Career Opportunities

UHCL graduates in Environmental Science have a very high placement rate and are employed by consulting firms, private utilities and energy firms, environmental and conservation agencies, non-profits and local, state, and federal agencies. Depending on the specializations, graduates of environmental science have numerous career options, such as environmental scientist, environmental specialist, environmental biologist, environmental chemist, environmental geologist, industrial hygienist, safety specialist/officer, and environmental health and safety specialist.

There has been a steady and high demand for graduates in environmental science. According to the most recent statistics produced by the U.S. Department of Labor reports, the employment of environmental scientists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all other occupations (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos050.htm). It was reported that job prospects are expected to be favorable; employment of environmental scientists is expected to increase by 25 percent between 2006 and 2016, much faster than the average for all occupations. Job growth for environmental scientists should be strongest in private-sector consulting firms. Growth in employment of environmental scientists will be spurred largely by the increasing demands placed on the environment and water resources by population growth. Further demand should result from the need to comply with complex and evolving environmental laws and regulations, particularly those regarding ground-water decontamination, clean air, and flood control.

The Houston Galveston area and State of Texas employs a large number of environmental professionals. This trend is expected to increase in future years due to the increasing number of environmental issues and expected population growth. For example, a recent query of environmental job listings in a regional job bank (http://houston.jobs.topusajobs.com) indicated that there are over 369 environmental industry-related jobs listings currently in Houston that require professionals in this field. Another service (http://www.ehscareers.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/jobsearch) listed 79 positions available in Texas and 531 jobs nationwide. Due to the fact that Houston serves as the petrochemical capital of the U.S., future opportunities for environmental professionals in these industries will continue to increase.