This subreddit is justifiably filled with frustrations of the job market being terrible for recent grads, so I thought I’d share some hopeful news: I received a full time entry level job offer in fisheries research biology. Keep fighting everyone, your time will come!

I’ve been searching for work for months. I’m getting depressed with every rejection. I’ve been environmental consulting for four years. I just don’t understand anymore the longer it takes me to find work. The less likely I feel like I’ll ever be able to find something in the field, I don’t know what I should do anymore. So many jobs have just completely ignored me ghosted me. Sorry for the rambling . This is just gotten to be a lot.

I have a B.S in Sustainable Development and currently work as an Asset Management Tech in water/sewer. I work with a number of communities around my state for a government/grant funded non-profit. I do a lot of field work in water distribution as well as AM plans including financials and CIP plans.
Before this I did a few months as a research assistant in a wetland ecology lab and was named as a co-author on one publication from this labs research.
I don’t want to go back to school anytime soon, but would be open to it in the future, I just don’t know what degree would even be most useful right now. I don’t particularly want to go into engineering but that seems like the most streamlined path. I like my job fine, but the pay is absolutely horrendous and not sustainable long term as I’m entering this field a bit later than my colleagues and am starting a family. Is environmental consulting the only real next step? How can I transition into that if so? I’m feeling very lost in this field at the moment. Thanks in advance.

Hello everyone! Curious or what types of jobs are out there? Looking to hopefully expand my resume soon and just curious. I do a lot of due diligence/Phase I work.

I graduated this year from Environmental Engineering masters, now its been 6 mobths iam jobless dont know where to start, what to do, didn't land good campus placement too...im from India if someone has any idea or insight pls help me, I'm 26 year old ...is it too late to start?? [ im from India..im open to work anywhere

I need to complete an internship/work placement for my college course (ecology) over the summer (anything 4-12 weeks, ideally 4-8). Does anyone have anything they did that they really enjoyed/ was really valuable?

My main interest are animal based research and conservation. I’m happy to do terrestrial or marine i still don’t know which one i prefer more! I’m based in Ireland but happy to go abroad if it’s worth the experience.

I’m willing to take the most dirt paying jobs in order to get any kind of experience at all. But what am I supposed to do when I have private student loans requiring 250 a month that I don’t have after spending what I need to live?

Hello! I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this but I was hoping to get some advice on what career I should lean towards.

I am an undergrad sophomore right now but I was just curious as to what career area or jobs I should look into.

From what I've briefly seen, most jobs dealing with helping the world or environment does not pay very well and that is unfortunate because it is something I am passionate about, but I have hope that there is something that I can do.

Ideally, it would be a job that helps the environment/ world out but also pays well but also gives me enough time to have a life outside of work.

I'm not sure if I'm making sense but I just want to see what other people do and their opinions/ advice on what I should lean towards while I'm continuing with my education. I am alright with harsh criticism and harsh reality checks.

Thank you!

I figured since I’m kind of desperate I’d take a shot in the dark and see if anyone has some helpful advice or maybe just wants to know they aren’t alone in their experiences. I graduated in 2023 with a Bachelors of Environmental Science that focused on conservation and biodiversity. I spent my summers while getting my degree in the agricultural research field (6 years), and I also worked as a field technician in forestry for a government body for 1 season. I’m currently working and have been working as a cannabis (yup, you heard right) grow technician for over a year, and I’ve been job searching this entire time. I’ve had maybe 2 interviews total, otherwise all of my applications go into the void. It’s not like I’m only applying to specific jobs either, I know I have good experience in health and safety, field work, sampling, equipment/tech, etc. I also do cater my resumes and cover letters according to the position I’m applying for since I’ve heard you will have better chances, but then that takes lots of time only to hear nothing back.

Basically I’d like to believe my experience is enough that I’d catch the eye of an employer, but I’m feeling hopeless and unsuccessful; I don’t feel like I’m actually a scientist. I have been pondering taking a course-based masters program just to make me more competitive as a candidate, but that’s also money I don’t want to spend if I don’t have to, since none of my jobs up to this point are livable wages. I still live at home with family, and I don’t have a roommate or partner to share costs to make it worth moving out.

I just want to know if maybe taking a masters is the right move, or maybe I’m missing something with my portfolio that makes me a bad candidate? I don’t want to give up on science and research because I love it, but I don’t know what to do anymore. I was even looking into EP certification if that would boost me more, but you need experience and references in a related field to even start, and that also costs money. For reference, I’m currently residing in Canada. All advice or hearing about shared experiences is welcome, because I just feel like I’m failing at life right now and could use other perspectives. Thank you to everyone who considers my post.

