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Environmental Engineer

Engineering

Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.

ScienceRenewable Energy

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality.
  2. 2Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land.
  3. 3Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems.
  4. 4Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment.
  5. 5Develop proposed project objectives and targets and report to management on progress in attaining them.
  6. 6Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs.
  7. 7Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports.
  8. 8Prepare, maintain, or revise quality assurance documentation or procedures.
  9. 9Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects, including remediation system design or determination of regulatory applicability.
  10. 10Develop site-specific health and safety protocols, such as spill contingency plans or methods for loading or transporting waste.
  11. 11Prepare or present public briefings on the status of environmental engineering projects.
  12. 12Assist in budget implementation, forecasts, or administration.
  13. 13Coordinate or manage environmental protection programs or projects, assigning or evaluating work.
  14. 14Advise industries or government agencies about environmental policies and standards.
  15. 15Obtain, update, or maintain plans, permits, or standard operating procedures.
  16. 16Direct installation or operation of environmental monitoring devices or supervise related data collection programs.
  17. 17Inspect industrial or municipal facilities or programs to evaluate operational effectiveness or ensure compliance with environmental regulations.
  18. 18Request bids from suppliers or consultants.
  19. 19Inform company employees or other interested parties of environmental issues.
  20. 20Serve as liaison with federal, state, or local agencies or officials on issues pertaining to solid or hazardous waste program requirements.
  21. 21Provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties.
  22. 22Develop or present environmental compliance training or orientation sessions.
  23. 23Provide environmental engineering assistance in network analysis, regulatory analysis, or planning or reviewing database development.
  24. 24Provide assistance with planning, quality assurance, safety inspection protocols, or sampling as part of a team conducting multimedia inspections at complex facilities.
  25. 25Develop, implement, or manage plans or programs related to conservation or management of natural resources.
  26. 26Assess, sort, characterize, or pack known or unknown materials.
  27. 27Prepare hazardous waste manifests or land disposal restriction notifications.
  28. 28Attend professional conferences to share information.
  29. 29Write reports or articles for Web sites or newsletters related to environmental engineering issues.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Engineer
  • Soil Engineer
  • Civil Engineer
  • Coastal Engineer
  • Environmentalist
  • Project Engineer
  • Sanitary Engineer
  • Reservoir Engineer
  • Irrigation Engineer
  • Sanitation Engineer

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

PhysicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
InventionDraws directly on Engineering and Technology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Design — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Engineering and Technology99%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Design92%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Chemistry81%

    Chemistry

  • Mathematics80%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Building and Construction77%

    Civil Engineering StudiesEngineering DrawingDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • English Language76%

    English

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsOften
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Noisy environmentRarely

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

24%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Aerospace Engineer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Environmental Engineers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue