Data & Research
 
* ELMI Occupation Profile - Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health *
 
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
(O*NET 19-2041.00, SOC 19-2041)
 
More detailed occupations under this title:
 - Climate Change Policy Analysts
 - Environmental Restoration Planners
 - Industrial Ecologists
What they do
Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.
 
Also called:
Environmental Analyst, Environmental Health and Safety Specialist (EHS Specialist), Environmental Health Specialist, Environmental Programs Specialist, Environmental Protection Specialist, Environmental Scientist, Environmental Specialist, Hazardous Substances Scientist, Natural Resources Specialist, Registered Environmental Health Specialist (REHS)
 
 
Wages
Vermont - 2023
Percentile1HourlyYearly
10% $ 26.42   $54,950  
25% $ 28.83   $59,970  
Median $ 33.80   $70,300  
75% $ 38.11   $79,270  
90% $ 43.94   $91,400  
 
Average $ 34.19   $71,120  
1 What are Percentile Wages?
More at CareerOneStop
 
Industries of Employment
United States - 2020
IndustryPercent of total
  • Professional, scientific, and technical services
42%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals
24%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals
12%
  • Federal government, excluding postal service
6%
  • Educational services; state, local, and private
3%
More at BLS
 
Knowledge
People in this career often know a lot about:
  • English Language
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Biology
    Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • Customer and Personal Service
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Law and Government
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
  • Computers and Electronics
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
More at O*NET
 
Skills
People in this career often have these skills:
  • Active Listening
    Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Complex Problem Solving
    Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Reading Comprehension
    Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  • Science
    Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Speaking
    Talking to others to convey information effectively.
More at O*NET
 
Interests
People in this career often prefer these work environments:
  • Investigative
    Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
  • Realistic
    Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional
    Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
What are your interests? Take the O*NET Interest Profiler
 
Work Styles
People in this career will do well at jobs that need:
  • Integrity
    Job requires being honest and ethical.
  • Analytical Thinking
    Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
  • Attention to Detail
    Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  • Cooperation
    Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  • Dependability
    Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
More at O*NET
 
Tasks
On the job, you would:
  • Communicate scientific or technical information to the public, organizations, or internal audiences through oral briefings, written documents, workshops, conferences, training sessions, or public hearings.
  • Monitor effects of pollution or land degradation and recommend means of prevention or control.
  • Collect, synthesize, analyze, manage, and report environmental data, such as pollution emission measurements, atmospheric monitoring measurements, meteorological or mineralogical information, or soil or water samples.
  • Review and implement environmental technical standards, guidelines, policies, and formal regulations that meet all appropriate requirements.
  • Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
More at O*NET
 
Related Occupations
More at O*NET
 
 
Career Video
Watch at CareerOneStop with transcript or at YouTube.
 
Projected Employment
 Vermont
2020 employment 313
2030 employment 342
Annual percent change
(compounded)
0.9%
Annual projected job openings
(due to change and separations)
34
More at Occupational Projections
 
Education and Experience:
  • Typical education needed for entry
    Bachelor's degree
  • Work experience in a related occupation
    None
  • Typical on-the-job training needed to attain competency
    None
Based on BLS Education and Training Classifications
 
Physical Work Activity
Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
 
  • Physical activity is Important
  • Level of activity is Moderate
Importance
Low   High
Level
Compare Occupations at O*NET
 
Job Zone
Considerable Preparation Needed
  • Specific Vocational Preparation Range
    (7.0 to < 8.0) - A typical worker will require over 2 years up to and including 4 years of training to achieve average performance in this occupation.
Based on O*Net Job Zones and SVP
 
Education Level
How much education do most people in this career have?
Education level Percent of
U.S. Workers
Doctoral or professional degree
or post-MA certificate
  4%
Master's degree or
post-BA certificate
  26%
Bachelor's degree   47%
Associate's degree   0%
Certificate or some college,
no degree
  1%
High school diploma
or equivalent
  21%
Less than high school diploma   0%
More at O*NET
 
Abilities
People in this career often have talent in:
  • Deductive Reasoning
    The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral Comprehension
    The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Problem Sensitivity
    The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Written Comprehension
    The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Inductive Reasoning
    The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
More at O*NET
 
Work Activities
In general, what you might do:
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Getting Information
    Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Working with Computers
    Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Analyzing Data or Information
    Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
More at O*NET
 
Detailed Work Activities
What you might do in a day:
  • Provide technical information or assistance to public.
  • Advise others about environmental management or conservation.
  • Monitor environmental impacts of production or development activities.
  • Compile environmental or climatological data.
  • Develop environmental sustainability plans or projects.
More at O*NET
 
Other Resources
  • CareerOneStop
    resource for job seekers, students, businessess and career professionals
  • O*NET Online
    nation's primary source of occupational information
 
O*NET in-it

This page includes information from the O*NET 28.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

BLS

This page includes information produced in cooperation with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and State Occupational Projections programs.

 
 
 
 
Vermont.gov State of Vermont Department of Labor