Environmental science

Job options

Jobs directly related to your degree include:

• Ecologist
• Environmental consultant
• Environmental education officer
• Environmental engineer
• Environmental manager
• Geographical information systems officer
• Hydrologist
• Nature conservation officer
• Sustainability consultant
• Waste management officer
• Water quality scientist

Jobs where your degree would be useful include:

• Data analyst
• Environmental health practitioner
• Hydrogeologist
• Minerals surveyor
• Meteorologist
• Secondary school teacher
• Supply chain manager
• Town planner
• Toxicologist
• Transport planner
• Water engineer

Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any degree subject, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

Work experience

Some environmental science degrees have a placement year option, providing the opportunity to gain practical industry experience, increase your skills and develop a network of contacts. It may also be possible to do shorter placements and field trips during your course. Look for internships and placements with:

• charities
• conservation organisations
• environmental consultancies
• government and public bodies
• utilities companies.

Apply early, as opportunities can be competitive.

Getting involved in relevant clubs and societies while you're at university is helpful for gaining experience and adding to your CV. Look for volunteering opportunities with conservation and environmental organisations, such as practical habitat management, wildlife surveying or community environmental projects.

You could also attend environmental conferences and events or get involved in sustainability initiatives and campaigning. These activities can help you develop practical, teamwork and communication skills and demonstrate your interest in environmental issues to employers.

Search for placements and find out more about work experience and internships.

Typical employers

Opportunities for environmental science graduates can be found in the environmental science and wider biology sectors. Typical employers include:

• environmental consultancies
• environmental protection agencies such as the Environment Agency (EA), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
• local authorities
• nature conservation organisations
• non-departmental public bodies, such as Natural England and NatureScot
• UK government departments, such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

There are also opportunities with utilities, waste management, energy and engineering companies, and in planning, surveying, environmental education and research. Graduates also work in sectors such as:

• finance
• IT
• law
• sales.

Find information on employers in environment and agriculture, energy and utilities, and other job sectors.

Skills for your CV

Studying an environmental science degree provides you with a broad understanding of environmental issues and challenges at local, national and global levels, including climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. You learn about human impacts on the environment and how to predict and manage them.

Areas covered can include:

• chemistry
• ecology
• environmental biology
• geography
• geology
• resource management
• soil science.

Depending on your course, you may develop specialist knowledge in areas such as geohazards, wildlife management, conservation and sustainability.

Employers are also interested in skills including:

• adaptability and the ability to work independently and in a team
• field and laboratory skills for collecting and analysing environmental data
• GIS, mapping and spatial data skills
• numerical and digital skills, including statistics, modelling and specialist software
• planning, time management and project-management skills
• problem-solving, critical thinking and decision-making skills
• research and communication skills.

Further study

Some environmental science graduates choose to undertake postgraduate study to specialise in an area such as environmental management, conservation, sustainability, climate change or GIS. Others take further qualifications to enter a particular profession, such as environmental health, where an accredited environmental health qualification is required to become a registered practitioner.

Some graduates are supported by their employers to undertake further study and gain directly relevant professional qualifications.

It's also possible to train to become a teacher or undertake a postgraduate research degree, such as an MRes, MPhil or PhD, to pursue a career in research or academia.

For more information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in environmental science.

What do environmental science graduates do?

Just over a fifth (21%) of environmental science graduates are working as environment professionals after graduation. Other jobs that make up the five most commonly reported occupations include:

• sales and retail assistants (4%)
• conservation professionals (4%)
• civil engineers (3%)
• agricultural and fishing trades (2%).

Find out what other environmental science graduates are doing 15 months after finishing their degrees in What do graduates do?

Graduate Outcomes survey data from HESA.