Students

Careers in Environmental Engineering

What kind of jobs need an Environmental Engineering degree?

With a degree in Environmental Engineering, a student can pursue the following sampling of employment opportunities:

Air Quality Engineer
Safety Engineer
Assistant Policy Specialist
Hazard Communication Researcher
Director of Public Safety
Health Assessment Specialist
Environmental Engineer
Environmental Health Research Scientist
Field Chemist
Manager of Safety Design Planner
Health Risk Assessor
Planning Director for Water Standards
Hydrogeologist
Sanitarian
Information Specialist
Solid Waste Project Director
Operator
Waste Minimization
Plant Manager
Water Resource Manager
Process Engineer
Wetlands Ecologist
Project Engineer

Where have Penn State Harrisburg Environmental Engineering graduates been hired?

  • Delaware River Basin Commission, West Trenton, NJ
  • Susquehanna River Basin Commission, Harrisburg, PA
  • Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Harrisburg, PA
  • Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Harrisburg, PA
  • Public Utility Commission, Harrisburg, PA
  • United Water Works Company
  • Pennsylvania American Water Company, Hummelstown, PA
  • Lancaster Sewer Authority, Lancaster, PA
  • City of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA
  • City of Lancaster, Lancaster, PA
  • United States Geological Survey

Engineering firms:
  • ARRO Group
    Lancaster, PA
    Mechanicsburg, PA
    Reading, PA
  • Camp Dresser & McKee
    Philadelphia, PA
    Lancaster,PA
    Pittsburgh, PA
  • CET Inc.
    Harrisburg, PA
    Huntington, PA
    Trevose, PA
  • Gannett Fleming
    Chambersburg, PA
    Clearfield, PA
    Harrisburg, PA
    Philadelpia, PA
    Pittsburgh, PA
    State College, PA
    Valley Forge, PA
  • Glace Associates, Inc.
    Camp Hill, PA
  • Robert Kimball & Associates
    Ebensburg, PA
    Coraopolis, PA
    Philadelphia, PA
    Pittsburgh, PA
  • Spotts Stevens McCoy
    Reading PA
    Lehigh Valley, PA
  • Brinjac Engineering Inc.
    Harrisburg, PA
    Philadelphia, PA
    Allentown, PA
    Montoursville, PA
  • Dawood Engineering
    Enola, PA
    Carlisle, PA
    Canonsburg, PA
  • FPE Consulting Engineers
    Dillsburg, PA
  • Hartman & Associates
    Camp Hill, PA
  • Hartman & Associates
    Camp Hill, PA
  • Skelly and Loy Inc.
    Harrisburg, PA
  • Benatec Associates
    New Cumberland, PA
  • Buchart Horn Inc.
    York, PA
  • Erdman Anthony Associates
    Mechanicsburg, PA
  • Herbert Rowland & Grubic Inc.
    Harrisburg, PA
    Lancaster, PA
    State College, PA
    Gettysburg, PA
    Cranberry Township, PA
    Bartonsville, PA
    Lewisburg, PA
    Hermitage, PA
    Dunmore, PA
  • Rummel Klepper Kahl Consulting Engineers
    Norristown, PA
    York, PA
  • Bankson Engineering Inc.
    Indianola, PA
  • Exel
    Ohio, OH
  • Kurowski and Wilson LLC
    Harrisburg, PA
  • McCrone Inc
    Annapolis, MD
    Dover, DE
  • Walter B. Satterthwaite Assoc. Inc.
    West Chester, PA

Career Opportunities

The Environmental Engineering program at Penn State Harrisburg provides a comprehensive education for students interested in pursuing a career in the environmental field. Graduates will be qualified to work at the entry level in a variety of jobs related to environmental protection and management in different career settings. Environmental engineers work in the private sector, government, and academia. Engineering consulting firms hire engineers to work with local governments on issues such as air and water pollution control and solid and hazardous waste management. Some manufacturing industries employ environmental engineers to help keep them in compliance with government regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency hires most environmental engineers who work for the federal government. The departments of Defense and Energy employ others. State agencies and metropolitan governments hire environmental engineers to help carry out federally mandated programs. Local health, water, sewer, and public works departments also hire engineers. Also, universities, testing laboratory interest groups, and research organizations employ environmental engineers to perform research and give advice on environmental issues. Advanced study is also an option and students are qualified to pursue graduate education in engineering-related majors.

Job Outlook

Environmental Engineering represents a mature field with employment opportunities and growth potential. The "Engineering News Record" reports that in the year 2000, the top 200 environmental engineering firms in the U.S. had record high revenues of $24.3 billion. Although the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not monitor the environmental engineering discipline separately, it and the Occupational Outlook Quarterly predict growth in employment for environmental engineers, and indicate that demand for environmental engineers will continue to exceed the number of graduates.