What Can I do With a Degree in Environmental Studies/Environmental Sciences?

Career Center Library Resources

The Career Center Library has a variety of resources to help students explore potential career fields. These resources include information about typical responsibilities, qualifications, career path, job outlook, salary, and related careers.

Books Specifically Related to Environmental Studies/Environmental Sciences Majors:

• 100 Jobs in the Environment
• Careers for Animal Lovers and Other Zoological Types
• Careers for Nature Lovers and Other Outdoorsy Types
• Green at Work
• Portland 2008 Green Guide to Networking and Jobs
• Careers in Renewable Energy
• The Complete Idiot's Guide to Green Careers
  

Vocational Biographies

Vocational Biographies: describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portland su and pass code: 3w9n

• Aquarium Director of Education
• Desert Ecologist
• Environmental Attorney
• Environmental Planner
• Environmental Organizing Consultant
• Forest Ranger
• Natural Resource Specialist
• Outdoor Adventure Educator
• State Park Resource Ecologist
• Wildlife Biologist

Professional Associations

• Air and Waste Management Association (AWMA):
• American Fisheries Society:
  • Western Division of the American Fisheries Society: Jobs
    
• American Water Works Association (AWWA): Job Descriptions and Salaries for Water Utility Professionals, Pacific NW Section of the AWWA
• Composting Council of Canada
  
• Ecological Society of America
• Association of Women in Environmental Professions (AWEP)
• Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN)
• National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP)
• National Association of Local Government Environmental Professionals (NALGEP)
• Northwest Association of Environmental Professionals (NWAEP)
• Oregon Association of Environmental Professionals
• Society for Conservation Biology (SCB)
• Society for Ecological Restoration-Northwest
• Society of Wetland Scientists: Pacific Northwest Chapter
• Northwest Environmental Business Council (NEBC): NEBC is a "regional trade association representing environmental technology and service firms". Membership Directory.

Internet Sites with Career-Related Information for Environmental Studies/Environmental Sciences Majors

• What Can I do with a Major in...Environmental Science: From the Career Services Office at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, North Carolina. Includes a "a representative sample of job titles of [UNCW] graduates with an environmental science or environmental studies major."
• College Majors and Career Opportunities -- Environmental Science: Lists related occupations and types of employers. From Career Services, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
• Environmental Studies: Lists potential job titles and related skills. From the University Career and Employment Services at the University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.
• Outdoor Action Guide to Outdoor and Environmental Careers: Authored by Rick Curtis, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey. Describes outdoor and environmental careers and lists related job titles and potential employers.
• Environmental Studies: What Can I do with this Major?: Outlines common career areas, identifies typical employers, and suggests general strategies to enhance employability. From Career Services at the University of Tennessee.
• Environmental Scientists/Hydrologists: From the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Internet Sites with Job Search Information for Environmental Studies/Environmental Sciences Majors

• Cyber-Sierra's Natural Resources Job Search: Contains links to job-related resources.
  
• EE Jobs Database: From the North American Association of Environmental Educators.
• Employment Opportunities: From the Ecological Society of America.
• Environmental Jobs and Careers: "E Jobs links to environmental opportunities in the USA and Canada." See also Environmental Jobs in Oregon.
• Find Jobs: From Idealist.org. Database of nonprofit jobs that can be searched by relevant topic (environment).
• Job Postings: From the American Water Works Association.
• Northwest Association of Environmental Professionals Job Board
• Student Conservation Association: Conservation Internships, Full-Time Employment, Seasonal.
• League of Oregon Cities: Intern Placement and Referral Service

Places of Employment

Places of Employment Environmental studies majors may find employment in a variety of fields depending on their skills and experience. Places of employment for environmental studies majors include: city, state, and federal government agencies; environmental advocacy organizations; and businesses (including environmental consulting firms, construction companies, oil companies, and law firms).

The following list of employers employers and job titles was derived from the Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested environmental science majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for environmental studies/environmental sciences majors. This list does not reflect current openings.

