Environmental Engineering Career Pathways

OVERVIEW
Environmental Engineering oers you diverse career options in areas including climate change, sustainable systems, bushre protection, energy systems, water resources, and waste water or waste solid treatment.

Specialisations
As an environmental engineer, you will use your expertise in the assessment and management of the effects of human and other activity on the natural and built environment. You may work, consult or engage in research and development in the public or private sectors in areas including: Industries
Civil Energy Infrastructure Manufacturing Mining Oil and Gas Minerals Pharmaceutical Tertiary Education Waste Management Water Management Specialising in the field of: Air Chemicals Freshwater Sea Soil You might work on projects such as: Contaminant Remediation Impact Assessment Resource Planning

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Engineering Pathways (Environmental)

School leavers Melbourne Model degrees (3 years)
Bachelor of Biomedicine
Majors include:

School leavers
Any Bachelors Degree Must include Linear Algebra and Calculus 2 or equivalents, along with science relevant to intended specialisation.

Bachelor of Environments
Majors include:

Bachelor of Commerce
Sequences in the following Engineering areas:

Bachelor of Science
Majors include:

Exit to employment (without professional accreditation)

Bioengineering Systems

Civil Systems Geomatics

Physical systems

Chemical Systems Civil Systems Computing and Software Systems Electrical Systems Mechanical Systems

Physical Systems

Bioengineering Systems Chemical Systems Civil Systems Computing and Software Systems Electrical Systems Geomatics Mechanical Systems

Master of Engineering (2 years)

Specialisations: Biomedical Biomolecular Chemical Civil Electrical Geomatics Mechanical Mechatronics Software Structural

Environmental

Note: Duration of Master of Engineering will vary from 2-3years depending on amount of credit obtained from prior study

Exit to employment with professional accreditation

Note: While the study stream highlighted above is considered the traditional pathway, alternative course plans can achieve the same qualification outcome. Please speak to a University of Melbourne course advisor to discuss your options.

Career Planning
For university students, career planning is about choosing a career path related to your field of study and preparing for employment. While engineering can lead to specific occupations it can also give you the foundation for a variety of career paths.
Choosing an occupation, getting that first graduate job, and growing in your job will require planning, self awareness, flexibility and a forward-looking attitude to help manage the personal transitions, as well as the technological and economic changes of the future. With so many factors to consider an effective employment plan will include strategies for enhancing career awareness & self awareness, and can be done in a 4-Step process, starting with: 1. Doing some self-assessment to clarify interests and strengths 2. Gathering information and exploring careers that appeal to you and match your interests, abilities and values using myFuture (accessible to the public) or Adult Directions (via Online Career Tools for current University of Melbourne students) 3. Learning about the job market by investigating Work Experience opportunities, browsing company/ industry websites and talking to lots of people in your field of interest using the informational interviewing technique 4. Developing job search skills preparing your job applications and preparing for interviews using the Online Career Tools or booking a Career Consultation through Careers Online (both services available to current University of Melbourne students).

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Employers
A sample of employers who actively recruit our Electrical Engineering graduates includes: AECOM Alluvium BHP Billiton BP Australia Coey Environments GHD Pty Ltd Gloucester Coal Ltd Golder Associates For a more extensive listing including current employment opportunities, University of Melbourne students can visit Careers Online, our online jobs portal. It is also important to attend events like the Graduate Careers Fair in Semester 1 and student-run Industry Nights to become familiar with who the key employers are and the dates of their recruiting campaigns. Melbourne Water John Holland Parsons Brinckerho Shell Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) Thiess Australia Vic Roads

Types of employment
Work Experience
There are many forms of work experience. With the introduction of the Fair Work Act 2009, all work experience must be paid unless the placement forms part of a university course. For engineering students, work experience could take the form of an industry-based final year project or a paid placement (such as those listed below). Voluntary work for not-for profit agencies is another way of gaining valuable work experience but these placements must adhere to the Vocational Placements & Student Volunteering Policy.
VacatIoN PRoGRams

CadEtsHIps

Employed positions offered to students or graduates, designed to provide specific training or mentoring. Cadetships can be full- or part-time and vary from formalised, structured schemes to informal arrangements between an individual and an organisation. Application opening and closing dates are varied.

