What can I do with an environmental science degree?

With growing demand for environmental change linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, there are many opportunities opening up in the business and management field to ensure companies and organisations are meeting targets, reaching standards and having real impact.  

Generally, environmental managers will supervise and oversee a company’s sustainability and environmental outputs. They will analyse, evaluate and advise on how changes can be implemented. More specialised roles include waste management officer, environmental monitoring lead, or an environmental impact offer, for example. 

Careers in this area will benefit from a passion for environmental issues and an ambition to facilitate change to processes and frameworks in your organisation or field.  

Working in nature conservation is a hugely broad area which could take you from promoting the outdoors and encouraging people to get out into the natural environment, to monitoring and analysing wildlife and creating solutions for protecting endangered species.  

Roles might include a conservation project manager, park ranger, an ecologist or even a horticulturist. You’ll likely analyse the nature you’re in charge of, analyse the biodiversity in the area and implement action plans. The balance between field work and office time will vary but you’ll likely experience both in most roles.  

From local authorities and government to environmental agencies and nature organisations, like the Wildlife Trust, and even engineering companies, there are many opportunities to work in the conservation sector.  

Bringing together the core elements of environmental science and business consultancy, you’ll advise on a range of environmental issues from sustainability to flooding risk and the protection of wildlife.  

You’ll usually work for a consultancy or as a self-employed consultant, offering your services to businesses and organisations looking for external expertise on a specific environmental issue.  

As a consultant, you’ll require a number of years’ work experience in the environmental sector and the skills and experience to develop new frameworks and modules to create change. You’ll be expected to have extensive knowledge of environmental regulations and law, and the confidence to provide your opinions and analysis to non-technical leaders.  

With some similarities to environmental consultancy, policy makers and analysts will collect data, research, analyse and evaluate environmental policies, practises and laws to understand their impact on people and planet.  

The end goal is to deliver recommendations for new legislation, legal procedures or even awareness campaigns to better adapt to growing environmental issues. Working with stakeholders across the sector including businesses, government groups and political lobbyists, you'll work as a multidisciplinary team to create change.  

Roles in environmental policy making include policy analysts, research advisors, environmental policy managers, or a director of policy and practise.  

One of the fastest growing industries globally is technology, as demand grows for innovative digital solutions to the world’s greatest challenges, including climate change and environmental sustainability.  

Environmental careers in technology are thriving in everything from carbon offsetting and renewable energy to supply chain solutions and sustainability leadership. You could work in app development, bringing your environmental science experience to those with more technical skills, or specialise in environmental engineering and apply scientific and engineering principles together.  

You could work as a green IT advisor, or with a company working to develop eco-housing solutions. Within tech, there are roles that don’t even exist yet and room to create a niche within the industry. 

Fancy sharing your knowledge with the next generation of environmentally conscious workers? With a further qualification to teach, you could take your environmental science skills to the classroom or lecture hall.  

As a geography or science teacher, you could inspire school children to engage with environmental issues, working on creative group projects and raising awareness. As an environmental science lecturer, you could be involved in developing the course curriculum, undertaking research and will have the ability to teach a range of environmental science subjects.  

With an environmental science degree, you could work for a range of organisations around the world, from the large conservation agencies like The Wildlife Trust and global consultancies to national environmental protection agencies, construction companies, government departments, charities and even start-ups and enterprises.  

Whichever area you choose to work in, opportunities in environmental careers are growing. It’s a great time to use your passion and skills for change.  

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