What it pays
Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.
Half of all Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health in the U.S. earn more than $55,090 a year — the middle 80% land between $38,170 and $94,160. About 34,670 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, 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).
$55,090typical pay / year
34,670people in this work
$94,160+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.
Analysing2
Investigate sources of pollution
+Trace recent spikes in turbidity and nitrate by mapping sampling points, lab results, upstream land uses and…
Investigate sources of pollution
+Trace recent spikes in turbidity and nitrate by mapping sampling points, lab results, upstream land uses and storm events, identify likely pollution sources with supporting evidence, and produce a one-page findings note for the regulatory lead by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESCOjob descriptionsO*NET
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Maintain and calibrate testing equipment
+Verify calibration status and service history for each portable spectrophotometer and probe, perform field…
Maintain and calibrate testing equipment
+Verify calibration status and service history for each portable spectrophotometer and probe, perform field calibration checks against standards, log adjustments and failed units in the equipment register, and schedule repairs before next sampling on Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Get approval2
Ensure compliance with environmental regulations
+Review last quarter's sampling results against permit limits, flag exceedances with supporting lab reports,…
Ensure compliance with environmental regulations
+Review last quarter's sampling results against permit limits, flag exceedances with supporting lab reports, prepare a compliance summary and recommended corrective timeline, and email the enforcement officer and site manager by Friday afternoon.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsO*NET
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Recommend corrective actions for environmental issues
+Assess recent water and sediment results, suggest three ranked corrective options with estimated costs and…
Recommend corrective actions for environmental issues
+Assess recent water and sediment results, suggest three ranked corrective options with estimated costs and monitoring indicators, include risks and implementation steps, and present the recommendation to the remediation team on Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptionsO*NET
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Keeping the record1
Maintain health records related to environmental health
+Compile employee illness logs, exposure incident reports and recent site air and water test results into a…
Maintain health records related to environmental health
+Compile employee illness logs, exposure incident reports and recent site air and water test results into a confidential environmental health record, update the medical surveillance spreadsheet, and forward a summary to occupational health by end of day Thursday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Identify the source of pollution
+Trace recent field samples and lab results to map pollutant concentrations, flag upstream sites with matching…
Identify the source of pollution
+Trace recent field samples and lab results to map pollutant concentrations, flag upstream sites with matching signatures, check stormwater and septic discharge records, and produce a ranked list of probable sources with confidence and next sampling steps by Tuesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISESCO
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Analyse environmental data
+Compile the past six months of site chemistry and flow data, run summary statistics and time-series plots to…
Analyse environmental data
+Compile the past six months of site chemistry and flow data, run summary statistics and time-series plots to identify trends and anomalies, highlight parameters exceeding thresholds, and produce a one-page technical summary for the regulator by Friday.
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Laboratory techniques
+Prepare and check the lab schedule and methods for the upcoming week, list required reagents and QA blanks,…
Laboratory techniques
+Prepare and check the lab schedule and methods for the upcoming week, list required reagents and QA blanks, outline step-by-step extraction and preservation for each matrix, and confirm chain-of-custody and instrument calibration before Wednesday morning.
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Develop testing procedures.
+Draft a step-by-step field and lab testing procedure for monitoring chlorine, turbidity, E. coli and nitrate…
Develop testing procedures.
+Draft a step-by-step field and lab testing procedure for monitoring chlorine, turbidity, E. coli and nitrate at Riverside Park intake, including sample volumes, chain-of-custody, QA/QC blanks and acceptance limits to trial next Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Make recommendations to control or eliminate unsafe conditions at workplaces or public facilities.
+Inspect the public pool at 412 Main Street and write recommendations to remove unsafe conditions: list…
Make recommendations to control or eliminate unsafe conditions at workplaces or public facilities.
+Inspect the public pool at 412 Main Street and write recommendations to remove unsafe conditions: list specific corrective actions for low free chlorine, standing water, damaged handrail, responsible party and a two-week recheck date.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Develop or implement programs for monitoring of environmental pollution or radiation.
+Design a twelve-week ambient water quality monitoring program for the Millstream watershed that specifies…
Develop or implement programs for monitoring of environmental pollution or radiation.
+Design a twelve-week ambient water quality monitoring program for the Millstream watershed that specifies sampling frequency, analytes, sample sites, detection limits, field QA and data review triggers for corrective action.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Develop or implement site recycling or hazardous waste stream programs.
+Create a site hazardous waste stream program for the wastewater lab defining waste categories, storage and…
Develop or implement site recycling or hazardous waste stream programs.
+Create a site hazardous waste stream program for the wastewater lab defining waste categories, storage and labeling rules, weekly pickup schedule, spill response steps and training requirements for the three lab technicians.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Direct activities of workers in laboratory.
+Prepare a one-page work plan to direct the lab team during the next shift: list daily tests, sample…
Direct activities of workers in laboratory.
+Prepare a one-page work plan to direct the lab team during the next shift: list daily tests, sample processing order, who runs which instrument, QC checks and escalation steps if controls fail.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Inspect sanitary conditions at public facilities.
+Inspect the municipal restroom block at Central Station, record sanitary failings including biofilm,…
Inspect sanitary conditions at public facilities.
+Inspect the municipal restroom block at Central Station, record sanitary failings including biofilm, handwashing supplies, and drainage, and produce an action list with immediate fixes, responsible maintenance contact and a 48-hour follow-up.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET
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Determine amounts and kinds of chemicals to use in destroying harmful organisms or removing impurities from purification systems.
+Calculate precise dosages and chemical mix types to neutralise algal blooms and common pathogens in the north…
Determine amounts and kinds of chemicals to use in destroying harmful organisms or removing impurities from purification systems.
+Calculate precise dosages and chemical mix types to neutralise algal blooms and common pathogens in the north treatment tank, using latest influent ammonia, turbidity and flow rates, and flag any safety or disposal constraints before ordering.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET
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Survey and track environmental risks
+Survey the river catchment for potential contamination sources, map each site with measured contaminant…
Survey and track environmental risks
+Survey the river catchment for potential contamination sources, map each site with measured contaminant levels and frequency, prioritise risks for follow-up inspections next month, and prepare a one-page risk summary for the regulator.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Monitor performance of environmental systems
+Monitor the secondary clarifier and biofilter performance this week by plotting daily BOD, turbidity and…
Monitor performance of environmental systems
+Monitor the secondary clarifier and biofilter performance this week by plotting daily BOD, turbidity and dissolved oxygen trends, identify any downward drift from baseline and recommend corrective actions if variance exceeds 10 percent.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions
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Support data collection and reporting
+Collect and validate last month's field and lab data from the three sampling teams, reconcile missing values,…
Support data collection and reporting
+Collect and validate last month's field and lab data from the three sampling teams, reconcile missing values, produce the monthly compliance report with summary tables and charts, and route it to operations and the environmental manager by Wednesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions
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Support health and safety protocols
+Review recent incident logs and training records, update the site health and safety checklist with chemical…
Support health and safety protocols
+Review recent incident logs and training records, update the site health and safety checklist with chemical handling controls and PPE requirements, and send the revised checklist to supervisors for sign-off before Friday toolbox talks.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions
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Aid in the development of pollution prevention and environment protection plans
+Draft pollution prevention measures for the plant upgrade by identifying likely nuisance discharges,…
Aid in the development of pollution prevention and environment protection plans
+Draft pollution prevention measures for the plant upgrade by identifying likely nuisance discharges, proposing source controls and monitoring points, and produce a short implementation timeline and estimated materials list for the project manager.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Says who?
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Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.
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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses
Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses