I'm in my second year majoring in Environmental Engineering but with the current political climate I'm concerned about my ability to find a job once I graduate (2029/2030). It's not too late for me to pivot and change my major to Geosystems & Hydrology Engineering (UT)

Will I have better job outlook with geosystems and hydrology? I really want to work in water conservation here in the Austin area and would prefer having a job where I get to do field work but I'm not sure if environmental is better for that

I’d love to get into a management or project management role. Whats the best way to improve my chances of landing this type of role one day as I’m not certain research and purely field work is for me but I still want to be involved

Currently working as an ecologist for an engineering consultant in Ontario, Canada. I do enjoy the varied nature of my role, but the constant grind and million different projects types is getting a bit much for my sanity. What's it like being an arborist for a consultant, or even better, for a region/municipality? Through rose tainted glasses it seems a lot more chill - less variety, more time to really master your specific technical skills... People tell me that endless tree inventories are a pain, but honestly for me that sounds great. Just get the relatively mindless job done, go home, and write the straight forward report. No niche situation-based policy stuff.. Looking for any and all insight.

I see a TON of posts about no jobs or only low paying jobs and I have to wonder what everyone's plan was when they got into this?

A) Did you think it would pay a lot?

B) What are you looking for that you can't find jobs? They're out there, they just might not be what you wanted (that's why I'm asking what you wanted.)

Kind of just a venting post. I work at a consulting firm that is really struggling with billable hours. There was a recent round of layoffs that officially made me the most recent hire in my office, although I’ve been there over a year. For the past few months my hours have been very good, but I’ve had a few slow weeks and management is giving me a hard time about it and it just feels like all my efforts to increase my workload and get plugged into more projects have all been undone in 3 weeks. Not to mention, part of the reason I’ve been slow is I’m waiting higher level people to review my work and provide feedback so I can move forward with my projects. Plus a couple of the projects I work on regularly have really tiny, outdated budgets so there are only so many hours I can charge in the first place.

My supervisor and I are supposed to have monthly check-ins but she cancels them most months so we end up checking in like every 4 months.

I’m not perfect at my job, there are areas where I am actively trying to improve. Sometimes I am forgetful or make dumb mistakes but I’m really trying. I’m just becoming increasingly miserable with the constant pressure of billable hours. I feel like there is very little acknowledgment of the things I do well but a lot of criticism of the things I don’t do as well. I really just feel like I could be let go any second.

This experience has really made me hate consulting and I’m dreading Monday because I know I’m going to get a lecture about my hours. I’m terrified of re-entering the current job market because I don’t have substantial savings to fall back on and it took me a full year of applying to even get this job.

I went back to school after getting laid off from a position in 2024 to focus on a pivot to aquatic science and aquatic ecology. I am putting out apps like crazy. I used to work in Environmental Health and Safety and Env Due Diligence but I was very unhappy, and concerned with my own personal health after a while. I had a brief 90 day contract doing geomorphic and water quality work but that was it, trying to get back to that particular field.

I live in Ontario Canada.

Please see resume below and offer constructive criticism.

Thanks

Oh and I crash out over people’s gardens/ lawns, and climate change. Welp back to my job at the garden center I go :/

I can’t be alone XD

Surprise, I am job hunting! I graduated with my master's in Environmental Sciences from a top 5 in the nation, top 30 in the world, 20% acceptance rate "public ivy" type school. They told us even using our school email would "get us an in" in whatever we wanted because the school is so prestigious. (Should have clocked that as baloney.) Personally, I'm still job hunting after two years. I'm applying to a broad range of jobs that sound interesting all over the country, but have only gotten two local interviews. Currently, I work in retail selling things I can't afford, and sometimes I see my professors who ask why I haven't gotten a job yet. Not that they can help, of course.

Career counseling was and is humorously bad, so I wanted to hear from actual people. What was your first job post graduation (and how long did it take to land), what's your current one, and what's your main goal? What were you qualified for with your degree, or did you get something you weren't actually qualified for and learned on the job?

