How to hire an environmental scientist

How to hire an environmental scientist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step environmental scientist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an environmental scientist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new environmental scientist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an environmental scientist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the environmental scientist you need to hire. Certain environmental scientist roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An environmental scientist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, environmental scientists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of environmental scientists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Environmental Scientist	Description	Hourly rate
   Environmental Scientist	Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health. They may clean up polluted areas, advise policymakers, or work with industry to reduce waste.	$20-40
   Scientist	A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations... Show more	$32-67
   Staff Scientist	The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.	$30-65

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Environmental Compliance
   • Data Collection
   • GIS
   • OSHA
   • Technical Reports
   • Oversight
   • HAZWOPER
   • GPS
   • EPA
   • Project Management
   • Water Quality
   • Environmental Site Assessments
   • Environmental Regulations
   • Technical Support

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage matters relate to CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, OPA, ESA and land use issues.
   • Lead a team of brain cancer immunotherapy with CTLA-4 or PD-L1 antibody conjugate drug.
   • Manage hazardous waste, biohazardous waste, radioactive waste, industrial hygiene, respirator protection, and MSDS database.
   • Lead numerous consultation meetings with USACE, BOEM, USCG, NMFS, USFWS and other state and federal agencies.
   • Develop and manage company EHS compliance processes in accordance with current and upcoming regulatory mandates.
   • Review all operation plans (SWPPP, SPCC, HAZMAT etc . )

   More environmental scientist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your environmental scientist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An environmental scientist salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, environmental scientists' average salary in florida is 52% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level environmental scientists earn 49% less than senior-level environmental scientists.
   • Certifications. An environmental scientist with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an environmental scientist's salary.

   Average environmental scientist salary

   $60,208yearly

   $28.95 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level environmental scientist salary

   $43,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average environmental scientist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$85,764	$41
   2	Washington	$75,390	$36
   3	District of Columbia	$74,170	$36
   4	Oregon	$69,351	$33
   5	Massachusetts	$69,144	$33
   6	Illinois	$66,476	$32
   7	Maryland	$65,901	$32
   8	Minnesota	$65,477	$31
   9	New York	$65,298	$31
   10	Virginia	$64,553	$31
   11	Ohio	$61,802	$30
   12	Colorado	$61,188	$29
   13	New Jersey	$58,937	$28
   14	North Carolina	$58,180	$28
   15	New Mexico	$58,003	$28
   16	Montana	$57,541	$28
   17	Oklahoma	$57,183	$27
   18	Georgia	$55,018	$26
   19	Louisiana	$51,963	$25
   20	Texas	$49,171	$24

   Average environmental scientist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Chevron	$98,596	$47.40
   2	Exxon Mobil	$95,658	$45.99	8
   3	Pacifi	$89,327	$42.95	3
   4	Woods Services	$86,778	$41.72
   5	Parsons	$85,775	$41.24	39
   6	Booz Allen Hamilton	$85,109	$40.92	77
   7	Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory	$83,914	$40.34
   8	World Wildlife Fund	$83,210	$40.00
   9	Energy Northwest	$82,147	$39.49
   10	Brookhaven National Laboratory	$81,712	$39.28
   11	Delaware County	$81,321	$39.10
   12	CDM Smith	$80,204	$38.56	1,658
   13	Battelle	$80,030	$38.48	12
   14	King County	$78,882	$37.92
   15	Gillette	$78,717	$37.84
   16	CyberCoders	$78,427	$37.71	2
   17	Jacobs Engineering Group	$78,344	$37.67
   18	CDW	$77,451	$37.24
   19	Abt Associates	$77,029	$37.03
   20	Daltile	$76,415	$36.74

4. Writing an environmental scientist job description

   An environmental scientist job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an environmental scientist job description:

   Environmental scientist job description example

   Washington Campus Compact's Civic Leadership & Engagement Corps (CLEC) believes all students should be included, empowered, and equipped with the tools and resources to thrive in school and beyond. The CLEC program leverages campus/community partnerships, student coaches, volunteer recruitment, and student leadership to provide academic and basic needs support to students and communities as part of a holistic commitment to educational equity and academic success. In addition, CLEC works to increase awareness and support for equity and inclusion while building sustainable campus/community partnerships and resilient communities. CLEC prioritizes first-generation, low-income students of color and other marginalized students. CLEC members perform direct service-related activities that build institutional capacity, support the success of K-16 students on their academic and career pathways, improve community health, and increase environmental stewardship. Apply now to connect with campus projects across Washington and Idaho! Washington Campus Compact is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our national service programs. People of color, LGBTQ individuals, persons with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. **Applicants who are bilingual are especially encouraged to apply.**
   Member Duties : The AmeriCorps Environmental Education Project Coordinator will work with Pierce College faculty and community partners to develop educational programming and volunteer opportunities for students around habitat restoration, community garden building, and trail maintenance with a focus on Indigenous culture and tribal land acknowledgment. The member will also recruit student volunteers, advertise opportunities across the college district, develop a community garden program at the college dorm, plan off-campus volunteer opportunities for students, develop and implement on-campus projects at existing habitat restoration sites and trails, oversee the adopt-a-trail program at Pierce College Puyallup, work with Indigenous faculty, staff, and students to develop environmental education programming and projects, and attend meetings with campus stakeholders that support the development of programming and other project work.
   
   Program Benefits : Education award upon successful completion of service , Professional Development , Childcare assistance if eligible , Living Allowance , Health Coverage , Training .
   
   Terms :
   Permits working at another job during off hours , Car recommended .
   
   Service Areas :
   Community Outreach , Education , Environment , Tribal .
   
   Skills :
   Recruitment , Leadership , Teaching/Tutoring , Education , Environment , Public Speaking , Youth Development , Team Work .

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find environmental scientists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any environmental scientists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level environmental scientists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your environmental scientist job on Zippia to find and recruit environmental scientist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with environmental scientist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new environmental scientist

   Once you have selected a candidate for the environmental scientist position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an environmental scientist?