Description
Plan and perform chemical analyses and research to identify, quantify, and control pollutants in air, water, soil, and waste streams. Apply analytical chemistry and process knowledge to develop and optimize treatment and emission-control methods, ensure regulatory compliance, and report findings with actionable recommendations.
- • Conduct compliance audits, inspections, and investigations focused on pollutant emissions and discharges.
- • Evaluate sampling results and violations to recommend corrective actions and support enforcement cases.
- • Review and apply chemical-specific standards, test methods, and regulations in laboratory and field activities.
- • Advise on pollution control policies, treatment strategies, and best practices for chemical management.
- • Analyze and validate chemical data; interpret pollutant fate, transport, and source correlations.
- • Design sampling plans, QA/QC protocols, and analytical methods for targeted pollutants.
- • Prepare data summaries, visualizations, and dashboards highlighting pollutant trends and compliance status.
- • Draft technical sections of permits, enforcement documents, consent decrees, and corrective action plans.
- • Investigate and report chemical spills, releases, and process upsets.
- • Monitor and assess chemical impacts of industrial operations and development projects.
- • Develop pollution prevention and waste minimization programs.
- • Research pollutant sources and develop or optimize treatment and abatement technologies.
- • Track treatment performance and environmental effects; recommend prevention and control measures.
- • Design and lead bench-scale and pilot studies for emission and effluent control.
- • Develop and optimize chemical processes and control technologies to reduce emissions and waste.
- • Build chemometric and statistical models to predict emissions and treatment outcomes.
- • Collect, manage, and report analytical data for air, water, soil, and waste matrices with rigorous QA/QC.
- • Communicate technical findings through reports, briefings, trainings, and public meetings.
- • Provide technical guidance and oversight to facilities, regulators, and community stakeholders.
- • Prepare, review, and support environmental permits and monitoring plans.
- • Supervise and train laboratory and field technicians on sampling, analytical methods, and safety.
- • Conduct applied research on treatment chemistries, pollution abatement, and contaminant transformation.
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O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