• ABR, Inc.: Watershed Scientist/Hydrologist, Wildlife Technicians
• Alaskan Observers: Domestic Fisheries Observer
• AMEC Earth & Environmental, Inc.: Environmental Scientist, Project Manager, Staff Engineer
• Audubon Society of Portland: Assistant Camp Director, Environmental Education SPRING Intership, Environmental Educator
  
• Benton County: Environmental Health Specialist 2
• Cascade Environmental Services, Inc.: Senior Project Manager, Technical Writer/Project Manager, Technical Report Writer
• Chicago Botanic Garden: Conservation and Land Management Fellowship Program
• City of Gresham, Bureau of Environmental Services, GREAT Business Program: Program Technician
• City of Hillsboro: Natural Resources Manager, Water Intergovernmental Relation Manager, Project Manager II - Sustainability
  
• City of Portland: Environmental Specialist
• City of Salem: Natural Area Specialist, Water Resources Outreach Assistant (Seasonal)
• Clackamas County: Laboratory Analyst
• Climate Trust, The: Research Assoicate, Environmental Internship, Marketing and Communications Manager
• Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life: Environmental Programs Intern, Washington Program Director
• Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission: Project Implementation Coordinator, GIS Speciali
• Cowlitz County: Environmental Health Specialist 1 or 2
• E-Tech Recycling: EMS Manager
• Entrix, Inc.: Agricultural or Resource Economists, Senior Consultant, Senior Economist & Project Manager
• Environmental Careers Organization (ECO): Botany/GIS Assistant, Botany/Natural Fuels Management Internship, Forestry Technician, Fisheries/Biology Assistant, Fire Rehabilitiation Assistant, GIS Technician, Natural Resources Monitors/Bontanist
• Environmental Laboratory Services
• Environmental Management Systems, Inc.: Environmental Health Specialist
• Eugene Water & Electric Board: Environmental Associate
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Environmental Protection Specialist
• Friends of Trees: Community Outreach Intern, Natural Area Restoration Intern, Neighborhood Trees Intern, Trail Maintenance Team Lead,
• Friends of Tryon Creek State Park: Nauralist Intern
• Glen Helen Ecology Institute: Naturalist Intern
• Green Corps: Environmental Leadership Training Program
• Green Empowerment: Program Manager - Asia
• Green Mountain Energy: Wind Energy Sales
• HDR Engineering: Environmental Monitor
• Integral Consulting, Inc.: Environmental Scientist
• Intel Corporation: R&D Manufacturing Technician
• Mason, Bruce, and Girard: Field Technician
• Maul Foster & Alongi, Inc.: Mid-Level Environmental Scientist/Data manager
• Minnesota Conservation Corps: AmeriCorps Crew Leader, AmeriCorps Crew Member
• Natural Resources Conservation Service: Cartographic Technician
• North Santiam Watershed Council: Education and Outreach Coordinator
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ): Water Quality Monitoring Specialist, Industrial Waste Engineer, Senior Environmental Engineer, Environmental Trainee/Internships, Environmental Partnership Community Specialist, Beach Water Quality Monitoring Technician, Voluntary Cleanup Technical Support Specialist, Air Quality Planner, Remedial Action Project Manager, Senior hazardous Waste Specialist, Natural Resource Specialist for Air Quality Section in the Western Region's Salem Office
• Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: Environmental Biology Aide, Field Research Assistant, District Wildlife Technician, Assistant Manager Fish and Wildlife Technician 2, Fisheries Research Project Leader, Natural Resources Specialists
• Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI): Outdoor Science Instructor
• Oregon State University: Faculty Research Assistants, Academic Advisor (Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife), Watershed Management (Extension Faculty)
• Oregon Trout: Fish Refuge Program Coordinator
• Orion Grassroots Network: Environmental Internships, Wilderness Advocate Intern,
• Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission: Natural Resource Data Analyst, Research Technician
• Pollution Prevention Resources Center (PPRC): Technical Lead for Oregon Programs
• Port of Portland: Environmental Project Manager II
• Professional Services Industries, Inc. (PSI): Manager-in-Training/Staff Engineer
• Puget Sound Naval Shipyard: Physical Science Technician
• SAIF: Corporation: Industrial Hygiene Technician
• Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition: Grassroots & Outreach Intern
• Student Conservation Association (SCA): Taos Field Office Internships, Lead and Outdoor Summer High School Crew Internship, Unilever/SCA Internship Program, Native Plant Corps Intern
• Trexler Climate + Energy Services, Inc.: Environmental Internship
• Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District: School Program Instructor, Eco Quest Instructor, Nature Camp Instructors, Park Ranger
• Tualatin Riverkeepers: Nature Camp Assistant
• The Nature Conservancy: Conservation Planning & Tools Specialist
• US Bureau of Land Management: Forestry Technician, Forester, Aviation Management Specialist, Biological Technician, Resource Educator(s), Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program
• US Fish and Wildlife Service: Wildlife Education Specialist, Outreach and Environmental Education Specialist
• USDA Forest Service: Forestry Technician/Biological Science Technician, Postdoctoral Scientist in Integrated Dynamic Landscape and Coho Salmon Modeling
  
