Environmental Science: Now What?
Quick Facts: Environmental Scientists and Specialists Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health. | |
| 2023 Median Pay | $78,980 per year $37.97 per hour |
| Entry-Level Education | Bachelor’s degree |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation | None |
| On-the-job Training | None |
| Number of Jobs, 2022 | 80,500 |
| Job Outlook, 2022-32 | 6% (Faster than average) |
| Employment Change, 2022-32 | 4,900 |
What Is Environmental Science?
Environmental science is the science of the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment, including their effects on all types of organisms but more often refers to human impact on the environment. It provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems.
Most entry-level jobs require a bachelor's degree in environmental science or related field such as microbiology, chemistry, physics, geosciences, or engineering. Students enrolled in environmental science programs study the sciences broadly, taking courses in biology, chemistry, geology, and physics. They may take more specialized courses in hydrology and waste management as well. Social sciences courses in environmental policy, geography, and public administration are also beneficial for learning about the political and human aspects of the field. Hands-on experience or coursework in computer modeling, data analysis, and geographic information systems is highly desirable.
Many UMass Environmental Science graduates find work in environmental consulting firms, often doing hazardous waste sampling, site remediation, site assessment, etc. Others work in private firms specialize in the environmental permitting required to develop/build near sensitive natural resources like streams and wetlands. Students also find jobs with regulatory agencies like EPA or USFWS, MADEP, etc. Because these agencies address broad categories of environmental subfields, students can become more proficient in subjects like Air Quality, Water Quality, Wetlands and Waterways, Site Assessment, Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste, etc
Master's degrees may sometimes be required for advancement. Environmental scientists aspiring to academic careers will need a doctoral degrees. Those pursuing advanced degrees may do well to major in a specific natural science such as chemistry, biology, physics, or geology, rather than a broader environmental science degree.
What Do Environmental Scientists Do? And Who Could I Work For?
Environmental scientists work with the earth's resources. That is a very broad definition, but considering an environmental scientist could be doing anything from helping increase palm wood production in the forests of Samoa to sampling frozen lakes in Siberia or arguing legal cases before the Supreme Court, environmental scientists do a lot! They work in offices and laboratories. They may also spend time in the field gathering data and monitoring environmental conditions firsthand. Environmental scientists find work in companies doing consulting and remediation, renewable energy, biofuels; they find jobs in many parts of the federal government, and all branches of the military. They may work as college professors, in research & development, as lobbyists, as journalists, etc. Additional careers areas include waste management, land planning, conservation, air/water quality management, environmental law, and environmental education
Most communities employ at least a few environmental scientists at their local sanitation station, in their building/roads department, and in their public health departments. Cities hire entire environmental legal teams, employ water and transportation teams, infrastructure specialists, local environmental specialists, parks and recreation, etc. The US government is a huge employer; the United States Environmental protection Agency, the National Park Service, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the United States Geological Survey, and the Department of Energy are just a few of the major employers at the federal level. The private sector also hires a lot of environmental science professionals.
Selection of Employers for recent (Class of 2024) UMass Amherst Environ alumni:
- Abel Schillinger LLP
- Ascend Analytics LLC
- Barnstable County Department of Health & Environment
- Bartlett Tree Experts
- Clean Harbors
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Department of Environmental Protection
- Environmental Health & Engineering
- First Service Energy
- GEI Consultants Inc.
- HGS Engineering Inc.
- Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Program
- Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
- PACE Environmental
- Planet Forward
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
- Sanborn, Head & Associates Inc.
- Town of Ipswich
- Triumvirate Environmental
- UMass Chan Medical School
What Can I Do With A Degree In Environmental Science?
Agricultural Scientist Ecologist Forest Ranger
Agricultural Technician Engineering Technician Forester
Air/Water Quality Mgr Environmental Analyst Fund Raiser
Air Pollution Analyst Environmental Consultant Geographer
Architect Environmental Educator Geologist
Biochemist Environmental Engineer Geophysicist
Biologist Environmental Engineering Hazardous Waste Mgr
Biomedical Engineer Environmental Health Spec. Hydrologist
Biotechnologist Environmental Lawyer Industrial Hygienist
Chemical Technician Environmental Lobbyist Journalist, Author
Chemist Environmental Nurse Management Consultant
City Planner Environmental Physician Meteorologist
Civil Engineer Environmental Planner Microbiologist
Conservation Agent Environmental Scientist Natural Resource Spec.