Graduate Employment Programs

Include substantial training, development and support. Some programs include rotations through various departments within the organisation. Usually offered by large organisations and government departments, an increasing number of smaller organisations are now offering graduate employment programs. Many organisations offer a number of programs some for specific or technical roles, and others which are broader based. Graduate programs vary in length, from 1-3 years. Competition is strong and final year students must apply in March or April for commencement in January or February of the following year. Opportunities to get exposure to Industry through the Melbourne School of Engineering: Connect with industry through the curriculum, via: student projects that are partnered with industry guest lectures led by industry leaders site visits hosted by key organisations career mentoring programs

Are degree-related, structured paid work placements usually undertaken by students at the end of their penultimate year of study. These can often lead to a graduate position, so competition for placements is intense. Winter vacation programs are available from time to time.
INtERNsHIps

Resources
The Careers and Jobs Guide on the Library website has been developed for current University of Melbourne students in conjunction with Careers & Employment. This guide will help you find quality library resources to help with: Career planning Researching industries Researching employers Employability skills Job hunting Resumes and job applications Interview preparation

Internships are supervised, paid work placements arranged between the employer and student, sometimes brokered by the university. Ranging from a few weeks part-time to multiple semesters full-time, internships occur in a field relevant to the students qualification. Application opening and closing dates for internships are varied.
Co-opERatIVE PRoGRams

Enable students to alternate study terms with paid work and offer hands-on experience contributing to a real project, skills development and a chance to network with professionals in the field. Application opening and closing dates for co-operative programs are varied.

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Career Progression (trajectories) Environmental

Graduate Graduate Environmental Engineer Junior Environmental Engineer 3-5 years experience Air Pollution Control Engineer Civil/Environmental Engineer Environmental Design Engineer Environmental Engineer/ Hydrogeologist Environmental Engineer/Scientist Environmental Field Engineer Environmental Remediation Engineer Environmental Engineer Contaminated Land Environmental Engineer Infrastructure and Mining Environmental Engineer Land and Groundwater Environmental Engineer Manufacturing Environmental Engineer Mine Closure Environmental Engineer Oil and Gas Environmental Engineer Renewable Energy Environmental Engineer Transport and Drainage Planning Environmental Engineer Water Resources Environmental Engineer Waste/ Landll Hazardous Waste Management Control Engineer Project Environmental Engineer Risk Assessor/Environmental Engineer Tailings Environmental Engineer Waste Management Engineer Wastewater Treatment Engineer 10 years Lead Environmental Engineer Principal Environmental Engineer Project Manager Senior Environmental Engineer

As an environmental eld engineer for Golder Associates, Jacob White is responsible for coordinating and supervising environmental site investigations for contaminated land projects. These projects range from remediation studies on reneries and manufacturing facilities to environmental testing to meet EPA guidelines for land development and infrastructure projects:

Jacob studied environmental engineering at The University of Melbourne and enjoyed the guest lectures and site visits within the course: We had a number of guest lectures and courses run by past and present industry professionals. Environmental engineering at Melbourne involved a number of site visits and eld trips, which provided invaluable experience and a glimpse at what a career in those industries would involve. During his candidature, Jacob served as Vice President of the Environmental Engineering Students Society. He also participated in a one- year exchange program at the University of Toronto.

JACOB WHITE Environmental Field Engineer, Golder Associates Study Area: Environmental Engineering

Being a eld engineer means being able to think on your feet and solving problems on site, which can be very rewarding. You have the independence and responsibility of coordinating and running a worksite, while gaining hands-on technical experience.

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Careers in Research
If you are passionate about a certain eld and would like to advance your research skills, enrolling in a research higher degree (RHD) may be a great option for you. RHDs enhance your ability to problem solve, think autonomously and creatively, and analyse. Careers in research are diverse and may include: academic positions at universities; policy-making or research positions at public sector organisations; private sector research and development projects; and self-employed consulting positions on technical or policy issues in your area of expertise.

Salary Information
According to a survey conducted in 2011 by Engineers Australia, gross mean base salary gures for environmental engineers across the private and public sectors are as follows: New graduate: $59,611 2-3 years: $75,613 4-10 years: $91,648 10-15 years: $116,538 Over 15 years: $148,857

Graduate Attributes for Employment

As a graduate environmental engineer you will have: Opportunities to interact with industry professionals through guest lectures, eld and project work. A sound fundamental understanding of the principles underlying Environmental Engineering, and the ability to apply them to complex, open-ended engineering tasks and problems. Generic skills, including management, communication, problem-solving and design and innovation in Environmental Engineering. The educational and professional standards of Engineers Australia with which the course is accredited. Understanding of professional and ethical responsibilities and commitment to them. General knowledge. Understanding of the business environment. Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and the community at large. Ability to function effectively as an individual and in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, as a team leader or manager as well as an eective team member. Ability to manage information and documentation. Capacity for lifelong learning and professional development.