• Washington County: Watermaster
• Wild Salmon Center: Archival/Information Management Intern, Slide Archivist Intern, Sustainable Fisheries and Markets Program Associate
• Weyerhaeuser Company: Slope Stability Geologist
• Wolftree, Inc.: Science Education Project Managers

The following list was generated from a variety of sources (Google, Portland Craigslist, SimplyHired, Indeed, etc.) using a variety of search terms (environment, watershed, natural resources, ecology, biology, biologist, etc)

• Adapt Engineering: Phase 1 Environmental Assessor
• City of Portland: Environmental Technician II for Portland Water Bureau and Bureau of Environmental Services
• Clark Public Utilities: Water Field Technician 1
• Conservation Services Group: Multifamily Outreach Specialist
• David Evans and Associates: Sustainability Program Manager
• Ecology and Environment Inc.: Environmental Specialist
• GreenWood Resources: Research Plot Coordinator
  
• Horizon Engineering: Environmental Technician
• Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership: Habitat Restoration Coordinator, Watershed Programs Coordinator
• Metro's Native Plant Center: Natural Resource Technician
  
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Fishery Biologist/Natural Resource Management Specialist
  
• Natural Resource Group (NRG), LLC: Wetlands Scientist, Threatened and Endangered Species Specialist
• Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (ODEQ): Natural Resource Specialist 2 (Water Quality Specialist for Stormwater), Natural Resource Specialist 4 (Stormwater Coordinator), Natural Resource Specialist 4 (Permit Program Specialist)
• Portland Office of Sustainable Development: Business Assistant & Compliance Program Coordinator(Conservation Programs Specialist), Construction Waste Specialist(Conservation Programs Specialist)
  
• Portland Parks and Recreation: Botanic Specialist II
• Portland Riverfest: Riverfest Coordinator
  
• SWCA Environmental Consultants: Wetland Scientist
• Tetra Tech EC, Inc.: Wildlife Biologist/Assistant Biologist
• URS: Environmental Specialist
• US Fish and Wildlife: Fish and Wildlife Biologist
  
• US-Reports: Environmental Specialist
  
• Wohlers Environmental Services: Environmental Scientist
• Zenger Farm: Educator and Program Coordinator

Miscellaneous

• City of Portland job specifications for environment-related jobs, including: Conservation Programs Coordinator, Conservation Programs Specialist, Environmental Policy Analyst, Environmental Program Coordinator, Environmental Program Manager, Environmental Program Specialist, Environmental Specialist, Environmental Technician 1, Environmental Technician 2, Watershed Specialist, Water Conservation Programs Specialist, Water Conservation Programs Coordinator
• State of Oregon job specifications for environment-related jobs, including: Environmental Program Coordinator 1, Environmental Program Coordinator 2, Environmental Program Coordinator 3, Environmental Specialist 1, Environmental Specialist 2, Environmental Specialist 3, Natural Resources Specialist 1, Natural Resources Specialist 2, Natural Resources Specialist 3, Natural Resources Specialist 4, Natural Resources Specialist 5.
• Environmental Education Link (EE-Link)
• Lab Support: Temporary agency providing listings to laboratory jobs requiring A.S., B.S, or M.S degrees.
• Earthshare of Oregon

Department of Environmental Sciences and Resources, Portland State University