Conservation Analyst EPA Inspector
Consumer Safety Inspector EPA Statistician Ocean Technician
Earth Scientist Fisheries Conservationist Range Manager
Oceanographer Pharmacy Technician Resource Economist
Outdoor Trip Leader Project Manager Seismologist
Park Ranger Public Health Veterinarian
Soil Conservation Tech. Urban And Regional Planner Wildlife Manager
Teacher Photographer
Occupational Safety Specialist Wastewater Plan Manager Zoologist
Where Might I Do An Internship?
Agawam Public Schools
Amherst (Town of)
Amherst Police Department
Australis
Bioshelters Inc.
Bose Corp.
Blackstone River Coalition
C.T. Male Associates, PC
Campaign to Save the Environment
Conservation Services Group, Inc. (CGS)
Dolphin Quest
Environmental Defense Fund
Greenpeace, Inc
Hilltown Resource Management Cooperative (HRMC)
JMP Environmental Consulting Inc
Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife
MassPIRG
Media Education Foundation
Nature Conservancy (The)
Northampton (City of)
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
Quabbin Regional School District
R.L. Migdal Creative Multimedia
UMass Amherst Emergency Medical Services
Society for Environment and Human Development (SEHD)
South Hadley (Town of)
Spectrum Analytical
State of Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
Sustainable UMass
TestAmerica Environmental Services LLC
Triumvirate Environmental
UMass Amherst Waste Management
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
UMass Amherst Campus Sustainability Initiative
UMass Amherst Cold Spring Orchard
UMass Amherst Dept of Plant, Soil, and Insect Sciences
UMass Amherst Environmental Health & Safety
UMass Amherst Green Office Program
US Army Corps of Engineers
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
US Fish & Wildlife Service
Westover Air Force Base
Career Planning Resources & Websites
Career Exploration Tools: https://www.umass.edu/careers/career-journey/self-discovery
Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/ooh
Massachusetts Career Information System: http://masscis.intocareers.org
(Click Mass Resident to login with “Amherst/01003” Then click “Occupations” or “Assessments”)
Bio Careers: Environmental Science: http://biocareers.com/environmental-sciences
Career Planning Resources for Environmental Science: http://www.careercornerstone.org/
Environmental Science.org: www.environmentalscience.org
List of Oceanography and Marine Sci Careers: http://peterbrueggeman.com/ocean/career
Reports on Jobs in the Growing Green Economy: https://www.findingearthworks.com/resources/
Environmental Science Job and Internship Search Resources
UMass Amherst Specific Job Search Resources
UMass Handshake Database of Internships & Jobs: https://umass.joinhandshake.com/
UMass Amherst Dept of Environmental Conservation: http://eco.umass.edu/for-current-students
UMass Amherst Local Sustainability Jobs/Internships: www.umass.edu/sustainability/resources
Appalachian Mountain Club: www.outdoors.org/employment
Center for Ecological Technology (Northampton): https://www.cetonline.org/jobs/
Chicagoland Environmental Network: www.chicagoenvironment.org/jobintern
Conservation Job Board: www.conservationjobboard.com
Cool Works Jobs in Great Places: www.coolworks.com
Earthworks Jobs By Category: http://earthworks-jobs.com/
Elements (Mineralogy / Geochemistry / Petrology): https://www.elementsmagazine.org/alkaline-lakes/
Environmental Career (post resume & apply through): https://environmentalcareer.com/
Environmental Career Opportunities (ECO): http://www.ecojobs.com/
Environmental Health & Safety Jobs: http://ehscareers.com/search
Environmental Jobs: http://environmentaljobs.com
Green Dream Jobs: www.sustainablebusiness.com
Green Jobs (store resumes &and apply through site): http://www.greenjobs.net/
Green Job Search: www.greenjobsearch.org
Global Vision International Careers Abroad: www.careersabroad.co.uk/vacancies
LinkedIn Green Job and Career Network: www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=77194
Local Internships: http://www.gcc.mass.edu/internships/list/
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (Mass CEC): www.masscec.com/work-clean-energy/jobs
Massachusetts (State) Environmental Agencies: www.mass.gov/eea/agencies
National Environmental Health Assoc Job Board: https://www.neha.org/careers?utm_source=web&utm_medium=home_icon
Sierra Club Jobs (mostly in Cali and DC): https://www.sierraclub.org/careers
