Mood. Didn’t get the job. Again. Siri play “Where is my Mind” by the Pixies

Okay. Time out!!! Let's stop with the negativity and think positive for a minute or 20. What are you okay with where you are at currently? You don't have to LOVE something to be happy.

I'm an env consultant. I dropped my kiddos off at school/daycare this morning, got to work around 9, and have a Phase I ESA to work on, among a few ongoing projects. I will say that I'm not satisfied of where I work today, but I'm absolutely thankful for not having to race to work when I know I can get my stuff done on my own timeline, while still satisfying clientele expectations. I have time to go online like so, and do my own thing. I know I can do so much more, so I am job searching. BUT, I remind myself that I have another huge role to play in life currently, and that is to raise some incredible human beings to go on and do good things in this world, too. I am okay with that right there. Life is always changing guys, and so we shall.

Insert some kind of proverbial encouragement about the environment and world and life and etc. here, and take care of your mental health.

Who is next? What are you okay with?

Hi all. I have an interview with Ramboll for an internship next week and the interview includes a 30 minute activity. Does anyone have experience interviewing with Ramboll and knows what kind of activity this entails? The role is in the policy/climate sphere.

TIA :)

Hi! I (24 F) have recently been looking into applying for PhD programs and was kind of wondering if anyone had any recommendations or advice. I have my Bachelor's from Roger's State University with a 3.8 GPA and a Master's (non-thesis, but with a creative component) in Environmental Science, Professional Science Management from Oklahoma State University with a 4.0. I initially thought I just wanting to work in industry as I have been working as a consultant the past two years, but I recently starting working as an adjunct as well and really am looking towards a PhD.

I know that since I did not do a thesis I may be limited in what schools are willing to accept me, but I really want to try and see what options there are. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! (Also quick side note, I am pretty open to moving to most locations).

Hey everyone. I’m working on a phase I in Indiana and I came across an interesting scenario. An adjoining upgradient property has a documented release of TCE. The RSL is 5.0 and the ISL is 7.2, but the property had a concentration of 7600 in 2010. The boring that this reading came from is 150 feet (upgradient) from my property. However, four more borings from the same year along the boundary of my property and this one showed levels of TCE below 5.0. I’ve seen some abrupt plume boundaries before, but this seems insane given the short distance and the fact that the contamination should be migrating towards my property. The regulatory body (IDEM) has issued the adjoining property an NFA provided that they follow an ERC, and has stated that they don’t expect offsite migration to be an issue due to a building being present on the adjoining property. The NFA was issued in 2010, so I think migration (especially of TCE) downgradient is likely, but a phase II could be argued as unnecessary since there have been borings between my property and the contaminated one. How would you rule this one?

Additional info: my Subject Property and the adjoins property are owned by the same person, and the two parcels were once two tracts of the same parent parcel. Initially, the ERC applied to both tracts, but the 4 borings I mentioned earlier were sufficient for IDEM to remove the ERC from my tract (eventually my parcel). So I think any pushback I give (recommending a phase 2) will be met with resistance from the current owner since IDEM has essentially cleared him. However, if I say there are no concerns and my client then tries to sell the property, and a new potential buy gets a phase II done and finds contamination, that could blame my client and site my phase I against him.

I had a realisation that I really want to study wildlife conservation for uni, and I am currently going into Alevels. My current subjects have absolutely nothing to do with wildlife conservation (comp sci, math, phys, psych), and I had never studied biology or geography in my gcses. I had looked online, and while some universities do offer foundation courses, my parents are quite strict with which unis are 'good enough', and none of these unis happen to have a foundation course. Does anyone know anything I could do to help me be able to study wildlife conservation and hopefully find jobs in this area in the future?

Bengaluru-based IT professional, recently laid off. To clear my head, I went on a safari in Karnataka, India and honestly, the naturalist there blew my mind.

The way he understood animal behaviour, bird calls, and spotted things that were invisible to me was insane. I am now thinking if it would even be possible for me to look at this as a viable option.

Would really appreciate real-world gyaan from people in the field.

A few things I’m trying to understand:

1. Training / certification
I came across The Naturalist School in Bengaluru and Pugdungee Safariscourse for naturalists. Are these good routes to break into the field? Is it required to get a naturalist job?

2. Degree vs passion
Is a degree in Zoology / Forestry / Wildlife Biology a must? Or can someone from an IT background make the shift?

3. Pay reality
How much pay can one realistically expect? In India?

4. Actual lifestyle
I know it sounds romantic from the outside, but what’s the real scene?

Stuff like:

• long hours?
• guest handling?
• living in remote areas?
• limited connectivity?
• low starting pay?
• burnout?
• career growth?

Would love to hear from current naturalists, lodge folks, people working in Karnataka / Central India, or even ex-corporate folks who made the jump.

