What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health in the U.S. earn more than $82,220 a year — the middle 80% land between $52,520 and $140,010. About 89,250 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Professionals earn about ₹38,298 a month on average — around ₹4.6 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$82,220typical pay / year
89,250people in this work
$140,010+top 10% earn
₹4.6 lakha year in India (family avg)
Think you get this job?Six quick questions on how it really works — with a hint and the reason behind every answer.
Test yourself →The work, task by task
These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.
Analysing4
Conduct research or investigation
+Compile field notes, soil tests, and satellite-derived canopy data for the Upper Tana pilot, analyse…
Conduct research or investigation
+Compile field notes, soil tests, and satellite-derived canopy data for the Upper Tana pilot, analyse pollutant load trends against Kenya's limits, and write a 1,500-word investigation summarising sources, data gaps, and recommended remediation steps by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptionsO*NET
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Assess environmental impact
+Survey the planned agroforestry conversion area, estimate changes in canopy cover and runoff for the first…
Assess environmental impact
+Survey the planned agroforestry conversion area, estimate changes in canopy cover and runoff for the first five years, identify three likely impacts on nearby watercourses, and write a concise impact note for the district planning officer.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob descriptions
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Advise on environmental health standards
+Review the nursery protocols, recent worker health reports and applicable exposure limits, then produce clear…
Advise on environmental health standards
+Review the nursery protocols, recent worker health reports and applicable exposure limits, then produce clear hygiene and exposure control recommendations for field crews plus a short training brief to reduce agrochemical drift risk.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Analyze environmental data
+Collect tree-plot soil tests, pest outbreak records and nearby land-use data, run a variance analysis to spot…
Analyze environmental data
+Collect tree-plot soil tests, pest outbreak records and nearby land-use data, run a variance analysis to spot hotspots of contamination, map the three worst plots, and recommend targeted remediation measures with cost estimates.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Protecting1
Ensure compliance with regulations
+Review the farm's agroforestry plan against Kenyan pollution legislation and county bylaws, flag three…
Ensure compliance with regulations
+Review the farm's agroforestry plan against Kenyan pollution legislation and county bylaws, flag three noncompliant practices with legal citations, propose corrective actions and a compliance deadline, then send the compliance memo to the farm manager by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeESRI ArcGISjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Analyse environmental data
+Analyse the site's soil, water and canopy sensor records for the past five years, flag statistically…
Analyse environmental data
+Analyse the site's soil, water and canopy sensor records for the past five years, flag statistically significant trends in contaminants and erosion risk, map hotspots with coordinates, and produce a one-page summary of uncertainties for the district planner by next Wednesday.
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Develop environmental remediation strategies
+Develop a remediation strategy for the north ridge farm combining targeted phytoremediation, riparian buffer…
Develop environmental remediation strategies
+Develop a remediation strategy for the north ridge farm combining targeted phytoremediation, riparian buffer planting and engineered drainage, estimate timelines and costs, assess regulatory compliance under current pollution limits, and draft an implementable work plan for the landowner meeting next month.
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Report on environmental issues
+Compile the monitoring results, community complaints and regulatory exceedances into a clear issue brief that…
Report on environmental issues
+Compile the monitoring results, community complaints and regulatory exceedances into a clear issue brief that explains causes, potential health and ecological impacts, mitigation options, and recommended next steps for the county council report due in two weeks.
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Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
+Draft a concise guidance memo for the Ministry of Agriculture and the municipal forestry unit on integrating…
Provide scientific or technical guidance, support, coordination, or oversight to governmental agencies, environmental programs, industry, or the public.
+Draft a concise guidance memo for the Ministry of Agriculture and the municipal forestry unit on integrating agroforestry into riparian buffer rules, include the scientific rationale, three feasible regional species mixes, and recommended monitoring indicators by next Thursday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeESRI ArcGISO*NET
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Monitor environmental impacts of development activities.
+Set up a weekly monitoring plan for the coastal road project: list sampling locations, parameters (soil…
Monitor environmental impacts of development activities.
