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Job outlook for environmental health specialists in the United States
Are environmental health specialist jobs in demand?
Environmental health specialist job and salary trends over time
Environmental health specialist jobs over time
Environmental health specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,638 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,743 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,983 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 7,340 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6,772 | 0.00% |
Average environmental health specialist salary over time
Environmental health specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,789 | $26.34 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $52,887 | $25.43 | --20.3% |
| 2023 | $66,329 | $31.89 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $65,203 | $31.35 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | $64,421 | $30.97 | +1.0% |
Environmental health specialist jobs by state
Most common states for environmental health specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 279 | 40% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 182 | 29% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 213 | 28% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,692 | 25% |
| 5 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,319 | 24% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 750 | 24% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 128 | 22% |
| 8 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,431 | 21% |
| 9 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 384 | 20% |
| 10 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 335 | 20% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 170 | 20% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,571 | 19% |
| 13 | Delaware | 961,939 | 178 | 19% |
| 14 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,073 | 18% |
| 15 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 1,199 | 18% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,061 | 18% |
| 17 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,033 | 18% |
| 18 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 538 | 18% |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 240 | 18% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 134 | 18% |
Most common cities for environmental health specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodge City | 1 | 4% | $48,298 |
| 2 | Iowa City | 2 | 3% | $48,290 |
| 3 | Oxnard | 4 | 2% | $64,298 |
| 4 | Sioux City | 2 | 2% | $48,432 |
| 5 | Cedar Falls | 1 | 2% | $48,582 |
| 6 | DeKalb | 1 | 2% | $52,934 |
| 7 | Hayward | 2 | 1% | $70,786 |
| 8 | Albany | 1 | 1% | $62,283 |
| 9 | Cambridge | 1 | 1% | $60,388 |
| 10 | Fall River | 1 | 1% | $61,558 |
| 11 | Fort Smith | 1 | 1% | $47,070 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 7 | 0% | $63,583 |
| 13 | Anaheim | 1 | 0% | $63,003 |
| 14 | Aurora | 1 | 0% | $52,960 |
Environmental Health Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of environmental health specialist experts
Bellarmine University
University of Central Missouri
University of Minnesota
Barnard College
Bard College
Denison University
Penn State Behrend
University of Kansas
Rowan University
Bethune-Cookman University
The Ohio State University at Lima
California State University, Dominguez Hills
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
North Carolina Central University
Indiana University Bloomington
Eastern Virginia Medical School
SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Western Illinois University
American Public University System
University of Minnesota, Morris
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Specialist?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: Be a contributing member of the communities you occupy. Forming authentic relationships builds the network that will lead to opportunities for advancement.
What Environmental Health Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: The art of paying attention is the top emerging skill that students need to acquire before entering the workforce in Environmental Science. We have so many distractions vying for our attention in today’s high-tech world that we need to be mindful of where we choose to direct our thoughts to optimize our productivity. Likewise, paying attention to changes in the environment is of utmost importance in the work that we do, and paying attention to our own needs will keep us going in the hard but rewarding work of changing the world.
What will help Environmental Health Specialists increase their earning potential?
Martha Carlson Mazur PhD: Be clear to yourself on what you value and how you want to use your unique skills and knowledge to change your piece of the world. Then, connect with people to find shared values and build relationships to enact your vision while being open to opportunities you might not have considered.
Wesley Tinker
Assistant Professor of SafetyUniversity of Central Missouri
Safety Sciences
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Specialist?
Wesley Tinker: - The day-to-day duties of a Safety Professional depend on the industry they currently work in but also the level of tenure they have in the organization. There is a long list of duties but the following allow for a broad sweep across an average day. The schedule of a typical workday could start with a toolbox talk which allows for a brief 'heads-up' to a vast array of safety-related topics or issues that workers have the possibility of seeing on-site. Field audits would be another crucial duty to examine the site for new safety-related issues and to monitor controls set on previously identified hazards. Conducting pieces of training for new workers and/or updates on safety-related issues on their site. Accident investigations are one of the random unexpected duties a Safety Professional might conduct, which is important in the prevention of future injuries and illnesses. Providing good customer service toward the workers and management but also the organization's vendors is critical for nearly all aspects of that company. Customer service is closely connected to the culture of the company as the majority of industry leaders provide a 'Safety First' environment. Overall, the Safety Professional provides many attributes to the day-to-day functions of many organizations. These attributes directly impact that company's stance in the overall global marketplace.
