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Environmental Technicians Research the Problem of Pollution

Environmental Technicians work directly under an Environmental Scientist. They perform laboratory and field-tests to monitor pollution levels in water, air and soil. They will collect pollutants from sites such as mechanical equipment, industrial plants, ventilation systems, seawater and smoke stacks. They may also analyze lakes and streams. The analysis combines area of meteorology, engineering, biology and agriculture. They will set up the equipment to perform these tests. An ET will then analyze the substances to see what pollutants exist.

An ET can implement and develop programs for such things as monitoring radiation and other environmental pollution. Discuss any test results and whatever they have analyzed with the concerning customer. Record and interpret the data from test results in reports, summaries and charts. Calibrate microscopes and test equipment. Maintain the databases for files such as personnel exposure, chemical usage data and hazardous waste. Analyze material for the existence of such contamination as asbestos. Can handle equipment such as air samplers (e.g., bioaerosol impacters, indoor air quality monitors) flowmeters (e.g., electronic pump calibrators, pilot tubes) sampling pumps (e.g. low-flow pumps and purge pumps). Also sound measuring or decibel meters (e.g.,noise dosimeters and noise logging analyzers) and water samplers (e.g. lead sampling kits and water sampling pumps) will be used.

Other areas that an ET should have knowledge in are:

Chemistry: including chemical composition, properties of substances and chemicals and their interactions. They must also be aware of dangers of certain samples and how to dispose of them.

Public Safety: knowing required software, circuit boards and programming.

Mathematics: understanding arithmetic, geometry, statistics and algebra.

Biology: animal and plant organisms, their cells, functions, tissues and how they interact with each other.

Physics: physical principles, understanding fluid, atmospheric and material dynamics, laws.

Areas of employment may include energy production and manufacturing, water/industrial wastewater treatment operations, environmental and chemical labs. Environmental Technicians can be technical service reps and in sales, operators of water and wastewater treatment facilities and environmental inspectors.

ETs are expected to have a minimum B.Sc. in a related science discipline, for example; geology, hydrogeology, soil science, biology or environmental engineering. This job will be of interest if you are inquisitive, familiar with environmental problems and their associated regulations and resourceful. The job will also require that you do a lot of manual work, such as climbing and digging through water and soil in order to collect the various samples. They are exposed to many unpleasant smells and what could be potentially dangerous substances.

ETs should enjoy must love to enjoy studying applied and natural sciences. Many of the reports require statistical analysis so you will be required to have a background in math and computers.

The employment opportunities for Environmental Technicians are expected to be one of the fastest growing in the future. There exist a variety of jobs where the technician's skills are required. Taking care of our air is a most important job. As society works to clean up pollution there will be an every growing need for people to make sure that laws and regulations are followed. As an Environmental Technician you will be constantly challenged and rewarded.

Environmental Science Resources