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Wastewater engineer

Also called sewage engineer, waste-water engineer, waste water engineer

Wastewater engineers design sewage systems and networks for the removal and treatment of wastewater from cities and other residential areas. They design systems which are compliant with environmental standards, and aim to minimise impact on the ecosystem and on citizens in the vicinity of the network.

Will there be jobs?Yes, good prospects40 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Science and engineering professionalsWhat does it pay?Above averageFrom about €2,000 (Bulgaria) to €7,100 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Science and engineering professionalsWhat do I need to study?Usually a degree9 in 10 have a degree.Science and engineering professionalsWill AI change it?LittleLevel 2 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Environmental engineers · ILO

What you'd do

Environmental engineers · ILO
  • Conducting research, assessing and reporting on the environmental impact of existing and proposed construction, civil engineering and other activities
  • Inspecting industrial and municipal facilities and programmes to evaluate operational effectiveness and ensure compliance with environmental regulations
  • Designing and overseeing the development of systems, processes and equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality
  • Providing environmental engineering assistance in network analysis, regulatory analysis, and planning or reviewing database development
  • Obtaining, updating, and maintaining plans, permits, and standard operating procedures
  • Providing engineering and technical support for environmental remediation and litigation projects, including remediation system design and determination of regulatory applicability
  • Monitoring progress of environmental improvement programmes
  • Advising corporations and government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment
  • Collaborating with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers from other disciplines and specialists in law and business to address environmental problems
Approve engineering designUse technical drawing softwareAdjust engineering designsPerform scientific researchEnsure compliance with safety legislation+ 6 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • Sitting most of the day
  • Lots of contact with people
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Varied tasks, little repetition
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Water/Wastewater Engineers"

Will there be jobs?

Yes, good prospects

Many jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as science and engineering professionals in the EU
5.82m7.82m9.03m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
948,000 new jobs 2,300,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Science and engineering professionals40
All jobs29
Right now
3 of 27 countries report a shortage of environmental engineers, 5 a surplus.
Environmental engineers · EURES

What does it pay?

Above average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €2,000 a month (Bulgaria) to €7,100 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among professionals in the EU, women earn 21% less per hour than men. Professionals · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Usually a degree

A degree in mechanics and metal trades is the usual route.

Highest qualification of science and engineering professionals (EU, 2025)
Degree 90%Vocational 6%General secondary 3%Basic schooling 1%
Fields that teach it
Mechanics and metal trades · Building and civil engineering
Vocational route, EU
6 in 10 trainees in this field
Engineering graduates in a matching job
73% in the EU

949 institutions in the EU offer engineering bachelor's degrees. Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Little

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.38 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 9 tasks
Conducting research, assessing and reporting on the environmental impact of existing and proposed construction, civil engineering and other activities0.51
Monitoring progress of environmental improvement programmes0.43
Providing environmental engineering assistance in network analysis, regulatory analysis, and planning or reviewing database development0.41
Obtaining, updating, and maintaining plans, permits, and standard operating procedures0.39
Designing and overseeing the development of systems, processes and equipment for control, management, or remediation of water, air, or soil quality0.39
Providing engineering and technical support for environmental remediation and litigation projects, including remediation system design and determination of regulatory applicability0.36
Advising corporations and government agencies of procedures to follow in cleaning up contaminated sites to protect people and the environment0.35
Collaborating with environmental scientists, planners, hazardous waste technicians, engineers from other disciplines and specialists in law and business to address environmental problems0.34
Inspecting industrial and municipal facilities and programmes to evaluate operational effectiveness and ensure compliance with environmental regulations0.25

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for environmental engineers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).