What Environmental Health Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wesley Tinker: - In today's marketplace, the need for Safety Professionals is at an all-time high. With the ever-evolving methods and equipment across all industries, safety-related positions are being instituted to keep up with the introduction of the risks associated with the evolvement. Safety professionals impact the four quadrants of risk management involving finances, strategy, operations, and of course hazards. In previous years, the persona of duties associated with the Safety professional only impacted the hazards element but nowadays we can see how impactful they are on all four of those quadrants. With this level of involvement in the organization, the justification for a higher salary is made. Safety Professionals typically enter the field because they want to prevent people from becoming injured and/or ill but also the volume of positions along with the higher payscale than most 'fresh out of college' professions, allows for more opportunities.
What will help Environmental Health Specialists increase their earning potential?
Wesley Tinker: - Most dislikes are typically initial as they are mostly during the time needed to adapt to the organizational structure and procedures. Desensitization to certain aspects such as public speaking and conflict resolution is needed, as those skills will assist them heavily in their future in safety. Another dislike could be the individual not enjoying the development of safety loss control programs, but these documents are the backbone to which they enforce compliance and explain all elements related to worker and infrastructure safety. - There are many more 'likes' associated with being in safety than 'dislikes'. Safety Professionals can expect a very rewarding career personally, financially, and professionally as they typically enjoy a great work/life balance, maintaining a lucrative career which the majority of organizations start them at salaries ranging from $70,000 to $95,000, and several developmental aspects associated with being an active Safety Professional.
Erin Surdo Ph.D.
Teaching Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Environmental EngineeringUniversity of Minnesota
Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo- Engineering
What skills stand out on Environmental Health Specialist resumes?
Erin Surdo Ph.D.: Students with strong oral communication and project management skills and technical background in material balances and fluid mechanics often succeed in environmental engineering careers.
Logan Brenner Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in Environmental ScienceBarnard College
Environmental Science Department
What skills stand out on Environmental Health Specialist resumes?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: It is really impressive to see some type of research experience outlined on a resume and related output, such as a presentation or poster at a conference or some other public venue or an article. It is important that you clearly explain the research project on the resume or CV to highlight its relevance to whatever job you are applying for. Maybe the content is relevant, or instead, it is the skills that you learned. Honestly, it is becoming much more commonplace to see a research project on a resume, so I would almost say that it is a critical component. Conducting research indicates that you can work independently and/or in a team, solve problems, and think creatively and critically. Summarizing your findings in a conference presentation or a write-up shows that you can distill and communicate your most important and compelling conclusions and that you can finish a project.
What soft skills should all Environmental Health Specialists possess?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: It is rare that someone will solve a problem, answer a research question, or make a discovery on their own. As is the case in many science fields, collaboration is key, so working in a team is critical. To do this effectively, you must collaborate with people who may have different work styles than you, be comfortable with delegation and self-assigning responsibilities, communicate and resolve conflict, know when to be a leader, and follow someone else's lead, and manage your time. From an environmental science perspective, our world is becoming ever more complex, and the best way to address complex problems is with a group of diverse minds. We need to have an open mind, start approaching problems creatively, and consider the value of having varied educational and professional training and multiple perspectives.