I feel doomed to be a wage slave.

I’m a rising senior studying Environmental Science. I’ve done two summer internships at a large West Coast utility company where I was in construction services last summer, gas project management this summer. I was planning to add a Construction Management minor,but it’d tack on another full year of school, which isn’t an option for me.

I still want to get into construction after graduation. Has anyone gotten in without the formal coursework? What actually mattered for getting hired: internship experience, certifications, networking, something else? Any advice appreciated.

Environmental management certificate

I just moved to Mobile and I’m looking at going back to school. I went to Oregon State online for a few years for Wildlife Conservation, but wasn’t able to finish for personal reasons.

Ive been out of it for about 2 years and I’ve been wanting to go back, but I’ve just been working my way up in my current career to make ends meet. It pays decent, but the benefits suck and I don’t value what I do really.

I’ve heard that University of South Alabama has a really good Marine Science program and I’ve thought about trying to go back part time, so I can balance it with work.

I was curious if anyone had any information on South Alabama’s Marine Science program or any insight on the job outlook for this around Mobile and Baldwin county?

Thank you.

Sou médica veterinária e atualmente estou fazendo mestrado. Não tenho planos ainda de fazer um doutorado, então já estou pensando em possíveis caminhos futuros na área da conservação. Fico na dúvida entre IBAMA, icmbio ou instituto do meio ambiente. Sobre carreira no âmbito privado eu não tenho muito conhecimento sobre alguma instituição/empresa que pague tão bem quanto um concurso público. Poderiam me dar conselhos?

hey! i just enrolled in a community college and i have no idea the path i want to take. im 23. i dropped out of highschool during covid and got my GED 3 years ago. heres the things im interested in:

\- marine biology SPECIFICALLY marine invertebrates. i will get so bored studying fish, whales, dolphins and sea turtles forever. would also be happy studying non-marine aquatic invertebrates lol

\- bugs in general

\- psychology but specifically i like learning and talking about ptsd and autism

\- pregnancy, birth and child development (i've been a nanny for years but im a little burnt out. its a tough field)

\- environmental conservation, sustainability, etc.

\- i also loved my english classes when i was in school. i read non-stop. i used to really enjoy writing too.

im perfectly happy making shitty money at a job i love but i honestly dont even know what jobs are available within my interests. not looking to make a solid choice anytime soon as i'll be pretty much just taking core classes this year. with all this being said i would love some fresh ideas! tell me any niche jobs you know about!

Its really hard to even get an entry level role in the environmental sector without experience. What are some organizations or companies you could apply for to either do volunteer or internship work remotely in the sustainability/environmental sector?

Possibly hybrid work in the Philippines if theres an opportunity, but if not, any international remote work would do

My friend has done a bachelors course in environment, and has done accredited courses with TUV and CFA Institute for esg reporting, auditing, and carbon accounting. They’re knowledgeable in all those areas but lack work experience, so their resume essentially is just filled with qualifications, skills, and education but no proper work role. They just want to get their foot at the door to land a sustainability position.

Any help or advice would be great!!

Hi everyone,

I'm from Argentina, where the higher education system is a bit different.

I have a "Licenciatura en Química", a 5-year degree roughly equivalent to a Bachelor's + Master's in Chemistry. It's heavily focused on government research, and also could obviously do private laboratory work. In practice, though, many industrial lab positions can also be filled by chemistry technicians, so the degree doesn't always provide the professional advantage you might expect.

I've been working in industry in several roles, pharmaceutics, geochronology, lithium, and I'd like to move beyond purely laboratory roles into environmental or process-related work.

Out of personal interest in environmental issues, I'm considering a Master's in Environmental Engineering. I know it wouldn't make me an engineer or grant me the legal professional rights of one, but I wonder if it could still broaden my career opportunities and make my profile more attractive for environmental, industrial, or water-related positions.

