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Water Resource Specialist

Environment

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

ScienceRenewable Energy

What you'd do all day

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

  1. 1Perform hydrologic, hydraulic, or water quality modeling.
  2. 2Analyze storm water systems to identify opportunities for water resource improvements.
  3. 3Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, investigations on matters such as water storage, wastewater discharge, pollutants, permits, or other compliance and regulatory issues.
  4. 4Develop strategies for watershed operations to meet water supply and conservation goals or to ensure regulatory compliance with clean water laws or regulations.
  5. 5Review or evaluate designs for water detention facilities, storm drains, flood control facilities, or other hydraulic structures.
  6. 6Conduct technical studies for water resources on topics such as pollutants and water treatment options.
  7. 7Present water resource proposals to government, public interest groups, or community groups.
  8. 8Develop plans to protect watershed health or rehabilitate watersheds.
  9. 9Write proposals, project reports, informational brochures, or other documents on wastewater purification, water supply and demand, or other water resource subjects.
  10. 10Conduct cost-benefit studies for watershed improvement projects or water management alternatives.
  11. 11Provide technical expertise to assist communities in the development or implementation of storm water monitoring or other water programs.
  12. 12Compile and maintain documentation on the health of a body of water.
  13. 13Identify and characterize specific causes or sources of water pollution.
  14. 14Compile water resource data, using geographic information systems (GIS) or global position systems (GPS) software.
  15. 15Conduct, or oversee the conduct of, chemical, physical, and biological water quality monitoring or sampling to ensure compliance with water quality standards.
  16. 16Recommend new or revised policies, procedures, or regulations to support water resource or conservation goals.
  17. 17Develop or implement standardized water monitoring and assessment methods.
  18. 18Supervise teams of workers who capture water from wells and rivers.
  19. 19Negotiate for water rights with communities or water facilities to meet water supply demands.
  20. 20Monitor water use, demand, or quality in a particular geographic area.
  21. 21Identify methods for distributing purified wastewater into rivers, streams, or oceans.

Also known as

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

  • Hydrotechnician
  • Resource Specialist
  • Water Resource Agent
  • Power Supply Engineer
  • Water Resources Planner
  • Water Rights Specialist
  • Water Quality Specialist
  • Hydrotechnical Specialist
  • Water Resource Consultant
  • Water Resource Specialist

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).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — 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 Technology92%

    PhysicsAdditional MathematicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Mathematics84%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • Design79%

    Visual Art (PSV)Technical Comm. GraphicsEngineering Drawing

  • Physics77%

    Physics

  • Computers and Electronics71%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • English Language68%

    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 discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicHigh
  • Leading or coordinating othersVery high
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

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.

15%

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

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: Water Resource Specialists

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