Your science will mean little and have minimal impact if you can't explain it to anyone who asks. As an environmental scientist, you will undoubtedly have to communicate your work to varied audiences ranging from professionals in your field to the general public. Therefore, you need to recognize your audiences and meet them at their level to get your ideas across. What is most impressive is not a lecture full of unnecessary jargon that obscures your point but instead a few succinct and eloquent sentences using universally understood language.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Environmental Health Specialists?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: Keep in mind the field of environmental science is quite broad, and so the hard or technical skills that are necessary for one specialty may be less important in another. Being able to code and work with big data are two skills that are becoming more important each day. Try to become semi-proficient in at least one coding language, but you will likely have to learn another in the not-so-distant future. While math was never my favorite subject, I admit that many of my classes became relevant in my work. It is hard to know when in your career applying what you learned about partial derivatives will become necessary, but it will, and you will wish you paid better attention in Calculus Class (speaking from experience). Being able to model, often a combination of coding and math, is a complex but valuable skill. When applied, this could mean using or understanding climate models, groundwater flow, population growth, viral spread, or predictions of any kind. Being able to model is a powerful tool.
What skills will help Environmental Health Specialists earn the most?
Logan Brenner Ph.D.: Suppose by earn we are referring to earning money. In that case, you want to hone skills applicable to a wide variety of careers and fields. Many people call these transferrable skills. Being able to code and work with large amounts of data are critical skills to any STEM field and are becoming more relevant in nearly every sector. If you can get experience coding or working with data in a classroom setting, that is great. If you can also get some hands-on experience applying those skills to a research project, independent study, or during an internship, even better. Being comfortable working with numbers, i.e., proficient in math, is also valuable. Numerous soft skills will also help you excel in the workplace, such as being flexible and ready to pivot when your work takes you in a new direction, ease with public speaking and communication, and self-confidence. Believing in yourself will make it easier for others to believe in you. This is much easier said than done, and many successful people struggle with imposter syndrome and managing their own self-confidence. It is totally normal but something that you should prioritize throughout your professional career.
What skills stand out on Environmental Health Specialist resumes?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: For our MS Policy graduates, the ability to write an interdisciplinary literature review is the foundation for policy formulation and grant writing.
What soft skills should all Environmental Health Specialists possess?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Networking.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Environmental Health Specialists?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Solid natural science background, esp ecology, and biogeochemical cycles.
What skills will help Environmental Health Specialists earn the most?
Dr. Eban Goodstein: Data analysis skills.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Specialist?
Dr. Doug Spieles Ph.D.: Cast a wide net. You may have an ideal position and geographic location in mind, but very few people land that dream job immediately. A willingness to pursue various positions and locations can increase your odds of finding an entry-level job. This can help you build skills and networks that will put you in a healthier place for achieving your ultimate goal.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Health Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Doug Spieles Ph.D.: I would place data science and geographic information systems at the top of the list. We live in the information age, which is both exciting and overwhelming. I believe that we will increasingly need scientists who know how to obtain and use data to solve spatially explicit environmental problems.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Environmental Health Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Doug Spieles Ph.D.: Chron.com reports the average entry-level annual salary for an environmental scientist at $44,000, with a career median at around $70,000. Salaries will vary by location and level of education and experience.
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Specialist?
Deborah Aruguete Ph.D.: Particularly in this time of COVID-19, it is critical to be proactive. More than ever before, a graduate's boss (or prospective employers) are coping with the increased stresses of more home duties, changes in work operations, etc. These senior authority figures will appreciate people who take the initiative. If you have an idea or see an issue at work, before you go to your boss, take the time to look up the information you need. Once you have some information, it is then time to communicate. I cannot emphasize enough, more than ever, the need to communicate regularly and clearly.
The second piece of advice might seem pretty obvious, but here it is: Follow the Instructions, whether it is for a task at work or when applying for a job. Environmental science is interdisciplinary by its very nature, so it is likely in a position that you'll have to learn about new techniques or unfamiliar areas of science. Instructions are there for a reason. It amazes me how so many students do not bother to read instructions. One suggestion I have for people who tend to read too fast and miss steps is to say the instructions aloud. There's something about actually speaking every word that forces people to slow down.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Health Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Deborah Aruguete Ph.D.: Anything with databases and associated computing. In the environmental sciences, our issue nowadays is not so much that we cannot get data, but we have so much we don't know what to do with it. For example, one area that environmental scientists handle is land use management. The government and universities collect tons of data, map land, monitor flow rates in streams, etc. The key to making this data useful for your land management questions is the ability to search for what you need and analyze this. Advances are being made with databases all of the time.
