Environmental Engineer Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Environmental engineering in Tucson is groundwater work. A Superfund cleanup near the airport has run since 1994, and a $25 million PFAS treatment expansion opened there in September 2026. Tucson Water, Pima County, the copper mines and local consultants do the hiring. Current openings are below, followed by employers, pay and licensing.
Current Environmental Engineer Openings in Tucson, AZ
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Environmental Engineer Work in Tucson
The EPA added the Tucson International Airport Area to its Superfund list in 1983, and the City's Tucson Airport Remediation Project treatment plant has cleaned TCE-contaminated groundwater since 1994. The EPA counts 64 billion gallons treated and 6,800 pounds of TCE removed. PFAS has reopened the effort: TARP was shut down in 2021 when PFAS rose in its supply wells, about 40 Tucson Water wells have been affected, and ADEQ's $25 million award paid for the pretreatment expansion that held its ribbon-cutting on September 1, 2026. Whether that treated water returns to the drinking supply is still a decision ahead for the city.
The rest of the work follows water and mining. Pima County's Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department runs the region's sewer system and treatment plants, and Freeport-McMoRan's Sierrita mine near Green Valley employs environmental engineers for air quality, remediation and reclamation. Tucson consultants carry water, wastewater and mine-support work for both.
Top Tucson Employers for Environmental Engineers
These Tucson-area employers hire environmental and water engineers:
- City of Tucson and Tucson Water - TARP and PFAS treatment, plus civil and water engineers on Tucson Water's capital improvement program.
- Pima County - the Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department hires engineers for the collection system, pump stations and plant projects.
- Freeport-McMoRan - environmental engineers at the Sierrita operation near Green Valley for compliance, permitting, remediation and reclamation.
- WestLand Engineering and Environmental Services - water and wastewater engineering and environmental consulting from its Tucson office.
Environmental Engineer Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (0-3 years, EIT): roughly $60,000 to $75,000 per year.
- Experienced (4-8 years, licensed PE): roughly $75,000 to $105,000 per year.
- Senior or program lead (8+ years): roughly $105,000 to $150,000 per year.
Federal wage data for the Tucson metro (May 2023) counted only about 70 workers under the environmental engineer title, with a mean of $81,870, because many local water engineers are classified as civil engineers. Postings show the range: Pima County's licensed Engineer I hires at $76,876 to $92,268, WestLand posted a water and wastewater engineer at $95,000 to $125,000, and Freeport-McMoRan posted a chief environmental engineer at Sierrita at $110,000 to $155,000 base. Mining pays the most. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
How to Become an Environmental Engineer in Tucson
The University of Arizona's Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering offers a bachelor's in environmental engineering, and students can work at the WEST pilot treatment and research facility the university runs with Pima County. Civil and chemical engineering degrees also lead here. Pima Community College's Pre-Engineering Associate of Science at the West Campus covers the first two years for transfer students. A PE license from the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration is needed to seal treatment, pipeline and remediation designs; it follows the FE exam, registration as an Engineer in Training, the Board's eight-year active engagement requirement and the PE exam. Pima County's Engineer I posting requires PE registration, and WestLand asks for an Arizona PE or eligibility.
What the Job Involves
At a desk, you run treatment and groundwater models, write permit applications and assemble reports for regulators such as ADEQ and the EPA. In the field, you sample monitoring wells, walk a mine site or stand in a treatment plant during startup. Some days are meetings, explaining to neighbors or a board what the numbers mean, which matters in a city that has followed its groundwater problems for four decades.
Skills Employers Look For
- Water and wastewater treatment process knowledge, including ion exchange and activated carbon
- Groundwater modeling and hydrogeology
- Permitting and compliance with ADEQ and EPA rules
- AutoCAD Civil 3D for water and wastewater design
- EIT early and a PE license by mid-career
- Plain-language public communication, and Spanish for community outreach
Career Path and Advancement
The Tucson path runs staff engineer, project engineer, project manager, with the PE license as the hinge. From there the utility and county track leads to senior engineer and engineering management at Tucson Water or Pima County. Consulting leads to principal and business development. Mining is the best-paying branch, where Sierrita compliance and reclamation experience leads toward chief environmental engineer and environmental manager roles.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest fields to environmental engineering:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a PE license to be an environmental engineer in Tucson?
For design work you seal and submit, yes, through the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration. Compliance and field roles often start without one, but many Tucson employers ask for it: Pima County's Engineer I posting requires PE registration, and WestLand asks for an Arizona PE or eligibility.
Why is there so much environmental engineering work in Tucson?
Groundwater contamination and a desert water supply. The airport area has been a Superfund site since 1983, TARP has treated TCE since 1994, and PFAS has since affected about 40 Tucson Water wells. Add wastewater treatment and copper mine reclamation and the workload is steady.
Which Tucson employers hire environmental engineers?
Tucson Water and Pima County's Regional Wastewater Reclamation Department are the main public employers. Freeport-McMoRan hires at Sierrita near Green Valley, and WestLand hires for water, wastewater and environmental consulting from its Tucson office.
What is happening with PFAS treatment in Tucson?
A $25 million PFAS pretreatment expansion at TARP, paid for by an ADEQ award, held its ribbon-cutting on September 1, 2026. Officials may test the treated water and propose returning it to the drinking supply, which would need mayor and council approval.
Can environmental engineers work at the mines near Tucson?
Yes, and it is often the best-paying option. Freeport-McMoRan posted a chief environmental engineer at Sierrita in early 2026 at $110,000 to $155,000 base, covering air quality, remediation and reclamation. Expect heat, protective gear and shift work in a 24-hour operation.
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