Description
Investigate and mitigate sources of water pollution affecting surface water, groundwater, and public health. Using expertise in hydrology, chemistry, microbiology, and environmental science, collect, analyze, and report water, wastewater, and sediment data and recommend actions for prevention, control, and remediation.
- • Communicate findings and technical information to agencies, utilities, industry, community groups, and the public.
- • Provide technical guidance and oversight for regulatory programs, permitting, and remediation projects.
- • Review and process discharge permits (e.g., NPDES), stormwater plans, and related submittals.
- • Supervise or train field staff, technicians, and students in sampling, safety, and QA/QC procedures.
- • Conduct applied research on water treatment, pollution prevention, and remediation technologies.
- • Conduct water quality audits and inspections of facilities, stormwater systems, and suspected discharge violations.
- • Evaluate violations identified during inspections and advise on enforcement or corrective actions under water regulations.
- • Review and implement water quality standards, effluent limits, TMDLs, and related policies to ensure compliance.
- • Advise on policies, strategies, and best practices for watershed management and water pollution control.
- • Analyze physical, chemical, and biological water data to assess quality, trends, and links to human activities.
- • Determine sampling designs and data collection methods for surface water, groundwater, wastewater, and sediment studies.
- • Prepare charts and graphs summarizing water quality and contaminant data.
- • Draft technical sections of permits, enforcement actions, consent decrees, and related legal or administrative documents.
- • Investigate and report spills, sanitary sewer overflows, fish kills, and other water-related incidents.
- • Monitor environmental impacts of development and land use on watersheds and aquatic habitats.
- • Develop watershed or stormwater programs that balance water resource use with protection of aquatic systems.
- • Research point and nonpoint pollution sources and develop methods for abatement and control.
- • Monitor effects of contamination on drinking water supplies and aquatic life and recommend mitigation measures.
- • Design or direct studies to evaluate water treatment performance and project impacts on water resources.
- • Develop methods to reduce pollutant loads from industrial processes, agriculture, and urban runoff.
- • Build and apply statistical and hydrologic models to support water quality assessments and forecasting.
- • Collect, manage, and report datasets on nutrients, metals, organics, pathogens, and emerging contaminants (e.g., PFAS).
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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
