Employers
Recycling and reclamation workers are employed by plants that recycle and reclaim materials and products. They work at warehouses, recycling centers, and for salvaging yards. The Department of Labor (DOL) reported there were approximately 244,700 recycling and reclamation workers working in the United States in 2018.
Starting Out
Many people get started in recycling work through part-time and entry-level positions. They receive on-the-job training that can last for several months. Ask your school's career services office for help with finding job openings at recycling facilities. Search for jobs on Web sites such as Glassdoor, Indeed, SimplyHired, as well as federal, state, and local government Web sites.
- Agricultural Scientists
- Air Quality Engineers
- Aquarists
- Arborists
- Biochemists
- Bioenergy/Biofuels Workers
- Biofuels Processing Technicians
- Biofuels Production Managers
- Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers
- Biologists
- Biomass Plant Technicians
- Biomass Power Plant Managers
- Botanists
- Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers
- Business Managers
- Chemists
- Chief Sustainability Officers
- Civil Engineers
- Climate Scientists
- Corporate Climate Strategists
- Ecologists
- 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 Scientists
- Environmental Technicians
- EPA Special Agents
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Forensic Meteorologists
- Foresters
- Forestry Technicians
- Geological Technicians
- Geologists
- Geophysicists
- Green Builders
- Green Hotel/Resort Ecomanagers
- Green Products Manufacturers
- Green Transportation Careers
- Groundwater Professionals
- Hazardous Waste Management Specialists
- Hazardous Waste Management Technicians
- Horticultural Inspectors
- Horticultural Technicians
- Hydropower and Marine Energy Industry Workers
- Indoor Environmental Health Specialists
- Industrial Ecologists
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Landscape Architects
- Marine Biologists
- Methane/Landfill Gas Collection System Operators
- Methane/Landfill Gas Generation System Technicians
- Microbiologists
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists
- National Park Service Employees
- Naturalists
- Oceanographers
- Park Rangers
- Range Managers
- Recycling Coordinators
- Refuse Collectors
- Renewable Energy Careers
- Renewable Energy Engineers
- Rewilders
- Soil Conservationists and Technicians
- Soil Scientists
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Operators and Technicians
- Water/Wastewater Engineers
- Zoo and Aquarium Curators and Directors
- Zoologists