currently tackling:

• High altitude wind energy from kites
• Agroforestry
• Ultraviolet Germicidal Irradiation
• Ecosan systems
• LEED, BREEAM, Green Star and other certification programs
• Hybrid vehicles
• Bioswales
• Biofiltration systems

As children, people in this profession were probably described as investigative and inquisitive. They would have had a methodical approach to solving problems. “Logical” and “analytical” are two words that would have been used to describe them. 

In school, they had a natural inclination toward science or math classes and enjoyed the process of collecting data or information and being able to solve problems. 

People who choose this field also enjoyed being outside as children and may have gotten absorbed in discovering the plants and animals that lived around them. These are the kids who liked to “get their hands dirty.” Many may have felt the importance of protecting the environment that these living things need to survive.