Environmental Specialist Jobs in Illinois
Environmental Specialist jobs in Illinois are in strong demand, concentrated in industrial compliance, remediation, and environmental consulting across manufacturing, energy, and municipal sectors, with openings at every level from entry-level field technician to senior program manager. The heaviest hiring is in Chicago, Rockford, and Peoria, where established employers like Exelon, Caterpillar, and AECOM maintain significant Illinois operations and regularly bring on environmental professionals. The most sought-after specialties in the state are hazardous waste management, Phase I and Phase II site assessments, and air quality permitting under Illinois EPA regulations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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As an S&C Electric team member, you’ll work on projects that have real-world impact. You’ll help transform the grid for resilient and reliable power worldwide. S&C has more than a 100-year history of innovation and has been 100% employee-owned since 2012. We continue this legacy as a trusted, forward-thinking leader in the electrical industry. You will advance a safer, more reliable, and more resilient electrical grid. Our products help the grid adapt to severe weather and transition to clean energy. We’re big enough to be a respected industry leader but small enough for you to impact our company directly. Our commitment gives you opportunities to impact on and off the job positively.
Join S&C to make an impact on tomorrow’s energy challenges and become an employee-owner!
Hours
- 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (Mon-Fri) Hybrid
Compensation
At S&C, we are dedicated to providing competitive and equitable compensation for all our team members, and we are committed to transparency in our pay practices. The estimated annual base salary range for this position is $87758 - $116285.18. Individual pay within this salary range is determined by several compensable factors, including performance, knowledge, job-related skills and experience, and relevant education or training. This role is also eligible for S&C’s annual incentive plan (AIP), subject to eligibility criteria.
Join our Team as a Senior Safety and Environmental Specialist!
Are you passionate about Safety ? S&C Electric Company is seeking a dynamic individual to help support our Safety & Environmental Services function. Reporting to the Global Health, Safety & Environmental Services department, this position will work with the corporate HSE team and assists with company safety environmental activities to assure compliance with legal requirements utilizing economical, effective, and efficient concepts. This position works closely with leadership to provide technical consultation, support, and guidance to leadership and team members on safety & environmental matters.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide Safety & Environmental guidance and support for Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) programs, which include but not limited to: Behavior Based Safety (BBS) programs, Location Emergency Response Plan (LERP); Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA); Hazard Communication, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), Electrical Safe Work practices (NFPA 70E), Confined Space, Ergonomics, Powered Industrial Vehicles (PIV), industrial air and noise monitoring, sustainability and waste management compliance, Department of Transportation (DOT), as well as other applicable OSHA compliance to reduce workplace injury.
- Refine existing programs and procedures to improve effectiveness and efficiency or eliminate their need. Reviews and updates safety policies and procedures on a routine and as needed basis to assure compliance with applicable required federal, state, and local regulations and corporate standards.
- Provide active support to S&C Corporate team members (Engineering, R&D, Quality, IT, HR, Sales, Service and others) by training team members on safety requirements and assisting the site to ensure compliance with HSE programs and initiatives.
- Track Federal, State and Local safety & environmental regulations and evaluate their effects on company operations.
- Interface with various stakeholders (e.g., Operations, technical support, etc.) to meet assigned safety & environmental objectives and drive action items to completion.
- Establish and coordinate facility audits, inspections, and observations to assure all facility operations are in compliance with Local, State, and Federal regulations; follow-up with Operations to ensure corrective actions are completed and documented; Conduct audits as needed and perform systematic review of audit data entry and analysis, track/trends for all audits.
- Develop suitable safety and environmental training content and delivery mode, in line with global, regional, and legal requirements, conduct gap assessment to identify competence needs, adjust curriculum to reflect site-specific demand and organize and provide appropriate training using a Learning Management System
- Facilitate virtual and physical ergonomic assessments and recommendations using standard ergonomic analysis tools and/or Digital Human Modeling to identify and prioritize ergonomic risk factors to comply with corporate guidelines and standards to improve operator efficiency, quality, reduce cost, improve safety and eliminate operator injury.
- Collaborate with cross-functional organizations within S&C to drive environmental initiatives including – but not limited to – waste reduction, reuse, recycling, resource conservation, circularity, recyclable contents, and materials, etc.
- Collaborate with, mentor and teach others within the HSES team as well as S&C Electric company on HSES and S&C best practices and procedures
What you’ll Need To Succeed:
Job Requirements (To select this job at a minimum you must have the following):
- Bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and/or Environmental, Mechanical/Industrial/Electrical Engineering, Chemistry, Environmental Science, or equivalent experience.
5+ years of experience as a Safety & Environmental professional (preferred), or equivalent experience in an engineering and manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated sustained high-level performance in safety functions with strong oral and written communication skills.
- Ability to simultaneously handle a variety of projects and assignments and to bring an effective approach to the solution of technical objectives.
- Proven ability to design and deliver training.
- Incident Investigation proficiency including risk assessment and root cause analysis, countermeasure development, and PDCA measures.
- Willing to travel to other S&C locations within and outside United States.
- Experience with engineering, R&D, laboratory or heavy manufacturing environment.
- Experience in data analytics and finding correlations in data.
- Must be able to work flexible shifts as needed.