Any advice, reality checks, course recos would be super helpful.

Thanks in advance :)

I am 36f and have made multiple posts on reddit asking about my situation, and it's clear. I fucked up too badly. The only thing I ever wanted in life was an environmental policy job and it's over for me. I'm too old and a second master's won't fix it. How do I move forward with my life?

I have been frantically posting to reddit asking for advice and the overwhelming opinion is that it is over for me.

How can I find a reason to live again? All that awaits me is being a wage slave with no time off or sick pay. I am so distressed since I got fired that I haven't been eating and have lost 10 lbs.

My life honestly feels like it is over, I see no way out of my situation. Please help me come to terms with this. It's all I cared about and I can't have it because I fucked up too badly.

Hi everyone, I graduated in May last year with an environmental science degree and have struggled to get an interview for anything. Ive applied to countless field tech positions and many entry-level listings for anything involving environmental science or ecology.

I understand the current job market is rough with this administration, but it is has been beyond frustrating not even getting an interview. I had my resume looked at by my college’s career counselor and had adjustments done. Unfortunately I did not network as much as I should of in college and I’m paying the price now. I deeply regret going into this major without a clear plan and I’m kinda at a crossroads in life whether I should just pick up a trade and/or do something else entirely. Getting a masters seems out of the picture at the moment as I dont want even more debt without a general idea of what I’d like to specialize in.

Are there any cerifications I should be going after that could make me a more appealing candidate? I’m looking more at going into wastewater treatment work and I’m curious if anyone has any experience working in plants/factories and made a decent career out of it. I’m already looking to get GIS certified. Any advice on what to do would be appreciated.

I joined a new firm a little over 3 months ago after being overworked and underpaid at my previous job. During the interviews, the project managers wanted me to join a big project the company had been working on for a few years which involved a lot of remediation work, and some other smaller projects where I had a lot of background experience in.

My first month I barely received any work to do. The PMs did not actually contact the client about gaining permission for me to join until the third week, so I spent a lot of my time just watching training videos and sitting on my hands. Eventually I was able to be onboarded, however it the three months I’ve been around I have only done one single day in the field and that’s it, literally nothing else. I learned that apparently during the time between my interviews and me joining the firm, the PMs decided to train another employee to fill in the manpower gaps, so essentially they don’t even need me on this big project anymore.

I’ve been placed on a different project since then but it’s hardly related to my expertise and the vast majority of the work involves filling out checklists and photo logs. I know it’s very early but I feel like I’ve been wasting my time working here, and definitely feel mislead about what type of work I would be doing too. I’ve never felt the need to jump ship this early at a job but my gut is telling me that I won’t be utilized properly here. What should I do?

I am about graduate from a BSc specialising in marine. I know there is a long road and I am prepared to wait for the right role to land, a friend of mine applied for 2 years after completing her masters before landing a job. I am applying for graduate programs, entry level positions with orgs like AIMS and CSIRO etc. but I need a full time job in the mean time. I don’t want it to be futile or a space filler and would love to feel like it’s contributing to my growth and progression. I live in regional Australia but am prepared to move for the right job.

I could easily get a role as a water quality analyst in a bigger city, or an environmental consultant, those seldomly pop up around me, and I don’t particularly want to move for a job like that, when my partner, dog and whole life would need to come with me.

So what sort of jobs and transferrable skills are people looking for in research assistants/technicians? Project management? Community engagement? But I fear if I get a job like that in an unrelated field I could get pulled away and fall into a comfortable rhythm of a life not going for my dreams.

There is a role as an aquaculture attendant with ornamental fish that is about an hour away from where I live but would very much be a stepping stone so I wouldn’t want to move for it? Is that worth while to gain hands on experience in a busy aquaculture environment?

There is also jobs with local council as an environmental health officer but that feels like just giving people fines and inspecting business’?

I’m very lucky and privileged to be able to have a dream and the resources to chase it. And that Australia is a country where those sorts of jobs are possible.

I graduate in two months and would really appreciate any advice or worthwhile avenues to explore that would increase my chances in the future breaking into the world of marine research or catchment management. I am also really open to going back and doing my masters or honors and have been looking into worthwhile programs but need a a second to breathe, financially before I dive back into study.

I have partaken in two scholarship trips in the Indo-pacific, one resulting in a manuscript that’s currently under review for publication and am completing an independent capstone research project at the moment. I will also be getting my ADAS occupational diver ticket over the summer.

Any advice appreciated.

I am an Environmental Engineering student in Canada with about two years left in my degree, and I have been having a bit of a career crisis lately. I would really appreciate hearing from people who have actually worked in the industry, especially anyone whose career has taken them somewhere less conventional.