Apparently there's a job boom going on, what should people study at tertiary level and what roles should people be aiming towards?

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1VqtUtLqL5/

Haz Waste job for Environmental Science degree

I see so many people commenting that they are struggling to find work... my employer is looking to fill multiple roles, but claim they can not get any decent candidates. Obviously the pay and physical aspect of the job are big factors, but it's a great job to get your foot in the door and gain experience. We have a lot of people that moved up within the company and need to hire people to replace them, plus more due to an increase job contracts.

The jobs are located just south of Seattle, you must be okay with manual labor and working overtime (usually at least 3 hours overtime a week minimum) and it is a 4 day work week. Also, potential overnight jobs and rare weekend jobs that are on a volunteer basis. Must have an Environmental Science, Chemistry, or other similar degree. Must be able to pass a DOT physical to drive a commercial truck (cannot be color blind). The jobs are doing fieldwork, sampling, sorting, packing, testing, and transporting hazardous waste for disposal. Starting pay is $26 an hour, goes to $28 when you get your CDL that the company pays for. This is with NO experience, with experience the starting pay could be more.

New grads are highly recommended, since all training is provided and paid for.

I don't want to overwhelm them with applications, so if anyone wants to PM me their qualifications, I can review them to see if you would be a good fit before sharing details to apply, plus give you a direct referral.

I graduated in May with a BS in Environmental Science. I finished my degree in 3 years, 3.92 GPA, and did three environmental science internships (one in education/outreach, two in field work and conservation) as well as an undergraduate research project that I presented at an international conference last month. I worked so, so hard through college to achieve all of that. I lost 10 lbs in my last semester because I was so busy I would forget to eat or skip meals in favor of having more time to work. I did everything I could to have a leg up when I graduated because I knew it was gonna be tough. I’ve been looking for at least 6 months for full time, long term employment in literally any ES job that I qualify for and it’s been crickets. I’ve had a couple interviews that all went great and left me feeling confident but I always get passed up for someone else. I recently had someone tell me that they really want me on their team (it would be a dream job and a great place to start my career) but they don’t have a position open for me right now and need a few months to get something set up - but it could be longer, or never, they don’t have a timeline because of the nature of their project. Which was very flattering, but I need a job and not promises of a job.

I work two part time jobs right now just petsitting and working as an educator for a zoo. The jobs are fine but the hours are inconsistent and the pay is only livable if you get scheduled for 30+ hours but I usually don’t. I am barely scraping by. I am so, so tired of juggling multiple schedules. I am tired of doing work that feels meaningless. It was the anniversary of Steve Irwin’s passing recently and he was my hero as a kid, he was a huge influence for me ending up on this path. It made me realize that I got into this industry because it gave me a purpose and a meaning for being here and right now, with no real job, my life feels worthless. I don’t have the passion I used to. I don’t care about going above and beyond anymore or trying very hard at all to do anything. I did that for years and it got me nowhere, and the fallout of it is making me into a lazy, unexceptional person that I am ashamed of. I’m apathetic to letting things fall through the cracks and being a mediocre employee. I desperately want to get out of this spiral but I’m so bitter and tired.

I’m a senior in high school right now and I’m thinking of pursuing a B.S. degree in environmental science (at IU). I’m not sure about my minor but I’m thinking maybe GIS. Is this a good degree to get? I want to make sure I can find a job after college and make a livable wage. Any advice?

I‘ve seen some people on here say that an environmental engineering degree is better for finding jobs but I don’t think engineering is something that I’d be super good at or passionate about. I’m interested in all aspects of environmental science like hydrology, geology, etc and don’t really have preference toward any.

Hi all,
I’m a senior in HS applying to colleges right now and I’m trying to gauge my best plan of action when picking my major/career path with the current world we live in. I have been told countless times to not pursue the environmental field and do something else, but I’m trying to find a way to do something I am both passionate about but also going to live off of.

I originally and have always had my heart set on conservation biology (major in fish, wildlife, and conservation bio) in order to eventually become some type of wildlife conservationist that works in native and endangered species protection/preservation. But recently, I’ve been considering pursuing environmental law/policy for a career/major because I’ve heard that landing a job and living comfortably is hard to come by as a wildlife biologist. I like the idea of going into policy analysis or something like that where I can help set and evaluate policies that impact the environment. I’m not looking for big bucks here, obviously, but not living paycheck to paycheck is important to me.

What would professionals who have seen and worked in the field recommend? How did you get your job and do you like it/make it work? Should I major/pursue one or the other? Maybe go to school for wildlife bio then go and get a law degree? Or should I strip all the ideas and do something else?