Honestly, if I were a student and had the time, I'd want to take a class about information management systems or computer programming.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Environmental Health Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Deborah Aruguete Ph.D.: Starting salaries vary quite a bit because they are adjusted for the cost-of-living in a given area. I've seen as low as $40k, but in many areas of the country, that's a comfortable salary for a single person. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says, on average, annual pay is $71k. For just having a bachelor's degree, that's pretty strong, and I'd say that reflects how much one can progress. Remember that many positions for environmental scientists are with the federal, state, and local governments. These positions generally have excellent benefits and adequate job security, not reflected in the pay.
What experience really stands out on Environmental Health Specialist resumes?
Cari Ann Kreienhop: This is a tricky question because organizations can be focused on very different things in a given hiring search. I think what should be important to applicants in crafting their application materials is that they highlight their experience and achievements and highlight these attributes within the context of the organization's mission and strategic plan. The resume is the blueprint of how an applicant can fit into and contribute to an organization's growth; if the applicant doesn't take the time to match their resume experience to the job posting, hiring managers aren't going to take the extra time to read between the lines.
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Department of Language, Literacy and Sociocultural education
How would you rate the starting salaries for Environmental Health Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.: Educators are not paid nearly enough. However, working in a state with strong teachers' unions helps to ensure a starting salary that recent graduates can live off of and growth opportunities, albeit modest, over their careers.
Dr. Michael Reiter Ph.D.
Professor, Director, and ChairBethune-Cookman University
Department of Integrated Environmental Science
What type of skills will young Environmental Health Specialists need?
Dr. Michael Reiter Ph.D.: Most of what graduates will need are the same things that have been desired for some time: the ability to communicate effectively, write clearly, analyze data correctly, think and reason logically, and adapt what they know for use in changing or unexpected situations. Careers in this field are also considered competitive, so practical work experience or internships related to your ultimate goal are a big plus. However, particularly with our recent experience with the COVID pandemic, our attention is turning more quickly to remote technologies, sustainable lifestyles, and quality of life issues (many of which are impacted directly by environmental factors). As a result, new graduates will probably also need to be comfortable with new technologies, their possible use in problem-solving, and their integration into the chosen field of study or career.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Michael Reiter Ph.D.: The active areas for environmental issues have traditionally been the more forward-thinking and ecologically concerned cities and states (such as the West Coast, much of New England, large university hubs, etc.). But with the growth of environmental awareness and sustainability concerns over the last decade or two in this country (albeit in fits and starts), there are opportunities almost anywhere in the academic, private, and public sectors. Environmental issues connect to virtually any topic and any region of the country, and they impact all social groups, making opportunities potentially available almost anywhere. So while the traditionally active locations will likely remain active, you won't necessarily have to go far to find a way to use your environmental skills and abilities. Careers in Environmental Science are expected to grow at around 10%, much faster than average, so you can expect many options to become available.
How do you envision technology impacting Environmental Health Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Michael Reiter Ph.D.: Technology has been impacting the environmental field dramatically for some time. The use of GIS and Remote Sensing, artificial intelligence and fuzzy logic, drones and in situ sensors, complex modeling (such as global climate models and neural networks), and crowdsourcing strategies are all in use now and growing in application and acceptance. There is also a developing focus on data mining to use the existence of large, relatively underutilized datasets. I expect all of these to continue to develop as the environmental issues of concern continue to grow in scale and complexity and as ways are sought to handle such large complex problems without relying on an enormous increase in the workforce.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Specialists to find work opportunities?
Leah Herner-Patnode: Usually, urban areas of bigger cities and southern states, such as North Carolina, have many openings. Maine, Florida, California, Hawaii, Washington, and Texas are the most open positions.
Karla Castillo
Full-Time Lecturer, Internship & Professional Development CoordinatorCalifornia State University, Dominguez Hills
Division of Health Sciences
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Specialists to find work opportunities?