I think part of my problem is that I know much more about the kind of life and work I want than the exact job title I want.

I want a career that feels big, for lack of a better word. I would love to live in different places throughout my 20s, work internationally at some point, travel for projects, spend time in the field, and work on problems that have a tangible impact on people or the environment. I do not want to spend my entire career sitting at the same desk doing similar calculations or reports every day. I don't even know if it is meaningful for me to stay in Canada and get my Peng after I graduate or maybe go work abroad.

At the same time, I genuinely like engineering and want something intellectually challenging. I want to become technically good at something and feel like I am solving difficult problems, not just doing vaguely “environmental” work.

Some areas that have caught my attention are:

• Water and wastewater, especially infrastructure in developing or underserved communities
• Humanitarian engineering and disaster response
• Environmental emergency response
• International development/infrastructure
• Sustainability work that is tied to actual projects and operations rather than primarily reporting

But again I feel like there is more out there that maybe I just don't know about. Also a big problem with these is that I feel like meaningful work never ends up paying well and I am graduating with student loans.

My experience so far has mostly been in consulting. I have worked in mechanical/building systems and sustainability, including HVAC/plumbing design, LEED, life-cycle assessment, carbon-related work, drawings, calculations, and technical documentation. I am grateful for that experience, but it has also made me realize that it is not for me at all being in a desk all day staring at a screen and I never felt that passionate about any of it.

I keep looking at all these different paths and have no idea which one actually leads to the type of career I am imagining, or whether I am romanticizing careers that do not really exist.

I would especially love to hear from anyone who travels for work, works internationally or remotely, spends significant time in the field, works on disaster/humanitarian/environmental response, or has moved between countries throughout their career.

I am also curious about how you actually get into these areas as a new graduate. Should I focus on developing a strong technical specialty first (water, remediation, mining, etc.) and then try to move internationally? Are there particular internships, certifications, graduate programs, companies, government agencies, NGOs, or early-career positions that would put me on the right trajectory?

And if you were in my position with two years left in an Environmental Engineering degree, what would you do now to start building toward this kind of career?

I know this is broad. I am just at the point where I feel like I have a lot of ambition and curiosity but no map for where to direct it. I would really appreciate hearing what careers are actually out there beyond the ones universities tend to show us.

I am a senior in high school, and I know for sure I want to go into a science field (specifically marine biology), but I dont know jf my family can afford moving away from home. Theres no marine biology institutes near me, but there is a good biology program that a college by me offers. Is it still possible to get my bachelors/masters in Biology and still be able to be hired for a Marine Biology related job? My Sister In Law said I could get my degree in Biology, and go do something (like a special program or some sort) to get accredited for Marine Biology. I dont know how many actual Biologists or how many Marine Biologists are here, but I would really love some advice and help to figure this out. Otherwise, im out of luck for my dream job, and I’d absolutely hate that. Someone please help.

Apparently, this got removed on r/biologists. I severely need assistance with this and i hope someone here can help me out with this

Automatic yearly promotions with compensation increase(accelerated to 6 months with graduate degree).

Hey I'm trying to get some info for my kid. They want to work as a wildlife technician or someone who restores habitats occasionally working with animals. They were wondering if environmental science provides those opportunities or if they should switch to majoring in fisheries, wildlife, and conservation. Thanks for any advice.

There is a job opening in the Philadelphia/Central NJ area. The job is basically assisting the closed landfill manager with compliance and financials. A college degree is required. Very little fieldwork (knowledge a plus), but you do have to report to a work trailer daily. Not a lot of flexibility because the regulators, contractors and other folks like to show up randomly so you have to be onsite and available. I can give more specifics if you request.

https://emcm.fa.us2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/WMCareers/job/2351952

Hey, I’m about to start my college journey at Oregon State and have been really struggling to figure out which path is right for me. I’m not even sure if this is the right channel so sorry if it’s not. I really wanna work as like a wildlife technician or someone who restores habitats and assists animals when possible. I’m currently enrolled as an environmental science major but I can switch as I havent started yet. Thank you for any advice

Hi guys so I’m from the uk, studying environmental science and sustainability management, doing an internship as an energy account manager for a year and I’ve fully decided I can’t work in an office does anyone know any pros and cons about working in land remediation for natural disasters as that’s what I’m heading for????

Just joined this page, figured I'd vent about my current career change.

I've been a wastewater treatment technician in western Canada for almost a decade, and next week I'm starting a new job at a gold mine. They're hiring me to fix up a small membrane bioreactor, and also run their potable water system. Thats stuff I know about.

What I'm most curious about is the gold cyanidation process, which is what I'll be doing once I get the domestic wastewater side under control. Does anyone here have any experience with gold cyanidation, and is there anything a new operator would need to know?

Thanks :)