2 answers
Sean
Student
Clemson, South Carolina
3
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What should I do besides school in order to get a good Ecology/Environmental Science job that pays decently?
I am an upcoming freshman at the University of Florida, and I am planning on majoring in Environmental Science/Biology/Environmental Engineering, and then going on to get a Master's Degree. I am looking to have a job that's about half field work and half office-style work. I have heard that it is really important to do GIS and get a lot of internships/volunteering, but what other things/specific classwork do I need to do to make myself more hirable in the field? #Spring25
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2 answers
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
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Australia
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Dr’s Answer
Hey Sean! First off man, you're already thinking like someone who’s gonna land a solid job in the field, just by asking the right questions early. That’s a huge win. Now, You're totally right about GIS, it’s practically a golden ticket in environmental fields right now. But let’s add a few more tools to your adventure kit bud. Firstly, Remember Field work experience is a big deal, and the earlier you get it, the better. Look into research assistant gigs with professors, local conservation projects, wildlife surveys, or even water sampling jobs. Anything that gets you into the real-world side of science.
Don’t sleep on tech, basically, GIS is key, but also try to get comfy with R, Python, or any kind of data analysis. Environmental science jobs love people who can interpret what the numbers mean *and* tell a good story with them.
Make connections where nature lives: Join student orgs related to sustainability, wildlife, or ecology. A lot of internship opportunities and fieldwork chances come from word-of-mouth in these circles — plus it’s way more fun learning with people who geek out over frogs and soil samples too.
Build a mini portfolio: If you’re doing cool stuff, projects, research, even class presentations, save it, document it, and turn it into a little online portfolio. It helps when you're applying for internships or networking with professionals. Trust me it comes in handy, I used to make a lot of presentations back on my first year Uni and I did not keep a save and honestly didn't expect it had come in handy when I would transfer. So, if you do keep it will show your portfolio a lot more enagging.
And a quick tip for right now, Since you’re heading into freshman year, reach out to professors doing environmental research at UF before classes start. Express interest and ask if they take undergrads in their labs or field teams. That small step could open doors before your first lecture even happens.
Just keep adding layers, experience, skills, and connections. You don’t have to have it all figured out yet, just keep moving with curiosity and purpose. You got this buddy, enjoy the moments don't worry too much just keep going, all the best out there and feel free to reach out if you ever need anything.
Don’t sleep on tech, basically, GIS is key, but also try to get comfy with R, Python, or any kind of data analysis. Environmental science jobs love people who can interpret what the numbers mean *and* tell a good story with them.
Make connections where nature lives: Join student orgs related to sustainability, wildlife, or ecology. A lot of internship opportunities and fieldwork chances come from word-of-mouth in these circles — plus it’s way more fun learning with people who geek out over frogs and soil samples too.
Build a mini portfolio: If you’re doing cool stuff, projects, research, even class presentations, save it, document it, and turn it into a little online portfolio. It helps when you're applying for internships or networking with professionals. Trust me it comes in handy, I used to make a lot of presentations back on my first year Uni and I did not keep a save and honestly didn't expect it had come in handy when I would transfer. So, if you do keep it will show your portfolio a lot more enagging.
And a quick tip for right now, Since you’re heading into freshman year, reach out to professors doing environmental research at UF before classes start. Express interest and ask if they take undergrads in their labs or field teams. That small step could open doors before your first lecture even happens.
Just keep adding layers, experience, skills, and connections. You don’t have to have it all figured out yet, just keep moving with curiosity and purpose. You got this buddy, enjoy the moments don't worry too much just keep going, all the best out there and feel free to reach out if you ever need anything.
Loved reading this, thank you.
Jordyn Anglim
3
Answers
Updated
Jordyn’s Answer
Dr. H has provided you a golden nugget of advice. I followed much of this advice as a B.S. in Environmental Science that went for Environmental Engineering Masters.
Internships, internships, internships - there's your experience, your connections and recommendations.
Research opportunities
Training opportunities that also count as course credits (GIS, safety trainings, etc.) if available. It's something you can immediately add to your resume and check a few credits off for graduation.
Volunteer work with related local organizations (conservation, sustainability)
Your head is in the right space for being successful. Balancing the extracurricular and coursework can be challenging so do not overload yourself just be very strategic with your time that can make the most impact for the future possibilities you want.
Overtime in your academic career you may find what area you want to pursue within environmental science/engineering (there's a lot!) and then going after research/internships/trainings that relate to that.
Make good connections with professors, they are your lifeline for getting into grad programs and your first job.
Like Dr. H said don't sleep on any software trainings that's relevant to the field. GIS is still pretty big, getting a drone license is also a big plus.
I know your an upcoming freshman so right now it's just doing your research to see what your university offers you (courses/trainings), what local groups you have for volunteering, what technology you would like to get training in, and how you can tailor your course work per semester to fulfill your interests.
Best of luck! You have chosen a great field.
Internships, internships, internships - there's your experience, your connections and recommendations.
Research opportunities
Training opportunities that also count as course credits (GIS, safety trainings, etc.) if available. It's something you can immediately add to your resume and check a few credits off for graduation.
Volunteer work with related local organizations (conservation, sustainability)
Your head is in the right space for being successful. Balancing the extracurricular and coursework can be challenging so do not overload yourself just be very strategic with your time that can make the most impact for the future possibilities you want.
Overtime in your academic career you may find what area you want to pursue within environmental science/engineering (there's a lot!) and then going after research/internships/trainings that relate to that.
Make good connections with professors, they are your lifeline for getting into grad programs and your first job.
Like Dr. H said don't sleep on any software trainings that's relevant to the field. GIS is still pretty big, getting a drone license is also a big plus.
I know your an upcoming freshman so right now it's just doing your research to see what your university offers you (courses/trainings), what local groups you have for volunteering, what technology you would like to get training in, and how you can tailor your course work per semester to fulfill your interests.
Best of luck! You have chosen a great field.