Graduate careers advice: you and your environmental science degree

Graduate careers advice on what you can do with your environmental science degree.

Related jobs include:

• Chemical Engineer
• Cartographer
• Compliance/Regulatory Affairs Manager
• Ecologist
• Energy consultant
• Environmental consultant
• Environmental education officer
• Fisheries Officer
• Geophysicist, exploration
• Geoscientist
• Materials Scientist
• Metallurgist
• Mine geologist
• Nature conservation officer
• Waste management officer
• Water conservation officer

Work experience

Pay scales and conditions may vary quite a bit, but relevant work experience should be quite easy to find as many environmental agencies require volunteers to perform a variety of tasks. Some of these may be unpaid or on a purely voluntary basis.

Voluntary work in an environment related area can provide a stepping stone to paid employment. While at university, join any relevant clubs or societies and volunteer with conservation organisations or local campaign groups.

Employers appreciate graduates who have taken up voluntary roles as it displays commitment, and they will also look for graduates who have displayed initiative by attending environmental conferences or taking part in relevant debates. Find out more about work experience opportunities on gradireland here .

What sectors?

Environmental science graduates can find employment with:

• local authorities;
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA);
• Department of Agriculture;
• environmental consultancies;
• environmental monitoring organisations;
• charitable trusts.

The skills acquired with an environmental science degree can also be transferred to other areas such as the energy sector, cartography, chemical engineering and waste management. Gaining the right experience and broadening your studies with further postgraduate courses will help position you at the front of the queue for the position you really desire.

Your environmental science CV

Your degree in environmental science will give you specific skills depending on your course or specialist area. Other transferable skills you will acquire include:

• research and problem-solving
• project management
• the ability to put forward arguments from a scientific, ethical and philosophical base
• communication and teamwork
• numerical and IT skills
• an understanding of local and global environmental issues

Postgraduate study

As an environmental science graduate you may go on to study further for a particular area, such as management or teaching. Your employer may assist you in acquiring relevant professional qualifications. Postgraduate studies will help you become more employable and will increase skills like researching and communication while broadening your knowledge base.

For certain sectors, such as environmental health, a postgraduate qualification is a necessary requirement.

More information on postgraduate course can be found at gradireland’s Further Study section.