+Set up a weekly monitoring plan for the coastal road project: list sampling locations, parameters (soil compaction, runoff turbidity, canopy cover), equipment needed, and accepting thresholds so the contractor can begin sampling on Monday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff.
+Prepare a two-hour practical training agenda and slide handout for five ecology students and two field…
Supervise or train students, environmental technologists, technicians, or other related staff.
+Prepare a two-hour practical training agenda and slide handout for five ecology students and two field technicians covering plot establishment, tree planting techniques, and basic soil sampling protocols for next Wednesday's field session.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Develop the technical portions of legal documents, administrative orders, or consent decrees.
+Write the technical appendix for the consent decree to attach to the legal draft: specify agroforestation…
Develop the technical portions of legal documents, administrative orders, or consent decrees.
+Write the technical appendix for the consent decree to attach to the legal draft: specify agroforestation performance standards, monitoring frequency, expected pollutant reduction metrics, and enforcement trigger criteria by Friday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Determine data collection methods to be employed in research projects or surveys.
+Design the sampling and analysis plan for a three-year study modelling carbon sequestration in mixed-species…
Determine data collection methods to be employed in research projects or surveys.
+Design the sampling and analysis plan for a three-year study modelling carbon sequestration in mixed-species agroforestry plots: specify sample size, plot layout, measurement intervals, and statistical methods to test treatment effects.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Plan or develop research models, using knowledge of mathematical and statistical concepts.
+Develop a technical protocol that selects field methods and instruments for vegetation, soil and water data…
Plan or develop research models, using knowledge of mathematical and statistical concepts.
+Develop a technical protocol that selects field methods and instruments for vegetation, soil and water data collection in a regional survey, justify each method against bias and cost, and include data QA steps so field teams can start in six weeks.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Perform investigations for health risks
+Survey the three farms around Riverbend and sample soil, leaf and water at the mapped hotspots, run the…
Perform investigations for health risks
+Survey the three farms around Riverbend and sample soil, leaf and water at the mapped hotspots, run the contaminant tests, compare results to statutory thresholds and draft a brief health-risk memo for the county health officer by next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISIBM SPSS Statisticsjob descriptions
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Prepare technical documentation
+Assemble the site assessment, methodology, lab results, remediation options and an itemised cost table into a…
Prepare technical documentation
+Assemble the site assessment, methodology, lab results, remediation options and an itemised cost table into a single technical manual, proof the figures and send a print-ready PDF of the complete document to the project manager for approval on Friday.
The tools that do the workAdobe AcrobatMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Communicate findings to stakeholders
+Draft a one-page summary of key findings, two slide talking points and an FAQ, then email those plus the full…
Communicate findings to stakeholders
+Draft a one-page summary of key findings, two slide talking points and an FAQ, then email those plus the full dataset to the landowners, the county planner and the community liaison with a request for a meeting next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions
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Develop new technological production processes
+Prototype a low-cost alley cropping workflow: detail planting layout, soil amendment steps, nursery timings…
Develop new technological production processes
+Prototype a low-cost alley cropping workflow: detail planting layout, soil amendment steps, nursery timings and trial yields, then prepare an operations checklist and a pilot budget for the agritech team by Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Present their findings in scientific reports
+Write the scientific report draft with background, methods, statistical analysis of contaminant trends,…
Present their findings in scientific reports
+Write the scientific report draft with background, methods, statistical analysis of contaminant trends, discussion of implications and clear recommendations, format references and submit the manuscript to the lead scientist for review in two weeks.
The tools that do the workIBM SPSS StatisticsMicrosoft OfficeESCO
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Pollution legislation
+Summarise the current pollution regulations that apply to agroforestry buffers, compare local limits to our…
Pollution legislation
+Summarise the current pollution regulations that apply to agroforestry buffers, compare local limits to our monitoring results, highlight compliance gaps and propose three policy actions for the municipal regulator by Friday noon.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses