Environmental Engineers
Official O*NET title: Environmental Engineers (17-2081.00)
Also called: air pollution control engineer, engineer, engineering consultant, environmental analyst, environmental consultant
Do you do this at work?
Answer each card — it takes about a minute.
Do you do this at work?
Provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties
Swipe right for yes, left for not me. On a keyboard: → yes, ← not me, Z undo. +2 XP per answer.
How AI is changing environmental engineers work
7 of 27 measurable main tasks for this job show up in real AI-use data, so we rate it Amber (some AI use) — 26%. 1 newer task is not in the data yet and left out.
This shows where people already use AI, not whether the job will disappear. How we measure this.
Tasks in this job and recorded AI use
- Provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Develop, put in place, or manage plans or programs related to conservation or management of natural resources (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Write reports or articles for Web sites or newsletters related to environmental engineering issues (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Inspect industrial or municipal facilities or programs to evaluate operational effectiveness or make sure compliance with environmental regulations (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Prepare, review, or update environmental investigation or recommendation reports (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Inform company employees or other interested parties of environmental issues (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Design, or supervise the design of, systems, processes, or equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality (main task) — some recorded AI use
- Assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop proposed project objectives and targets and report to management on progress in attaining them (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Monitor progress of environmental improvement programs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare, maintain, or revise quality assurance documentation or procedures (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop site-specific health and safety protocols (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide technical support for environmental remediation or litigation projects (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare or present public briefings on the status of environmental engineering projects (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Assist in budget implementation, forecasts, or administration (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Coordinate or manage environmental protection programs or projects, assigning or evaluating work (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Advise industries or government agencies about environmental policies and standards (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Obtain, update, or maintain plans, permits, or standard operating procedures (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Direct installation or operation of environmental monitoring devices or supervise related data collection programs (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Request bids from suppliers or consultants (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Serve as liaison with federal, state, or local agencies or officials on issues pertaining to solid or hazardous waste program requirements (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide environmental engineering assistance in network analysis, regulatory analysis, or planning or reviewing database development (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Develop or present environmental compliance training or orientation sessions (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Provide assistance with planning, quality assurance, safety inspection protocols, or sampling as part of a team conducting multimedia inspections at complex facilities (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Prepare hazardous waste manifests or land disposal restriction notifications (main task) — no recorded AI use
- Attend professional conferences to share information (main task) — too new for the AI data
- Assess, sort, characterize, or pack known or unknown materials — no recorded AI use
Tasks: O*NET 31.0. AI use: Anthropic Economic Index (exact or close text match).
Your first steps (guidance)
- Week 1: Open a free AI assistant and say hello. Follow our “Getting started with AI” guide. Ask it one simple question about your work.
- Week 2: Use AI on one task you do often. Try the prompt for: “Provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties”. Try the prompt for: “Develop, put in place, or manage plans or programs related to conservation or management of natural resources”.
Tick your own tasks above to get a plan based on what you really do. The first 2 weeks are free; Premium (coming soon) adds weeks 3–12. New to AI? Read our beginner’s guide.
Questions about AI and environmental engineers
Will AI replace environmental engineers?
Our data can’t predict job losses, and we don’t try to. What it does show: 7 of the 28 main tasks for this job match tasks people already use AI for (Anthropic Economic Index), giving a Amber rating (some AI use). Using AI on a task is not the same as AI doing the whole job, and 21 of the 29 listed tasks show no recorded AI use yet.
Which environmental engineer tasks is AI used for most?
In the data, the most AI use among this job’s tasks is for: provide administrative support for projects by collecting data, providing project documentation, training staff, or performing other general administrative duties; develop, put in place, or manage plans or programs related to conservation or management of natural resources; write reports or articles for web sites or newsletters related to environmental engineering issues.
Which environmental engineer tasks show little or no AI use?
For example: assess the existing or potential environmental impact of land use projects on air, water, or land; collaborate with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers, experts in law or business, or other specialists to address environmental problems; advise corporations or government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment. These are good places to keep building your own skills.
How does this job compare to others?
In Microsoft Research’s “Working with AI” study, this job’s AI applicability score is equal to or higher than 71% of the occupations they scored. That measures overlap with AI chat use, not risk of job loss.
How can a environmental engineer start learning AI?
Start small: open a free AI assistant, try it on one task you do often, and always check facts and numbers yourself. The plan on this page is guidance, not professional advice.
See how this job ranks
Environmental Engineers ranks #298 of 572 jobs for the share of main tasks with AI use (#1 = most), and #19 of 37 in Engineering.
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