Imagine you're in charge of managing and administering a project to ensure the quality of water at a site near a landfill. You have been inspecting the area to ensure there’s no contamination or discharge into the nearby water.
You’re a water and wastewater technologist ensuring the quality of water in the surrounding area meets certain standards.
As a water and wastewater laboratory technologist, you’re responsible for developing plans for monitoring water and wastewater quality. You sample, monitor, test, and analyze water and wastewater according to industry standards.
Testing is done before, during, and after treatment. Water analysis will require efficient use of sampling and monitoring equipment and analytical instruments. Finally, you generate water quality reports based on your analysis of the water data.
You to work in many different environments. You spend time in the field operating equipment used to monitor the water and wastewater. Often, you’re in the lab, analyzing your data and samples. You also spend time in the office managing projects and writing reports. When each day comes to an end, you feel good about ensuring water quality.
Duties vary significantly from job to job, but the following list includes typical job duties one might encounter as a water and wastewater laboratory technologist:
If you are a high school student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, you should have a keen interest in:
If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, the following programs are most applicable.
In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as an environmental geophysicist is a graduate degree. Pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in fields related to environmental geophysics can enhance your expertise, career prospects, and ability to contribute to the field. These advanced degrees offer specialized knowledge and skills highly valued in both the professional and academic worlds.
In many provinces, geophysicists must obtain registration and licensure with their provincial association as a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.). The certification process for geophysicists is similar to that of engineering professions and is typically overseen by the same regulatory body.
Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.
Technical Skills
Personal and Professional Skills
Environmental employers look for professionals who can combine technical knowledge with soft skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.
As key executive leaders who shape their company’s sustainability policy, CSOs work in many different types of organizations. Common employers of CSOs include:
Search for jobs on the ECO Canada Job Board.
If you are a post-secondary student seeking a CSO role in the future, consider pursuing a university degree related to:
In addition to the educational fields mentioned above, you will also need extensive management experience to become a CSO, with well-developed human resources management and leadership skills. Consider educational seminars or post-graduate studies that will hone your analytical thinking, such as:
Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.
Technical Skills
Personal and Professional Skills
Environmental employers seek professionals who combine technical knowledge with personal and professional skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.
As a water and wastewater laboratory technologist, you’re tasked with taking samples and monitoring treatment to ensure treated water is safe for its intended use.
Depending on the level of treatment, water is used for human consumption or for non-consumptive purposes, such as field irrigation or discharge into natural water sources.
As a water and wastewater laboratory technologist, you’re responsible for developing plans for monitoring water and wastewater quality. You sample, monitor, test, and analyze water and wastewater according to industry standards.
Testing is done before, during, and after treatment. Water analysis will require efficient use of sampling and monitoring equipment and analytical instruments. Finally, you generate water quality reports based on your analysis of the water data.
Your work requires you to work in many different environments. You spend time in the field operating equipment used to monitor the water and wastewater. You’re often in the lab, analyzing your data and samples. You also spend time in the office managing projects and writing reports.
When each day comes to an end, you feel good about ensuring water quality.
Marine geologists are classified into the following occupational grouping:
NOC Code: 21102 – Geoscientists and oceanographers
The National Occupational Classification (NOC) provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a consistent way to collect data and describe and understand the nature of work within different occupations.
See ECO’s Blue National Occupational Standard for a career competency profile for a marine geologist that outlines the specific skills, knowledge, and behaviours required for individuals to perform effectively in this particular role. This profile is a benchmark for training and development, ensuring consistency and quality across professions within the blue economy.
Dans un esprit de respect, de réciprocité et de vérité, nous honorons et reconnaissons Moh’kinsstis, le territoire traditionnel du Traité 7 et les pratiques orales de la confédération des Pieds-Noirs : Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, ainsi que les nations Îyâxe Nakoda et Tsuut’ina. Nous reconnaissons que ce territoire abrite la Nation métisse de l’Alberta, la région 3 au sein de la patrie historique des Métis du Nord-Ouest. Enfin, nous reconnaissons toutes les nations qui vivent, travaillent et se divertissent sur ce territoire, et qui l’honorent et le célèbrent.
In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we acknowledge that we live, work, and gather on the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, including the Blackfoot Confederacy—comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations—as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations.
This land, known as Moh’kinsstis in the Blackfoot language and encompassing what is now Districts 5 and 6, is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, within the historical Northwest Métis homeland.
We recognize and honour the deep connection these Nations have to the land, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share in its stewardship.
As we continue our work, we commit to learning from Indigenous knowledge systems, uplifting Indigenous voices, and fostering relationships rooted in equity, understanding, and reconciliation.
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We are working to launch the French site very soon!
Thank you for your patience while we finalize the new and improved version of our website.