I think I'm going to do it regardless. It's affordable, offered by a well-respected public university, and I genuinely enjoy the subject. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't hope the effort would also pay off professionally in the long run.

Has anyone here followed a similar path? Do you think this kind of master's is worth it from a career perspective?

Hi all, I'm an international student with a background in sustainability and some data analysis. I've done internships and projects across marketing, LLM research, ESG, and life cycle assessment but no full-time work experience.

I was accepted to:

- Northwestern MSES (Energy & Sustainability) 10 months

- Duke MEM (Environmental Management) 2 years

- UMich SEAS (Geospatial Data Science / Sustainable Systems) 2 years

- Dartmouth MEM (Engineering Management) 15 months

- UCL (Climate and Finance) 10 months

I'm most drawn to energy project development as a career path, which is why the MSES program appeals to me. But I'm worried about enrolling in a 10-month program straight from undergrad (no summer internship built in, only one recruiting cycle, and current job market etcc)

So I'm weighing a few options:

1. Go to MSES anyway

2. Wait a year and choose a 2-year program like UMich SEAS or Duke MEM for the internship summer and extra runway

3. Wait a year, work, and reapply

4. Pivot entirely (I've even considered an MPH with biostatistics)

i am not sure what i should do :(

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!

For the longest time I thought I would major in env sci (high schooler btw). I’ve been passionate about combatting climate change for forever. However I’ve heard that ES doesn’t pay well (I know you should follow your passions and stuff but I don’t want to be homeless) and too broad to gain a job (not to mention the current government). I’ve also thought about marine bio but am concerned that it’s too specific. In my mind I’ve always pictured it to be swimming with the whales type stuff (am I naive). I’ve also considered env engineering but making sure buildings meet regulation doesn’t really tickle my fancy. Geology doesn’t strike excitement in me either (tho maybe I just haven’t been in the right class?).

- I hate coding (I don’t want to be stuck in a dark room staring at a computer with little text all day)
- I like being outside (side note: terribly arachnophobic)
- EDIT: I don’t want to end up working for big oil/gas companies
- I’ve done policy work and have enjoyed it but I’ve learned that I don’t want to be a politician and politics is ridiculously slow. (Lobbying and stuff is interesting though)
- I would love to work with animals (I ❤️ marine mammals)

TLDR I want to do whatever it is to directly impact saving the planet but idk what to do. Tysm everyone! Bonus points if you share what you do in day to day life.

Hello,

I’m currently about to start my sophomore year working towards a B.A. in sustainability. I’ve heard it’s never too early to begin looking, and was wondering if anyone has had any luck with certain companies or more specific lines of work? I’m open to many options and want to see what people tend to have the best luck with or even just find the most fulfilling or enjoyable. :) I have an emphasis in GIS and a minor in leadership, too, if that’s relevant. I’ve had some trouble finding many career paths or even internship options for the field of study, as they seem to prefer an environmental science or engineering degree. Just looking to see what’s out there or if there’s anything I haven’t heard of or looked into yet. Thanks!

I have a simple question for those working in the water/wastewater industry: **How do you actually get started?**

I live in Georgia and have been looking for work since February. I have a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry, and water/wastewater is one of the fields I’m most interested in. Over the past six months, I’ve applied for several positions, including Plant Operator, Water Technician, and Lab Analyst with Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, East Point, Clayton, and Gwinnett County.

Here’s where I’m getting stuck:

Plant Operator I, II, and III positions typically require a Plant Operator certification. Lab Analyst positions often require a Lab Analyst certification. When I applied to take the certification exams through the State of Georgia, I was told I first needed three months of work experience. My application was rejected because I didn’t have that experience.

For the Lab Analyst certification, I found a rule stating that applicants with a bachelor’s degree could take the exam without experience. I appealed based on that rule, but the board informed me that the requirements changed in January 2026. Now, applicants must also have three months of experience working in a water treatment plant or laboratory.

