Skip to Main Content

Hazardous Waste Management Technicians

Employment Prospects

Employers

There are about 50,300 hazardous materials removal workers (including technicians) employed in the United States. Hazardous waste management technicians are employed by chemical companies and other producers of hazardous waste, waste disposal companies and waste disposal consulting engineering firms, environmental consulting firms, government agencies, and other organizations. The largest number of jobs is in the private sector.

Private industry jobs can be found within large companies. Such companies generate waste and are likely to have their own in-house staff of environmentalists. This is especially true as regulations keep getting more and more complex. Medium-sized companies may have smaller departments. Smaller companies may have a professional or two on staff, or hire outside consultants.

Consulting companies are another good source of employment opportunities for hazardous waste management technicians. Some consulting companies advise companies on how to handle a hazardous waste problem. Others also design a plan and provide the manpower to carry it out. Some have their own testing and laboratory services. There are about 100 very large environmental consulting firms in the United States.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is just one federal government agency that employs technicians. The U.S. Forest Service, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Fish and Wildlife Service employ technicians and field personnel, while the EPA uses more scientists and other professionals. There also is a trend toward increased work in hazardous waste management at the local level, by states, counties, and municipalities. Jobs there include technicians at municipal water plants and other public facilities.

A growing part of the hazardous waste management field is the handling and disposal of medical wastes. Hospitals, labs, health care facilities, and pharmaceutical companies may have staff personnel to help them take care of their medical wastes, or, they may hire consultants to do the job. Smaller generators of hazardous wastes include university research facilities and even households. Another source of hazardous waste is inactive mines: Hazardous minerals can leak into nearby surface and groundwater, creating potential health hazards.

Starting Out

Most recent graduates and working professionals find jobs through trade association advertisements and on the Internet. Openings with federal government agencies can be found on the Web page of the Office of Personnel Management (https://www.usajobs.gov). Hazardous waste management technicians can also find job listings on employment Web sites such as Indeed.com and LinkedIn.com.

Related Professions