What Can I Do With A Major In Environmental Science?

Urban and regional planners are often referred to as community or city planners because many are employed by local governments. They develop long and short-term land use plans to provide for growth and revitalization of urban, suburban and rural communities, while helping local officials make decisions on social, economic, and environmental problems.

Educational Requirements

A bachelor's degree from an accredited planning program, coupled with a master's degree in architecture, landscape architecture, or civil engineering, is good preparation for entry-level planning jobs in areas such as urban design, traffic, or the environment. A master's degree from an accredited planning program provides the best training for a number of planning fields.

Avg. Maine Salary: $24.73 per/hour

Avg. # Maine Employment 15047

Annual Openings: 498

Projected Growth: 13%

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSPECTOR

Work primarily for State and local governments, ensure that food, water, and air meet government standards. They check the cleanliness and safety of food and beverages produces in dairies and processing plants, or served in restaurants, hospitals, and other institutions. They often examine the handling, processing and serving of food for compliance with sanitation rules and regulations and oversee the treatment and disposal of sewage, refuse, and garbage. In addition, inspectors may visit pollution sources and test for pollutants by collecting air, water, or waste samples for analysis. They try to determine the nature and cause of pollution and initiate action to stop it.

Educational Requirements

Educational requirements may include bachelor's degree in environmental health or in the physical or biological sciences. In most states, they are licensed by examining boards.

Avg. Maine Salary: $13.60 per/hour

Avg. # Maine Employment 1100

Annual Openings: 25

Projected Growth: 10.4%

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RELATED OCCUPATIONS

Inspectors	Compliance Officers
Construction And Building Inspectors	Fire Marshals
Federal, State And Local Law Enforcement Professionals
Fish And Game Wardens	Architects
Landscape Architects	City Managers
Civil Engineers	Environmental Engineers
Geographers	Ecologists
Water And Waste Water Treatment Plant Operators

SKILLS

Organization	Working As A Group
Self Motivating	Public Speaking
Business Management

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SAMPLE JOBS

(taken from past issues of our Career Services Husky Job Board)

Community Economic Developer -
Foster sustainable, balanced and wise use of natural resources, economic diversification, small business development and quality job creation and retention, and affordable housing.
Qualifications: Advanced degree with emphasis on land use planning, environmental science, public policy, business of related field; minimum five years experience; excellent communication, organizing, research and computer/GIS environmental analysis skills; ability to build public/private partnerships and work collaboratively to meet mission and project goals.

Director of Land Protection -
Coordinate and implement a comprehensive program to protect ecologically important land areas in Maine.
Qualifications: Degree in conservation, resource management, business or related field and minimum of five years experience in natural sciences, conservation, real estate, fund-raising, business or an equivalent combination of education and experience; must have record of success, negotiation expertise and exceptional people skills; requires an ability to work effectively with a wide variety of public and private landowners, staff volunteers, land trust partners and numerous public agencies, to develop support for protecting biodiversity in Maine; must have knowledge of, and be able to apply, a full range of protection tools, including negotiation of purchase agreements, easements, and other strategies to meet Chapter protection objectives. Knowledge of Maine's geography, politics, major ecosystems a plus.

Chief, Engineering/Planner
Serve as Chief of Engineering/Planning Division managing workforce through two or more levels of subordinates who are assigned responsibility for major elements of program. Direct large workforce employed in wide variety of professional, technical, administrative, and clerical occupations engaged in water and related land resource and environmental engineering/planning and design of spectrum of civil works, military projects, and remediation of hazardous, toxic, and radiological waste sites.
Qualifications: None were included with this job listing.

Solid Waste Planner -
Work with communities on all aspects of solid waste management and recycling; assist in community planning programs.
Qualifications: BA in planning, engineering, or related field, and professional-level experience in municipal solid waste or planning.

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RELATED ACTIVITIES

Participation in environmental groups.

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

(These resources are located in our Career Resource Centers)

Maine Dept. of Labour and Occupational Outlook Handbook

Choices

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PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

(For more information see the National Trade and Professional Association
of the United States located in our Career Resource Centers)

American Council on Science and Health
2nd Floor, 1995 Broadway
New York , NY 10023-5860
212-362-7044
acsh@acsh.org

Acrylonitrile Group, The

Air Conditioning Contractors of America

American Association for Aerosol Research

American Council on Science and Health

American Industrial Health Council

American Institute of Hydrology

American Society for Environmental History

American Society for Surface Mining and Reclamation

Aspirin Foundation of America

Association of Environmental Engineering Professors

Council on Packaging in the Environment

Environmental Assessment Association

Environmental Bankers Association

Environmental Business Association, The

Environmental Design Research Association

Environmental Information Association

Environmental Management Association

Environmental Mutagen Society

Environmental Sciences Association

Federation of Environmental Technologists

Institute for Polyacrylate Absorbents

Institute of Environmental Sciences

International Association of Aquaculture Economics and Management

International Association of Environmental Testing Laboratories

International Association of Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians

International Association of Wild land Fire

International Lead Zinc Research Organization

International Society for Ecological Modeling-North American Chapter

National Association for Environmental Management

National Association of Environmental Professionals

National Association of Noise Control Officials

National Association of Professional Environmental Communicators

National Conference of Local Environmental Health Administrators

National Environmental Balancing Bureau

National Environmental Health Association

National Environmental Training Association

National Institutes for Water Resources

National Registry of Environmental Professionals

National Spray equipment Manufacturers Association

North American Association for Environmental Education

North American Thermal Soil Recycling Association

Plant Growth Regulator Society of America

Renewable Natural Resources Foundation

Silicones Environmental Health and Safety Council of North America

Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health

Society for Human Ecology

Society for Occupational and Environmental Health

Society of Environmental Journalists

Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

Steel Recycling Institute

Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association

United States Dye Manufacturers Operating Committee of ETAD

World Research Foundation

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The information on this page was taken from the following sources: CareerWare 98; Maine Dept.of Labor, 94; Occupational Outlook Handbook, 98; National Trade and Professional Associations Of the United States, 97; College Majors and Careers

Website Last Updated August 8, 1999

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