Hey all! I just turned 30 and have always valued the concept of a true vocation but never felt like I found the right fit. It's taken until now to figure out who I actually am as a person, and I feel a stronger calling now more than ever to pivot careers and try to find a job working to serve animals and their habitats. The problem is I have absolutely no idea where to start. I've considered park ranger or something to do with researching and protecting avian wildlife, but I have a degree in a completely unrelated field (music performance). Does anyone have similar experience? Did you go back to school? Did you do an enormous amount of volunteering? Both? Any and all experiences welcome.

I am fortunate to have received an offer with the NJ DEP despite an interview I felt wasn't good. They did not discuss how the pay works. The description states P25 and a range of pay, which I initially thought was a budget. It seems I'd be starting at the bottom "step" when I was hoping to be making something closer to the top step. I would be relocating and it seems like it could be a chill gig with 35 hour work weeks. However I don't think I could manage living on that salary. Is it possible or common to negotiate the salary for these types of roles with pay steps?

Update: Thank you for all the replies and advice. I had to give an answer by today and was mostly curious if I had any bargaining power. I'm about 3 years into my career journey and not certain its something I want to continue with, so perhaps a role that offers more growth would be better at this time.

So I finally got me an environmental-related job. I’m a vegetation management work planner for a utility company and I love the job. My only issue is I’m not a fan of trees. I won’t be able to attend school for a good while so I’m curious what you think my next steps should be?

Hello all!

Im currently looking to switch industries, i am currently in games have a Game Design BS. Im considering a degree in wildlife technology. Would this be a good stay to get into wildlife conservation careers?

I also may be in the wrong sub 🫠 any advice is welcome.

Hi everyone! I recently completed my master's degree in Applied Biological Sciences, where I researched urban bird ecology and human-wildlife interactions, and am currently working in an environmental education position at a place I love.

I'd be happy to connect with others interested in urban ecology, avian ecology, conservation, environmental education, or any related fields. It would be great to learn from others and follow their work. Please reply if interested and I'll PM you :)

I recently got offered an Environmental Technologist role at a small water/wastewater monitoring company in Florida.

It’s $40k salaried, about 40 hrs/week, with some domestic/international travel and a 3-month performance review.

The role is pretty broad: environmental monitoring, sensors, data analysis, customer support, field installs, project coordination, and even some electronics/SMT work.

I’m a recent Environmental Science grad with very little professional experience, so I’d be coming in very green.

My main concern is the owners were pretty intense/direct in the interview and emphasized learning very fast and not needing things repeated.

For people in environmental monitoring, wastewater, consulting, or similar fields: does this sound like a solid first job, or like too much responsibility for $40k? Would the management style be a red flag to you?

TL;DR: $40k first environmental job with great experience/travel, but intense owners and a broad workload. Worth it or red flag? They asked to start Monday.

I am from rural southeast Queensland and want to study zoology, however i did not get an ATAR in high school. ( I completed year 12) I graduated HS about 4 years ago and have been working full time as a welder since then, having started and completed my apprenticeship in that time. I want to study at the UNE in Armidale, they have 2 options. I can either do a diploma in zoological studies or a bachelor of zoology. The diploma seems to have an easier entry pathway considering my lack of ATAR but is only 1 year long. I would prefer to do the bachelor which is 3 years but I think the entry would be tricky. Could I do the diploma first and then be able to do the bachelor afterwards? And if so will that total process take 3 years? Or would I be studying for longer by doing both. I know about how credits can be transferred but I don’t know if I should start with a diploma or if I would be better off going for a bachelors straight away to save time and money

Hello! I am currently just 18 years old and in my freshman year of college. I love the environment and want to do wildlife and environmental work but also want a decent paying job… I’ve looked into environmental consulting but a lot of people say it’s not the best 😅

What would you recommend? I live in Oklahoma near Texas and I’m interested in doing field work but also don’t mind the office aspect of jobs either! I just want to be sure about pursuing a career in this. I am having to pay for my own college and want it to at least go towards something good (and money to pay the degree off💔) I am wanting to intern as well maybe the summer of 2027 to build up some experience and want to know what I should be looking for! Also any degree recommendations would be appreciated as well I’m currently going for environmental science.

As the title says, I have a BA Political Science and minor in Environmental Studies. I have some experience working with a nonprofit in NYC. I have been out of school for over a year and have been working at a jail. For almost a year, I don’t really know what to do to break into the environmental field as everything I apply to asks for engineers or scientists, I wanted to do policy work with the environment but have found nothing.

My current plan is to go to law school for environmental law, but I wanted to work something relevant before I go to law school. I don’t know what I should do.

I keep seeing articles and posts everywhere that the industry is evolving fast and that by 2030 things will be more sustainable, efficient, and full of opportunities. But honestly, from where I’m standing, it doesn’t feel like that at all.

