Jobs in Environmental Science
What jobs can you get with an environmental science degree?
Joe Biden says that climate change is the ‘number one issue facing humanity’, and he planned a $2 trillion dollar policy to work towards a final goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. As a result, money put toward zero emissions will create more jobs in the environmental science field, giving the environmental science field some promising opportunities.
Environmental Chemist
Environmental chemists test soil, air, and water samples to learn how chemicals enter the environment and their effects. This is important because new environmental rules will most likely require frequent testing ensure companies measure up to emissions standards. Because environmental chemistry requires a lot of different disciplines to be successful in determining environmental impacts, you do not need a chemistry degree.
Environmental Consultant/Scientist
Environmental consultants and scientists work often work to determine an organization’s carbon footprint and help determine ways to reduce pollution. In areas where pollution has already had an effect, environmental scientists find ways that the area can be restored, or find how the least impact can be made.
Ecologist
Ecologists study ecosystems, not only the animals and plants, but how they interact with each other, and how humans have impacted them. However, an ecologist’s main goal is to protect species and their habitats, and they do this by suggesting regulations and rules to keep the areas they study safe from degradation.
Environmental Lawyer
Environmental lawyers can help create laws to help protect the environment. If you are passionate about the environment and you want to make rules and protections for the environment, this is the job for you. Depending on the area you go in, you could also recommend fines for those who break regulations. Alternatively, you can find evidence to convict a company who is purposefully ruining the environment.
Environmental Engineer
Environmental engineers create new systems to promote environmental protection. These are the people who actually design and implement suggestions made by other environmental scientists. With their engineering knowledge, they create systems to reduce erosion, manage water systems, and waste disposal. Environmental engineers are important because they combine the ideas of environmental science with the know-how of the engineering side.
Entry level environmental science jobs
If you are reading this article, you may be wondering how you start in the industry. So you may start out as an environmental tech. Or you might find an internship or part-time job. A lot of this work involves testing, fieldwork, or data management. Firstly, the best way to get environmental science jobs is by studying environmental science, or biology, chemistry, engineering, or even geography/GIS. All of these degrees can be applied to saving the environment, depending on your field of choice. GIS can be especially helpful by doing a variety of analysis and visualization. It’s marketable to have GIS analyst skills to show your analysis on a map. In addition, there are also technical certifications that you can get as an environmental science professional. There are even some you can get without a degree, making for a perfect starting point for those seeking environmental science jobs.
Environmental science job salaries
If you are interested in a career in environmental science I would recommend you check out this article about Environmental science job salaries. It provides a detailed explanation of different levels of jobs and salaries in the environmental science field. It covers things like entry level and advanced positions, real world applications and average salaries.
Certificates in Environmental Studies
There are a few key certifications that you might pursue that will help elevate you in the industry.
Associate Environmental Professional:
This certification is aimed at newcomers to the environmental sciences industry. It does not require a degree, only either a year in bachelor’s program in environmental science applicable field, or one year of work in the field. However, you must take an exam to receive your certification.
Registered Environmental Professional:
This is the most sought-after certification for professionals working in the environmental sciences industry. Requiring a graduate degree (Masters or PhD) or a certification in many different environmental fields, this certificate is hardest to gain, and these are listed in detail in the link above. With a lack of the exam requirement, a review board certifies applicants.
GIS Certificate (Bootcamp GIS):
Knowing about environmental factors is one thing. But that knowledge can be made more useful by knowing how to analyze and display your data on a map. You can earn a GIS Certificate through Bootcamp GIS with project-based classes that shows you what GIS experts do in their projects. Choosing your own courses makes your certificate more focused on the skills you need to win one of the 22,600 jobs seen in the GIS Jobs Report, 2023. See a 6 month timeline on how to earn a GIS Certificate.
Best GIS/Science courses
If you are looking to combine science with an important skill, data analysis (GIS) is a great way to create, track and analyze data. There are lots of online courses that teach science skills, but very few offer the combination of GIS and science. Check out this article ranking the top 5 GIS science programs.