Karla Castillo: Yes, my students have very diverse work opportunities that they may apply to. It can range from the Department of Public Health, Hospitals, Community Health Centers, Community Clinics, and even private practice. Our program requires an internship before they graduate so that they have a greater chance to get hired with experience on their resume!
What type of skills will young Environmental Health Specialists need?
Melissa Sullivan: The types of skills vary, depending on the occupational series and position. Information about EPA's career opportunities are located here https://www.epa.gov/careers
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Specialists to find work opportunities?
Melissa Sullivan: USA Jobs is a place where graduates can find various employment opportunities across the federal government and at EPA. As an example, cyber-security competencies can be found here - https://www.chcoc.gov/content/competency-model-cybersecurity.
How do you envision technology impacting Environmental Health Specialists in the next 5 years?
Melissa Sullivan: At the EPA, individuals have diverse backgrounds in a full range of career fields and positions. Depending on the position, we're likely to see technology impacting these career fields, over the next five years, in areas such as artificial and geospatial intelligence, IT security skills, cloud service integration, project management, business process design, a virtual workforce, and democratization of technology across the field, enabling broader participation.
Elisha Blankson
Program Director NCCU, Assistant ProfessorNorth Carolina Central University
Communication Disorders Department
What type of skills will young Environmental Health Specialists need?
Elisha Blankson: Graduates will need a skill set about the field in which they received training and additional skills useful to the job market. For example, with the changing demographics in the United States, extra skills in information technology and foreign languages will be a plus when entering the job market.
What type of skills will young Environmental Health Specialists need?
Vicky Meretsky Ph.D.: This depends entirely on which workforce they are entering. It's a big field. They all are big fields. They could focus on the science side, focus on the organizational/people skills side, or do both.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Specialists to find work opportunities?
Vicky Meretsky Ph.D.: Yes. The public, private, and nonprofit sectors are particularly useful.
How do you envision technology impacting Environmental Health Specialists in the next 5 years?
Vicky Meretsky Ph.D.: Genomics, miniaturization, satellite technology, drone technology, and personal communication technology, including 5-G technology, will improve various aspects of this field and many others.
Dr. Robert Campbell Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorEastern Virginia Medical School
Master of Public Health
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Environmental Health Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Robert Campbell Ph.D.: Public health is a general term that includes so many diverse occupations. In the School of Health Professions - Master of Public Health program, traditional public health nonclinical and clinical professionals include epidemiologists, biostatisticians, and research assistants. Nontraditional public health professionals include nurses, medical and health services managers, physicians and surgeons, clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, radiologic technologists, pharmacists, and emergency management directors. As a result of the pandemic and the need to perform contact tracing, there is a significant need for case investigators, contact tracers, data managers, and health analytics specialists/managers.
Shannon Farrell Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorSUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Department of Environmental and Forest Biology
What general advice would you give to an Environmental Health Specialist?
Shannon Farrell Ph.D.: Your career path is not likely to be one step after another in the same prescribed direction. In today's unique circumstances, be prepared to be flexible, open-minded, and alert for new and unexpected opportunities. Be ready to take multiple jobs in sequence - it is exceedingly rare these days that one finds their 'forever' long term job right off the bat and right out of undergrad. Try things, test, experiment - identifying what spheres of work you like and what spheres you don't like is all a valuable part of data gathering and adaptively moving forward.
If it is hard to find a job in your ideal field, find jobs that provide the opportunity for developing crossover skills: technical and field skills, research skills, writing skills, communication, or management skills. Leverage opportunities to improve and display your executive function skills - planning, organizing, managing, leadership, mentorship, etc. These can all be valuable efforts, even when you aren't working in your preferred scientific field. Be your advocate - make contacts, network, ask for advice, don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone (it may be uncomfortable, but you will survive!)
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Health Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Shannon Farrell Ph.D.: This depends, in part, on what aspect of zoology one is interested in. In terrestrial vertebrate ecology or wildlife ecology and management, GIS/geospatial technologies are super important. All students should get proficient! Alongside that would include drones and other remote sensing equipment and tools used for animal detection (tracking tools). And for everyone in the sciences, proficiency in both the theory and the technological means, for statistics is very important and allows one to both conduct and present research, and interpret and apply science to management and policy.
