Earning a certification is a one of the best things you can do to further your career in environmental engineering. The American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists (AAEES) certifies qualified environmental engineers, and if you already hold a professional engineering license in your current state, the process for a full BCEE certification becomes easier. If not, attaining the Board Certified Environmental Engineering Member (BCEEM) certification is possible. Minimum Requirements for a BCEE Certification The basic requirements for your BCEE essentially include the following: A degree in environmental engineering or equivalent.

• Be registered as a PE in your current state or country.
• Currently hold a full-time position as an environmental engineer.
• Have good moral character with a professional standing known for high integrity.

If you are considered a practice leader in your field, you can become certified through a nominating process called “Board Certification by Eminence” which also requires significant professional or academic experience (over 20 years) in the area of environmental engineering, with 10 of those years in leadership role. A record of service to the industry as well as honors and awards along combined with presentations and published work are also required. At least eight years of progressive work experience is required after you received either a Bachelors degree or a professional license. Some of that experience requirement can be waived if you’ve earned a Masters or PhD in a relevant discipline. Candidates with 16 years of progressive experience — or 12 years in a leadership role — can get their written exam requirement waived. The Process of Certification After submitting your application to the AAEES, their admission committee reviews the materials, verifying that the minimum requirements are met. Written and oral exams follow that must specify competence in one of eight areas of specialization within the environmental engineering field. The oral examination lasts one hour with parts covering professional practice issues in addition to technical problems in your specialty. If interested in attaining your certification, you should download a sample application package from the AAEES website. If you need further advice in furthering your career, talk to the experts at The Talley Group. As one of the top engineering staffing agencies in the Northwest, they can help you find environmental engineering job opportunities in Seattle. Schedule some time with them today!

A recent study from the genetic engineering and biotech new site, GEN, rated the top 10 hot spots in the United States for biotech. Included in this alphabetized list was the Seattle region.

As part of this survey, GEN leveraged a straightforward methodology that involved perusing job websites for listings related to biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industries and tallying results based on the job locations in those listings. The five job websites polled in the survey were LinkedIn, BioSpace, Medzilla, Indeed, and Monster.

Seattle Ranked in the Top 10 on the GEN Biotech Job Survey

Seattle ranked on the GEN top 10 list among typical locations like Boston and the San Francisco area. GEN noted that while the city looked poised to be a center in Biotech ten years ago, a variety of events conspired to delay its success. “The region’s corporate biopharma presence has struggled for reasons ranging from M&A activity (Merck snapped up the Rosetta Research Center, then shut it down) to rivals and price pressures (Dendreon has struggled with the $93,000 price of prostate cancer treatment Provenge, plus competition from prostate cancer drugs by Johnson & Johnson and Medivation),” said the magazine.

Things have obviously changed for the better in recent times. Recently, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center named a new director and enjoys good financial health. PATH developed an electrochlorinator with Seattle-based Cascade Designs, designed to purify drinking water — a potential boon for poor locales all over the world.

Biotech Job Scene Growing in Seattle

In addition to the copious amount of available biotech jobs in the region, GEN also praised the new facilities built for Leroy (Lee) Hood’s Institute for Systems Biology and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In short, Seattle is definitely a place to be for those involved in the growing biotech sector.

If you are interested in working in biotech or any other engineering discipline, or maybe are looking for a new position in those areas, talk to the experts at The Talley Group. As one of the leading engineering staffing companies in the Seattle area, they provide the insight and experience to help you and your career. Schedule some time with them today. If you are looking for engineering job opportunities in Seattle, contact us today.