Preferred:
Professional EHS Certifications including but not limited to: ASSP, BCSP, NSC, or other accredited institutions
Major Physical Demands:
- This job may require periodic travel by car and/or airline to S&C locations and perform in-person inspections and investigations in a wide variety of factory and office environments or attend off site seminars and training activities for continued safety and/or environmental development. 5% or less.
- Activities such as standing, extensive walking, climbing stairs / ladders, lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, bending, reaching, handling and may be exposed to hot/cold temperatures will occasionally be required. Frequent use of computers and office equipment is required.
- Ability to travel occasionally to other facilities and flexibility to work non-traditional business hours as needed.
In 1909, S&C Electric Company transformed the delivery of safe, reliable electricity with the invention of the Liquid Power Fuse. Today, as the world faces extreme weather events and the demand for electricity grows, S&C continues to innovate and advance the electrical grid, ensuring reliable and resilient power for homes, communities, and critical infrastructure around the world.
With a diverse, global workforce and core values around integrity, safety, and quality, S&C is a trusted industry leader and top workplace that offers meaningful careers to more than 3,500 team members. As a people-first organization, S&C is committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative workplace where team members advance their careers through robust talent-development programs and involved leadership.
S&C’s deeply rooted belief diversity fosters greater creativity, innovation, and success guides the company to advance and sustain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace culture.
S&C provides a comprehensive and competitive benefit package that includes the following (eligibility requirements apply):
- Health and Welfare Benefits: Medical & Prescription, Dental, Vision, Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, , Health Savings Account (HSA), Group Life Insurance, optional Supplemental Life and AD&D Insurance, Wellbeing Resources including Employee Assistance Program and Family Forming Benefits (i.e., Adoption and Fertility support)
- Leave Benefits: Vacation Time, Sick Time, Paid Holidays and Company Shutdown days, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Other Leaves, Paid Parental Time and Military Leave
Retirement Benefits: 401(k) Retirement Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Plan (KSOP) offering traditional and Roth 401(k) options and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) component; KSOP participants can receive annual ESOP company contributions of over 11% of eligible earnings (3% Core, up to 3.5% Match, Variable Periodic).
See All 31 Environmental Specialist Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Environmental Specialist JobsEnvironmental Specialist Jobs by City in Illinois
Where Illinois roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Environmental Specialist Job Market in Illinois
A snapshot from current Illinois openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Chemicals & Materials
What Illinois Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in environmental specialist jobs across Illinois.
- Familiarity with Illinois EPA regulations and IEPA permit compliance requirements
- Bachelor's degree in environmental science, chemistry, geology, or a related field
- Experience conducting Phase I or Phase II environmental site assessments
- HAZWOPER 40-hour certification or willingness to complete training before start date
- Proficiency with GIS mapping software and environmental data management systems
- Valid driver's license and ability to travel to field sites across Illinois
Environmental Specialist Jobs in Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a environmental specialist in Illinois?
Most environmental specialist positions in Illinois require a bachelor's degree in environmental science, geology, chemistry, or a closely related field. The Illinois EPA does not issue a single statewide environmental specialist license, but many roles require or strongly prefer certifications such as HAZWOPER, and site remediation work may involve registration under the Illinois Site Remediation Program. Employers in regulated industries also value familiarity with IEPA permit processes and reporting requirements from the start.
How much do environmental specialists make in Illinois?
Environmental specialists in Illinois earn a median of about $81,590 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $46,540 for the lowest 10% to over $153,150 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire environmental specialists in Illinois?
Employers hiring environmental specialists in Illinois right now include Memorial Health, UL Solutions, and S&C Electric Company, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Illinois's dense concentration of heavy manufacturing, utility infrastructure, and brownfield redevelopment projects keeps demand for environmental specialists steady across both the private sector and government contractors.
Which Illinois cities have the most environmental specialist jobs?
The Illinois cities with the most environmental specialist openings are Chicago, Elgin, and Quincy. Chicago leads because it is home to major consulting firms, utility companies, and a large stock of industrial and brownfield sites requiring ongoing remediation, while Rockford and Peoria reflect the strong manufacturing base that generates consistent compliance and permitting work in those metro areas.
Are there remote environmental specialist jobs in Illinois?
Yes, but they're relatively limited. Environmental specialist work is largely field-based, involving site visits, sampling, and on-site compliance inspections that cannot be done remotely. About 25% of environmental specialist openings tied to Illinois are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those positions tend to concentrate in data analysis, report writing, and regulatory review roles rather than fieldwork.
How can I get hired as a environmental specialist in Illinois with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an environmental technician or field sampler role, which Illinois consulting firms and remediation contractors use to bring on candidates without extensive experience. Large Illinois employers like environmental engineering firms operating out of Chicago frequently hire recent graduates for field support positions. Completing a HAZWOPER 40-hour certification before applying gives candidates a clear edge. Lateral moves from adjacent roles in chemistry lab work, geology field tech, or municipal public works are also common routes into specialist positions.
Where can I find and apply to environmental specialist jobs in Illinois?
You can find and apply to environmental specialist jobs in Illinois on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from Illinois employers. Find roles that fit your experience and specialization and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 31 Environmental Specialist Jobs in Illinois
Find roles in Illinois that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Environmental Specialist Jobs