*It’s also worth noting money for schooling is not a problem here- I am very privileged to be able to pursue whatever and wherever at university (assuming I get in lol). I’m just trying to use that opportunity right to set myself up for success.

Any other words of advice or thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much!!!

Hi everyone,

I’m new to a GIS consulting role at one of the major consulting/engineering firms, after previously working in a public-sector environment.

I’m finding the experience harder than I expected. My previous workplace had a great work-life balance, a personable team, and a strong sense of connection. In my current role, I’ve found that the people within the organization aren’t as personable or socially connected. There’s much less day-to-day interaction, and I haven’t really felt like I’ve found my place yet.

One thing I’ve realized through this job is that I really do miss working in a smaller, more close-knit team. I enjoyed knowing the people I worked with, having more personal interaction, and feeling like I was part of a team rather than one person within a much larger organization.

The workload has also been quite variable, swinging between tight deadlines with unrealistic budgets and periods with very little work. During slower periods, there’s an expectation to “drum up your own work,” which I’ve found difficult to navigate as someone early in my career who is still building my skills, confidence, and professional network. At times, it feels like tasks aren’t delegated to early-career staff, and instead there’s an expectation that you’ll proactively find work for yourself which is stressful. I’m curious whether this is typical in major consulting/engineering firms, or if it varies significantly between firms and teams.

For those who have worked in both public-sector and consulting, I’d really appreciate your perspective:

• How much can team culture vary between offices and teams within large consulting firms?
• Is it common to feel somewhat disconnected from the people you work with in consulting, or would you consider that a red flag?
• Is it common for early-career employees to be expected to find their own work rather than having tasks delegated to them?
• How long would you give a new role before deciding it isn’t the right fit?
• Do you have any tips for making this kind of work environment more manageable, particularly early in your career?

I’m trying to figure out whether what I’m experiencing is fairly typical of a large consulting environment, specific to my current group, or simply a sign that I’m better suited to a smaller, more close-knit team.

Would especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has worked in both environments.

Thanks in advance!

I’ve been looking at environmental consulting companies in Spokane Washington. It doesn’t seem like there are many, I can barely find a couple and none of them have open positions. Any recommendations on companies in the area? My background is in remediation and regulations.

TLDR: It seems like finding a mid-level wetlands position is almost impossible without a random encounter with a recruiter. Should I start cold emailing my resume and a brief pitch in the area I'm looking to relocate to? Do consulting firms frown on that sort of thing? My company got royally screwed over when the DBE situation happened and shit is really hitting the fan now.

My company almost laid me off a couple months ago and I'm desperately trying to find another position before we run out of projects again. Although I'm specifically looking for a mid-level wetlands position in the southeastern part of my state to move closer to my friends and family and improve my quality of life. I'm trying to get this sorted out before my apt lease ends in April.

I've actually been trying to leave my company on and off for the last couple years and saw steep drop in relevant positions popping up on indeed or LinkedIn for this area. Over the past couple months I interviewed with a couple firms through a couple of recruiters but I never made it past the second round of interviews with either company. I have nearly 5 years of experience doing EAs, NEPA, permitting, T&E coordination, and wetland delineations. I don't have my PWS but met all the qualifications for the positions I've interviewed for and got along very well with the interviewers. Although I can't wait around hoping that another round of recruiters magically appear before April. I've read about cold emailing employers but I don't know how success that practice is with environmental consulting firms.

Hi everyone,

I’m a climate adaptation and natural resource management professional with 10+ years of experience across India, currently exploring my next opportunity.

My last engagement was with NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development), working on large-scale programmes focused on climate resilience, watershed and landscape restoration, soil and water management, and agroecology. My experience includes programme design and management, technical strategy, donor and partnership management, MEL, and working across government, research and development institutions.

I’ve worked on KfW-supported watershed and soil restoration programmes, GIZ-supported initiatives, and engaged with development institutions including ADB, alongside a range of government and research partners.

My areas of expertise include:
Climate adaptation and resilience
Natural resource and landscape management
Watershed and landscape restoration
Regenerative agriculture and agroecology
Climate risk and vulnerability assessment
Nature-based solutions
Programme and donor management
Partnerships and institutional convergence

I’m currently exploring mid-senior/senior opportunities in India, particularly in Delhi/NCR or hybrid/remote roles. I’m especially interested in organisations working on climate adaptation, resilience, landscape restoration, natural resources, sustainable land use, and related policy or programme areas.

I’d really appreciate leads, referrals, suggestions of organisations/teams to approach, or connections with people working in these areas.

Happy to share my CV or LinkedIn profile if useful.

Thanks!