How would you rate the starting salaries for Environmental Health Specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Shannon Farrell Ph.D.: Hard to say because it varies widely between sectors. Working for a state or federal agency, non-profit, NGO, private firm, or other entity means many different things regarding what it takes to be competitive and what salary one might expect. I will say that, increasingly, in most if not all of these sectors, an MS can be an essential criterion for even near-entry level positions.
Dr. Richard Filipink Ph.D.
ProfessorWestern Illinois University
History Department
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Environmental Health Specialists in the next 3-5 years?
Dr. Richard Filipink Ph.D.: Everyone will need hardware to run the meetings software and the bandwidth to maintain it. An increase in laptop/desktop preference for home use, as your phone won't be enough to conduct much of your work function.
Dr. Elizabeth Keavney Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorAmerican Public University System
Public Administration Department
What type of skills will young Environmental Health Specialists need?
Dr. Elizabeth Keavney Ph.D.: The ability to examine all sides of an issue, to include long-term consequences and short-term consequences and unintended consequences and intended outcomes is vital. A focus on goals and objectives, instead of depending on an emotional response, will help lead to the best solutions. Public servants should be adaptable and able to work with people from various cultures. They need to have an understanding of how to work with and motivate individuals and groups. Those who can stay engaged and exercise good judgment will fare best in fluid and changing times.
How do you envision technology impacting Environmental Health Specialists in the next 5 years?
Dr. Elizabeth Keavney Ph.D.: COVID-19 has increased the number of people who are working at home. This means a solid basic knowledge of telecommuting, and the ability to work unsupervised will be necessary. The ability to use remote security protocols, the cloud, and various software platforms will be required.
What type of skills will young Environmental Health Specialists need?
Ed Brands Ph.D.: Not all of our graduates are "young" or of traditional college age, so perhaps we can call this group "new" graduates? It may seem ironic, given the rapid shift to remote working and learning and using technology nearly always. Still, soft skills such as adaptability, communication (oral and written, and nonverbal--e.g., making eye contact), and teamwork-related skills like active listening and negotiating are becoming more critical. There is, and will continue to be, demand for clear and effective communication, in short, sound-bytes, which is, in part, being driven by the increasing use of remote communication technology (no one likes long webinars or Zoom calls).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Environmental Health Specialists to find work opportunities?
Ed Brands Ph.D.: This depends upon what aspects of the "environmental field" a new graduate is focused on. For example, if the desire is to work with public lands somehow, options in the Midwest might be more limited than further west. There are some positions (e.g., related to soil and water conservation) that exist in nearly every county in the U.S. If there is an interest in working with cleaning up hazardous waste sites or studying the impacts on the human population, there are more of those opportunities in industrial or formerly industrial areas. Working on small organic farms is also a popular interest area, and these exist in every state (some more than others). Still, the work tends to be seasonal so being flexible with location or finding a different job over the winter is usually necessary.
It's a good idea to keep an eye on how employers decide to incorporate telecommuting after the pandemic is over--will it be more prevalent than before? For some positions, e.g., those related to advocacy, there could be more flexibility about employment and location.
How do you envision technology impacting Environmental Health Specialists in the next 5 years?
Ed Brands Ph.D.: As in almost any employment field, proficiency in using essential computer software (word processor, spreadsheet, database) is becoming more critical. Ability with specific software packages, such as desktop geographic information systems (GIS), is excellent and can help you get your foot in the door in many environment-related organizations. However, the most successful people will be able to adapt to using the software in new contexts, collaborate with people who have varying degrees of skill and knowledge, and transition to cloud-based systems.
For people entering jobs with a significant fieldwork component, familiarity in working with desktop and cloud-based applications and hand-held and remote technology is essential. The ability to work with large datasets, quickly make sense of them, and translate the information into everyday, understandable language is another crucial skill that accompanies the rapid proliferation of satellite, airborne, and earth-bound sensors that are continuously collecting data.