Job Outlook
According to the Australian Governments Job Outlook website*: Job Prospects for Environmental Scientists/Engineers are good. Employment to 2015-2016 is expected to grow very strongly. Employment rose very strongly in the last ve years, and in the long-term (ten years). The internet vacancy level for environmental engineers is very high. The mix of industries employing Environmental Scientists/Engineers is favourable for employment growth prospects.
* The Data on Job Outlook is updated on a yearly basis and is compiled from national statistics which may not reect either regional variations or more recent changes in employment conditions.

Alternative Careers
An engineering degree oers you excellent technical and design expertise, but also equips you with the foundations for a diverse range of positions. Over a third of our graduates choose to move into nontraditional engineering roles, including: Management consulting Finance, economics and banking Marketing and communications Business analysis Project management Technical writing Government, policy and intellectual property management. For current University of Melbourne students, Careers Online advertises numerous generalist graduate jobs during the peak recruitment season (March-April of your final year). You will often nd that many state and federal government departments and defence agencies will actively recruit for engineers as they value their high-end problem-solving and analytical abilities.

As an environmental engineer specialising in river health, Penny Rogers spends time on the eld collecting samples, assessing river conditions and understanding the ecology of environments. She works for GHD, one of the worlds leading engineering, architecture and environmental consulting companies. Penny recently completed some exciting eld work in the outback around Alice Springs, an experience she counts among her career highlights: It was a great trip and I am lucky to be able to work in such amazing and diverse environments.

Before commencing at GHD, Penny completed vacation work for both consultancies and government agencies within the eld of Natural Resources Management and River Health, experiences that oered great insights into the river health industry. She also worked for the University of Melbourne as a research assistant. Penny enjoyed the field trip opportunities and peer networking: Graduating from Melbourne gave me an excellent peer group for when I started working full time.

PENNY ROGERS Environmental Engineer, GHD Study Area: Environmental Engineering

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Desalination plants, power stations and wind farms count in Shaista Pottachiras portfolio of projects as an environmental engineer for Parsons Brinckerho: The best part of my job is being able to contribute to conserving the environment and knowing that I work on major projects that will shape Australia. Shaista enjoys the diversity of work that her role offers:

volunteer, assisting in the Victorian Students Aid Program and undertaking voluntary work in Brazil with global youth organisation, AIESEC after completing her studies: I went on a development traineeship to Brazil for 4.5 months where I worked in a swimming program for children from disadvantaged communities. I ended up forming quite close ties to the children and their parents. They say you truly grow as a person when youve been thrown into a completely unfamiliar situation, and I wanted to challenge myself personally this way. The long-lasting friendships she developed during her studies and the summers on the South Lawn remain fond memories for Shaista: Graduating from Melbourne gave me a love of learning and an open minded view of the world.

SHAISTA POTTACHIRA Environmental Engineer, Parsons Brinckerho Study Area: Environmental Engineering

I dont have a typical day at the office, which is what makes it so great! I work on different projects and proposals throughout the day; I may be called to go out into the field or attend client meetings. I also lead the Young Professionals Network for the Melbourne office at the firm, so amidst project work Im running committee meetings and organising programs and events, which I love doing in addition to engineering. During her studies, Shaista was an active

Useful Links
Job Search Sites
Careers Online Engineer Jobs/Environmental Engineering Engineering Career Engineering Jobs Australia Enviro Jobs Grad Connection H2Oz Job Search Australia/Engineers Just Engineers MyCareer Environmental Engineering Jobs Seek Environmental Engineering Jobs

Licensing and registration

There is no formal system of regulation for engineers throughout Australia. Engineering services are regulated under a variety of Acts in ad hoc areas, many of which relate to engineers in the building and construction industry. Engineers in Queensland are required by legislation to be registered through the Board of Professional Engineers in Queensland (BPEQ).

In other states and territories engineers operate under the self-regulatory system operated by the National Engineering Registration Board (NERB).

International Students/Graduates
Working in Victoria: An Engineers Guide

Overseas Qualications Assessment Team (OSQA)

Engineers Australia

Recruiters
Recruitment and Consulting Services Associations Member Index Seek recruiter search

Professional Associations
APESMA Australian Water Association Consult Australia Engineers Australia Society for Sustainability and Environmental Engineering (a society of Engineers Australia)

Environmental Engineering Pathways. Authorised by the Industry Relations Manager, Melbourne School of Engineering. Published by The Melbourne School of Engineering, July 2012.

Copyright: Copyright University of Melbourne 2012. Copyright in this publication is owned by the University and no part of it may be reproduced without the permission of the University.

CRICOS provider code 00116K. Disclaimer: The University has used its best endeavours to ensure that material contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing. The University gives no warranty and accepts no

responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information and the University reserves the right to make changes without notice at any time at its absolute discretion.