Employers
About 84,600 environmental scientists and specialists are employed in the United States. Approximately 42 percent work for state and local governments, and about 19 percent work for management, scientific, and technical consulting firms. Others work for the federal government (mainly for the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of the Interior); for private companies that provide architectural, engineering, and related services; or as teachers and instructors at colleges and universities. Some environmental scientists run their own businesses and are self-employed, although this number is small.
Starting Out
Many environmental scientists get started in their careers as research assistants, field analysts, or science technicians in laboratories or offices. While in high school, an internship, volunteer work, or a part-time job with an environmental consulting firm, environmental protection agencies, state departments of conservation, or other related state agencies can give you better insight into the field and help you determine which areas of environmental science interest you most. You can explore job, volunteer, and internship listings by visiting organizations' Web sites directly, such as the Careers section of the Environmental Protection Agency's site (http://www.epa.gov/careers), as well as by checking out environmental employment sites such as Environmental Career Opportunities (http://ecojobs.com).
- Agricultural Scientists
- Air Quality Engineers
- Animal Behaviorists
- Animal Breeders and Technicians
- Aquaculturists
- Aquarists
- Arborists
- Archaeologists
- Archivists
- Astrobiologists
- Astrogeologists
- Biochemical Engineers
- Biochemists
- Bioenergy/Biofuels Workers
- Biofuels Processing Technicians
- Biofuels Production Managers
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Bioinformatics Specialists
- Biologists
- Biomass Plant Technicians
- Biomass Power Plant Managers
- Biomedical Engineers
- Biomedical Equipment Technicians
- Biophysicists
- Biosecurity Monitors
- Biotechnology Production Workers
- Biotechnology Research Assistants
- Botanists
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Business Managers
- Cartographers
- Chemists
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Civil Engineers
- Climate Scientists
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- CRISPR Scientists
- Cytogenetic Technologists
- Cytotechnologists
- Drug Developers
- Ecologists
- Energy Brokers
- Energy Conservation Technicians
- Energy Consultants
- Engineering Technicians
- Environmental Consultants
- Environmental Economists
- Environmental Education Program Directors
- Environmental Engineers
- Environmental Lawyers
- Environmental Lobbyists
- Environmental Planners
- Environmental Restoration Planners
- Environmental Technicians
- EPA Special Agents
- Epidemiologists
- Epigenetics Researchers
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Forensic Meteorologists
- Foresters
- Forestry Technicians
- Fuel Cell Engineers
- Fuel Cell Technicians
- Fuel Cell Technology Workers
- Futurists
- Genetic Counselors
- Genetic Engineers
- Genetic Genealogists
- Genetic Scientists
- Geodetic Surveyors
- Geographers
- Geographic Information Systems Specialists
- Geological Technicians
- Geologists
- Geophysicists
- Geospatial Analytics Specialists
- Geotechnical Engineers
- Geothermal Energy Industry Workers
- Geothermal Production Managers
- Geothermal Technicians
- Green Builders
- Green Hotel/Resort Ecomanagers
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Green Transportation Careers
- Grounds Managers
- Groundwater Professionals
- Hazardous Waste Management Specialists
- Hazardous Waste Management Technicians
- Historians
- Horticultural Inspectors
- Horticultural Technicians
- Hydroelectric Plant Technicians
- Hydroelectric Production Managers
- Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers
- Indoor Environmental Health Specialists
- Industrial Ecologists
- Laboratory Technicians and Technologists
- Laboratory Testing Technicians
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Landscape Architects
- Landscapers
- Marine Biologists
- Medical Scientists
- Meteorologists
- Methane/Landfill Gas Collection System Operators
- Methane/Landfill Gas Generation System Technicians
- Microbiologists
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- Museum Directors and Curators
- National Park Service Employees
- Naturalists
- Neuroscientists
- Nuclear Medicine Physicians
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Oceanographers
- Paleontologists
- Park Rangers
- Pathologists
- Physicians
- Preventive Medicine Physicians
- Range Managers
- Recreation Workers
- Recycling and Reclamation Workers
- Recycling Coordinators
- Refuse Collectors
- Remote Sensing Scientists and Technologists
- Remote Sensing Technicians
- Renewable Energy Careers
- Renewable Energy Engineers
- Renewable Energy Site Assessors
- Rewilders
- Soil Conservationists and Technicians
- Soil Scientists
- Solar Energy Industry Workers
- Solar Energy Installation Managers
- Solar Energy Sales Representatives
- Solar Engineers
- Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians
- Space Meteorologist
- Surveying and Mapping Technicians
- Surveyors
- Veterinarians
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Technicians
- Water/Wastewater Engineers
- Wildland Firefighters
- Wind Energy Engineers
- Wind Energy Industry Workers
- Wind Energy Operations Managers
- Wind Energy Project Managers
- Zoo and Aquarium Curators and Directors
- Zoologists