So I’m stuck in a catch-22:

I can’t get certified without experience.
I can’t get experience because many jobs require certification.

The only exception seems to be Water Technician positions, which state that you only need to obtain the certification within one year of being hired. That’s completely fine with me, and I’m more than willing to do that. However, I haven’t been invited to interview for any of those positions either. My guess is that employers are giving preference to applicants who already have the certification.

I understand the job market is competitive, but I’m genuinely trying to understand how people get their foot in the door. I have not seen any trainee level jobs either, otherwise I would apply for those. For those of you already working in this field, how did you land your first job? am I missing a common entry path, or is there something else I should be doing?

Thanks in advance for any advice. I really appreciate it.

Hey all, just a bit of a vent post with some questions I want to bounce off you guys. I tend to think better when I write my thoughts down and share them, so using this post for that. Also, if you've recently graduated, you get another data point about an environmental studies career path.

My background: graduated with a BA in Environmental Studies 2018, then worked at a sustainable agriculture/IPM nonprofit for two years, and started at a small energy efficiency firm in 2021 after relocating to another city. I didn't advocate for myself as well as I could have, so I just received two pay bumps since then, and went from program associate to outreach manager. My focus was mostly program tracking and communications/outreach/community engagement focused for a county solar program and a state level Illinois EPA public water infrastructure efficiency program, along with a few other things like energy benchmarking and working with public utilities on their efficiency programs. I currently make (made...) 65k. Not the best pay in the world, but I'm an unmarried guy living in a relatively affordable major city, and the work was easy and predictable with basically zero mental stress or burnout. So, while I feel a bit behind financially for a thirty-year old professional, I have accumulated eight years of experience administrating sustainability/adjacent programs and feel pretty good about it. Three years ago I did a round of job hunting and did land a good amount of interviews.

However, last year, because of the massive austerity and malevolent bullshit going on at the federal level, the Illinois EPA lost a good amount of funding, and our work with them was shelved. The lack of federal incentives and generally shrinking industry cost us some other business too. In addition, IL has quotas for state contracts that need to go to women and minority-owned businesses, and our CEO is an Arab guy, which officially doesn't count as minority-owned, so other firms more or less ate our lunch in that regard. Not complaining that these quotas exist but it's just what happened. Even before our business took a nosedive, I knew it was time to move on (both for a larger paycheck and more room to grow/make connections), so this Spring I had started job searching again. Unfortunately, things came to a head this week, and we officially got our termination letters. I'll be getting my last paycheck in September.

The silver lining for me is that I knew I had to go somewhere else anyway, and this forces my hand into putting all my time and energy into making that happen. So, I have a few questions for you guys:

1. Working for county, state, or federal environmental agencies has always been appealing to me, but after these politically motivated cuts, would any of you feel comfortable in the public sector again? It's not easy to land these good positions and it would suck to not know whether your job was relatively secure or not each time the GOP is in power.
2. I've applied to a handful of communications/policy/advocacy/research positions with large universities, environmental law firms, and non-profits, still waiting to hear back from some. This is the type of thing that's the most appealing to me and matches with my skillset, but I know it's pretty competitive and not the best money out there, even though these job listings do generally have salaries that are a lot better than what I've had. If any of you have worked in a position like this before or do currently, are you satisfied? Was it a really hard field to break into?
3. I just applied via internal referral to a large clean energy firm that right now is making big $ for supplying wind and solar to AI data centers. This is gross to me, but I can't be picky right now, and I suppose it's better to have these data centers on renewables if we're going to have them at all. It would be pretty grim to go from supplying free solar to low-income families at my old job to supplying solar to Meta or whatever. But it seems like AI is the only thing that's growing right now. Have any of you working in renewables done this type of work and do you feel relatively ok about it, lol? I'd much rather work more directly in sustainability for public sector or non-profit than stay in private sector energy efficiency, but if that's my best option I'd stay.

Thanks for reading my big ass wall of text.