Environmental Health Careers.
Overview of the Environmental Health Industry
Environmental factors are the predominant determinants of health in individuals and communities. Nothing is more intrinsic to health than our environment, with environmental exposures among the leading contributors to health problems. And while people are affected regardless of income and geography, environmental health (EH) risks especially threaten the most vulnerable among us.
EH professionals are best known for their efforts to ensure the safety of what we eat, breathe, smell, touch, and drink. EH professionals are the individuals who monitor air quality, water and noise pollution, toxic substances, and pesticides. They conduct restaurant inspections, carry out vector control, and promote healthy land use and housing. EH professionals also perform research on a variety of topics including environmental toxins, communicable disease outbreaks, human health impacts of environmental catastrophes such as hurricanes, and more.
Career Pathways For Environmental Hazard Assessment Candidates
Check out our Environmental Health Career Pathways document to research careers by sector, and learn about specific roles and responsibilities.
Common Job Titles
- Environmental Scientist/Specialist
- Environmental Health & Safety Officer
- Research Analyst/Associate
- Environmental Health Advocate
- Health Inspector
- Public Health Officer
- Environmental Health Officer
- Food Safety Inspector
- Policy Analyst
- Occupational Health Analyst
- Research Toxicologist
- Environmental/Field Epidemiologist
Where These Positions Can be Found
- Government (local, state, federal)
- Be sure to submit applications within the first 15 days of the job being posted and follow the instructions
- If considering the Boston Public Health Commission, you must be a Boston resident to be considered
- Environmental Consulting Firms
- NGO’s
- Pharmaceutical/Biotech Companies
- Insurance Companies
- Research Hospitals/Organizations
- Grassroot Organizations
Core Competencies & Skills Needed
Be sure to read job postings to learn more. Competencies and skills will vary by sector.
- Strong communications and training skills
- Strong background in sciences (environmental science, biology, chemistry)
- Knowledge of how to use statistics programs and databases
- Excellent interpersonal skills to work successfully with varying stakeholder groups
- Ability to interpret and apply federal and state regulations and city code relating to environmental health
- Ability to conduct incident investigations and identify corrective and preventive actions
- Ability to determine and analyze environmental risk factors
- Knowledge of principles/practices of Environmental and Public Health
Salary Expectation
- Experience plays a major role in determining salary for these positions. It is also based on sector, location, and internal equity. For example, salary ranges for industries like CROs, Pharma, and Biotech are often quite different from academic institutions (hospitals, universities) and nonprofits.
- You can view the BUSPH graduate employment data here. Salary information is housed under Environmental Health
- Explore Health Careers – Environmental Health Careers
- Occupation Profile for Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | CareerOneStop
Sample Resumes
Follow the Environmental Health resume template to help craft your Environmental Health focused resume.
Associations & Organizations
- Active Living Research
- Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
- American Academy of Clinical Toxicology
- American Association of Poison Control Centers
- American College of Medical Toxicology
- American College of Toxicology
- American Industrial Hygiene Association
- American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
- American Water Resources Association
- Changemaker Chats
- Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
- Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
- Environmental Grantmakers Association
- Environmental Law Institute
- Environmental Leaders Program
- Environmental Protection Agency
- International Association for Food Protection
- The National Academies
- National American Association for Environmental Education
- National Association for Environmental Management
- National Association of Environmental Professionals
- National Association of Local Boards of Health
- Natural Resources Defense Council
- NIOSH
- Physicians for Social Responsibility
- Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- Society for Risk Analysis
- Student Conservation Association
- Teratology Society
- US Public Interest Research Group
Industry Specific Job Boards
- EHS Careers
- Environmental Career Opportunities
- Environmental Jobs
- Working with the Health Commission | Boston.gov
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | US EPA>