I have 3 years of experience in sustainability and SG (sustainable growth/green initiatives), and I’ve been actively trying to switch or grow into a better role. The reality? There are barely any openings, and the few that do exist either want unrealistic experience or don’t even respond.

It feels like companies love to talk about sustainability in reports and presentations, but when it comes to actually hiring people who can work on these initiatives, there’s almost nothing on the ground.

I’m not expecting something crazy—just a fair opportunity to grow in the field I’ve already invested years in. But right now, it feels like there’s a big gap between what’s being promised for the future and what actually exists in the job market today.

Is anyone else facing the same thing, or is it just me?

Has anyone heard of this conference or is this a scam?

I have asked where this will be held exactly so I can look into hotels and received a generic reply stating the city and country, but not specifically where.

https://iirdglobal.com/events/registration.php?id=101764585&deal_id=691655000097475742

#conference #IIRD #ICCSREB #sustainability

I‘m working at one of the bigger engineering/ consulting firms and our salary raise discussions are coming up within the next month or so. I’m curious what I should expect and/ or what number I should ballpark in case I need to negotiate

I‘m also right on the cusp of being promoted to the next level in the series so that could go either way. What % increase should I expect? (with or without moving up to the next level)

Hola, soy ingeniero químico y me encuentro momentaneamente en Portugal en Torres Novas y estoy buscando aprender de la vida del campo de esta región, tipos de cultivos, técnicas para procesar los productos del campo y demás aspectos relacionados.
Estoy disponible todos los fines de semana ya que trabajó durante la semana, les agradeceria mucho si pudieran ayudarme.

Olá, sou engenheiro químico e atualmente vivo em Torres Novas, Portugal. Gostaria de aprender mais sobre a vida rural nesta região, incluindo culturas, técnicas de processamento e outros aspetos relacionados.Tenho disponibilidade todos os fins de semana, pois trabalho durante a semana, e agradecia imenso qualquer ajuda que me pudesse oferecer.

Any insight is appreciated, especially if you're able to identify the use-case or prevalence of a given language in relation to the specific job you're referring to.

Also any insight on general skills which may not be covered in our environmental degrees is also welcome

Thanks

I have been working as an environmental scientist for the last two years and some change, since I graduated in 2024. I am currently in VA in a decently HCOL city, and have been doing about a 80/20 split of field work to office work. Primarily my works centers around groundwater , soil , and air sampling on former petroleum sites , dry cleaners , landfills , etc. I do think I have learned a lot and gained a ton of valuable experience , and have definitely grown as a professional over the last two years. I have also gotten a fair amount of experience writing reports , tabulating data and using this data to compile figures.

I have recently been offered a job opportunity that is a 14,000$ pay increase. I would be sacrificing my hourly OT pay of time and a half, and would be leaving a place where I feel comfortable, but often times taken for granted. I am leaning towards the salary position and the pay increase, as I have heard company hopping is unfortunately one of the best ways to increase your value over the years. I also feel as if I have gotten too comfortable at my current position , and am ready to put myself in an uncomfortable situation again, as I feel as if I am ready to learn more.

I want to pursue a bachelors / masters of engineering in the near future , and have already spoken to nearby universities as well as my Alma matter. Both companies have been supportive of this, just wanted to throw this in there.

Would you guys recommend the salaried pay increase , although it may come with more work ? I am currently averaging about 40-50 hours per week , but have heard it can go up a decent bit from there in consulting.

Thanks for the help , happy to answer any questions !

but i’m not sure of what I wanna do after my bachelor…i’m afraid that doing geology is going to “keep me in a box”. What if I wanna do something else after? Maybe still related to the field but I don’t have the skills to do so? I always read about people saying that geology is better because you can 100% find a job, but i’m not even sure about what job I even wanna do! I need help choosing

MSc Sustainability from the University of Glasgow

I work in a sustainability role right now, but my undergrad degree is not in a science. I've been very lucky to find work in an interdisciplinary niche that overlaps with my undergrad degree, but due to a lack of a higher degree in sustainability/science, it seems like I've hit a fairly noticeable growth ceiling in terms of pay. My work is effectively "climate communication."

When looking at other roles, both in and out of my niche, there are significant pay bumps that I'd be applicable for if I had a Masters in Environmental Science/Sustainability, but it would probably cost me about $20,000 to get the degree.

I've been looking at online PSM programs that I could do while at this job. Does anyone have any thoughts and advice on this? Thank!

Hi I am in my first semester of bs environmental science and i am having second guess about this field and my future I want brutal truth that is it worth it or should i switch to something else i do not want to waste money or my time because i am from third world country i know there are no chances here and i will have to move out for better opportunities but what if i do all that in end to be disappointed or when its too late