Texas A&M Wildlife & Fisheries Jobs Board (some intl): https://wfscjobs.tamu.edu/job-board/
Water Industry Jobs: https://www.workforwater.org/careers-in-water/
Water Environment Federation (WEF) Job Bank: http://jobbank.wef.org/jobseekers
World Wildlife Federation Jobs: https://wwf.panda.org/jobs_wwf/
US Natural Resources Conservation Service: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
USA Jobs (for ALL Federal Govt Jobs): www.usajobs.gov
General Science Jobs
General Science Jobs (widely defined): http://jobs.sciencecareers.org
General Science Jobs (widely defined): http://jobs.newscientist.com/
NatureJobs (widely defined): www.nature.com/naturejobs/science/
Internships and Lab/Field Research in Environmental Science
UMass Office of Undergraduate Research & Studies: https://www.umass.edu/ours/
American Geosciences Institute (Geosci & Public Policy): www.americangeosciences.org
Campus Access List of Environmental Internships: www.campusaccess.com/internships
Chicagoland Environmental Network: www.chicagoenvironment.org/jobintern
Cool Works Internships: www.coolworks.com/internships
Ecological Society of America: Fieldwork Internships: https://www.esacareercenter.org/
Global Vision Intl Careers Abroad: Internships: www.careersabroad.co.uk/internships
Internships in Federal Government Agencies (EPA etc): www.usajobs.gov/Search?Internship=Yes
National Institutes of Health (NIH): https://www.nih.gov/research-training
National Park Service Internships (nationwide): https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/workwithus.htm
NYC Parks and Recreation Internships: https://www.nycgovparks.org/
Student Conservation Association (SCA): www.thesca.org
Professional Organizations
Many professional organization’s websites have career information on them. You can often use them to search for networking events, meet a mentor in your field of study, find current research, search for internships or jobs, and gain insight into what direction within the field you may wish to pursue.
American Geosciences Institute (Geosci & Public Policy): www.americangeosciences.org
American Water Works Association: www.awwa.org
Assoc for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Ed: https://www.aashe.org
Assoc for Environmental Studies and Sciences: http://aessonline.org/
Ecological Society of America: Fieldwork Internships: www.esa.org
Local Govt Environmental Assistance Network: https://www.lgean.net/financing.php (has grants & funding opps)
National Council for Science and the Environment: www.ncseonline.org
National Environmental Health Association: www.neha.org
Natl Assoc for Environmental Professionals (NAEP): www.naep.org
National Renewable Energy Lab: www.nrel.gov
N. American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners: www.nabcep.org
Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (Greenfield): www.nesea.org
Society for Conservation Biology: www.conbio.org
Society of Wetland Scientists: http://sws.org
US Environmental Protection Agency: www.epa.gov
US National Institutes of Health (NIH): www.nih.gov
US NIH: Natl Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: www.niehs.nih.gov/index.cfm
Western Mass Green Consortium: https://www.facebook.com/WesternMassGreenConsortium/
Other Environmental Science Resources
Envirolink: www.envirolink.org
Environmental News Network: www.enn.com
Environmental Science Dept at Rutgers U.: https://envsci.rutgers.edu/
Greenfield Farm and Food Systems Classes: www.gcc.mass.edu/academics
Journal of Young Investigators (Undergrad Research): www.jyi.org
Mass Save Professional Training & Certification Opportunities: www.masssave.com/en/professionals
NESEA Sustainable Green Pages (for Northeast): http://nesea.org/greenpages
Regional Employment Board: Green Careers Resources: https://www.masshirefhcareers.org/
What Do Employers Look For? (NACE 2024 Job Outlook for Students)
Top 10 Skills Employers Seek on Candidate Resumes
- Problem-solving skills
- Ability to work in a team
- Communication skills (written)
- Strong work ethic
- Flexibility/adaptability
- Communication (verbal)
- Technical Skills
- Analytical/Quantitative Skills
- Initiative
- Detail-oriented
Top 7 Attributes that can positively influence employers the most
- Internship with the organization
- Internship within the industry
- Major
- General work experience
- Leadership experience
- Extracurricular activities
- High GPA (3.0 or above)