Professional opportunities

Environmental Engineer
Functions
Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering can carry out highly qualified functions for identifying, formulating, and solving complex problems in the broad field of civil and environmental engineering. Professional activity, subject to passing the State Examination, includes design, construction management, consulting, and technical verification in highly complex infrastructural and environmental projects at both national and international level.
More specifically, the main functions that graduates may perform include:

  • Design and management of environmental systems: planning, design, and management of complex systems for the treatment and recovery of water, waste, and contaminated soils. This also includes environmental rehabilitation, the design and management of plants for the treatment of solid, liquid, and gaseous effluents, and works for soil conservation and river regulation. Graduates are also able to design environmental remediation interventions to restore environmental quality in various natural compartments (air, water, soil, biosphere).
  • Environmental risk assessment and mitigation: drafting of environmental impact studies, application of models for health or environmental risk analysis, and design of interventions for the mitigation of natural hazards such as landslides, floods, and earthquakes. This includes structural and non-structural interventions for hydrogeological protection, hydrogeological and seismic zoning, and the development of early warning systems and civil protection measures.
  • Climate change management and territorial resilience: graduates are trained to address the challenges posed by climate change, designing interventions for the mitigation of anthropogenic impacts and the adaptation of the territory to changing climatic conditions. This includes water resources management, planning and implementation of measures for the protection of infrastructures and ecosystems, and the assessment of risks associated with climate change.
  • Environmental monitoring and diagnostics: design and management of monitoring systems for the qualitative and quantitative control of the territory and the environment. Acquisition, management, and representation of territorial physical characteristics through advanced technological tools; monitoring of environmental processes through in-situ and remote investigations; and the development and management of environmental monitoring networks.
  • Planning and management of natural resources: development of strategies for the rational management of natural resources and the territory, with particular attention to sustainable urban, district, and regional development planning. Graduates can analyse environmental and territorial data using mathematical modelling and modern IT tools, estimate ecological, social, and economic impacts of large projects, and prepare territorial management plans integrating development needs with environmental protection.
  • Research and technological innovation: participation in research and development projects for innovation in environmental technologies. Graduates possess knowledge and skills that enable them to study and develop new technologies for environmental management, contribute to projects focused on sustainable industrial innovation, and prepare detailed technical documentation for the assessment of environmental, infrastructural, and risk mitigation interventions.
  • Technical documentation and analysis: preparation and review of technical documents, execution of hydraulic and geotechnical compatibility analyses, use of tools for assessing energy and environmental sustainability, and drafting of technical opinions in environmental matters. Preparation of plans and projects for infrastructure improvement, optimisation, and enhancement of the functional and environmental performance of structures, plants, and service networks.

Graduates are able both to collaborate in work teams and to take on coordination and management roles in multidisciplinary projects and interventions, as well as to supervise the implementation of interventions and the management of processes, even complex ones. They may collaborate with a wide range of professionals to address complex problems in environmental, civil, and industrial fields. These include civil and structural engineers, geologists, environmental chemists, biologists, ecologists, urban planners, territorial planners, environmental economists, environmental technicians, legal experts in environmental law, civil protection specialists, researchers and academics, as well as representatives of public authorities and regulatory bodies. They may also intervene in the optimisation of processes and interventions, ensuring an integrated approach that promotes environmental and energy sustainability. In civil and industrial contexts, Environmental Engineers play a crucial role in developing solutions that balance development needs with environmental protection, contributing to the planning, design, and management of systems that minimise environmental impacts and promote energy efficiency. In environmental consulting, they interact with an even wider range of specialists, ensuring a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to environmental challenges.
Skills
Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering develop advanced competences enabling them to work independently in complex and multidisciplinary contexts, addressing environmental challenges with innovative and sustainable approaches.
During the programme, they acquire competences in:

  • Analysis and solution of complex environmental problems: use of advanced mathematics, physics, chemistry, and civil and environmental engineering tools to identify, formulate, and solve environmental and territorial management problems, often requiring interdisciplinary approaches and innovative methodologies.
  • Design and management of soil protection and natural hazard prevention systems: competences in structural and non-structural interventions for hydrogeological protection, soil conservation, and mitigation of natural risks such as landslides, floods, and earthquakes. Skills in hydrogeological and seismic zoning, development of early warning systems, and collaboration with civil protection agencies.
  • Environmental monitoring and diagnostics: design, construction, and management of environmental monitoring networks, with the use of advanced technologies to acquire and manage data from environmental matrices (air, water, soil). Ability to conduct analyses and monitoring both in situ and remotely, and to develop mapping tools and geographic information systems for environmental control and management.
  • Planning and management of natural and territorial resources: elaboration of sustainable resource management strategies at local and regional level. This includes urban and territorial planning, water resources management, and assessment of ecological, social, and economic impacts of plans and infrastructures. Use of advanced mathematical modelling and IT tools for analysing and managing environmental and territorial data, providing solutions that integrate development and sustainability.
  • Design of environmental remediation technologies: advanced competences in designing and managing plants for drinking and wastewater treatment, gaseous effluent treatment, solid waste management, and remediation of contaminated sites. Ability to design interventions for recovery and valorisation of energy and material resources from urban and industrial residues, implementing environmental management strategies based on best available technologies.
  • Climate change management and territorial resilience: specific training to face the challenges of climate change, including interventions for mitigating anthropogenic impacts and adapting the territory to climatic changes. This includes water resources management, planning and implementing protective measures for infrastructures and ecosystems, and assessing risks associated with climate change.
  • Optimisation of infrastructures and processes for sustainability and energy efficiency: ability to optimise facilities and processes to improve performance in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency. These competences apply to multiple civil and industrial contexts, including preparation of sustainability reports and conducting life cycle assessments (LCA) to evaluate environmental impacts of products and processes, supporting sustainable strategies in companies and institutions.
  • Language and communication skills: in addition to fluency in Italian, development of advanced competences in English, both written and oral, necessary to operate effectively in international and multidisciplinary contexts, with a focus on technical and scientific language.

Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering have access to a wide range of career opportunities in both public and private sectors, thanks to their advanced preparation.
The main professional opportunities include:

  • Engineering companies and professional firms: environmental engineer, technical consultant, project manager, specialising in environmental design and consulting, and management of infrastructural and environmental projects.
  • Public entities and services: environmental technician, sustainability manager, civil protection expert, working in environmental protection, civil protection, land management, and environmental compatibility assessment.
  • Manufacturing companies and service providers: process engineer, environmental manager, plant engineer, working in technological network management, water and waste treatment, energy production, and waste disposal.
  • Research and higher education: researcher, university lecturer, trainer, employed in research institutes, universities, and training centres specialising in sustainable risk management and environmental planning.
  • Freelance practice: independent consultant or professional in the environmental field.
  • Public administration and regulatory authorities: environmental planning specialist, area manager in public institutions, engaged in planning, design, and environmental management.

Upon passing the State Examination for professional qualification, graduates may register in Section A of the Professional Register of Civil and Environmental Engineers. The degree also grants access to the qualifying examination for the regulated professions of agronomist and forestry expert.