Learn more about the brownfield redevelopment process by getting an internship or part-time job with an environmental agency or construction company that specializes in this type of work. Conduct an informational interview with a brownfield redevelopment specialist or site manager to find out how they got started in the job. Your schools career services office can help with researching and finding specialists, as well as locating internship and job opportunities. You can also search for job listings through employment sites such as SimplyHired.com and Indeed.com, and by looking for brownfield redevelopment postings and groups on LinkedIn. Read about brownfield laws and projects at the Environmental Protection Agencys Web site, https://www.epa.gov/brownfields.

Brownfield redevelopment specialists and site managers inspect sites to determine environmental damages and assess the steps needed for cleanup that is compliant with environmental laws. The job often involves re-purposing a site where a factory or manufacturing plant of some sort has been abandoned. Over time, these sites turn brown from the elements as well as from whatever contaminants are left behind, thus the term brownfield.

Brownfield redevelopment specialists and site managers work for construction companies, real estate developers, engineering firms, environmental organizations, and land institutes. Redevelopment projects entail demolishing structures, followed by debris removal and the disposal of hazardous materials. Specialists and managers estimate the benefits and costs of the site remediation by taking soil, water, and air samples to determine contamination levels. These elements must be improved to meet environmental standards before rebuilding and construction can take place.

After the test results are in, they create remediation plans and schedules, and propose budgets that include hazardous waste removal and clean soil transport. They hire and oversee the team that works on the site remediation, including subcontractors and technical consultants such as environmental engineers, hydrologists, and geographic information systems (GIS) technicians. They prepare reports and presentations to keep clients informed of the progress of the remediation project. Technology used includes computer-aided design (CAD) software such as MineSight, and map creation software such as ESRI ArcGIS software and ArcMap.