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
Develop natural resource management plans
+Draft a natural resource management plan for the Lower Mill Creek restoration covering objectives, target…
Develop natural resource management plans
+Draft a natural resource management plan for the Lower Mill Creek restoration covering objectives, target species, invasive control actions, monitoring metrics, budgeted crew days, and a three-year timeline so I can present it to the watershed council next Wednesday.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Review existing remediation designs
+Review the existing remediation design for the Old Quarry site, note any drainage conflicts, access safety…
Review existing remediation designs
+Review the existing remediation design for the Old Quarry site, note any drainage conflicts, access safety issues, native species missing from the planting palette, and produce a redline list of required changes for the design lead by Friday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCAD Civil 3DAdobe Acrobatjob descriptionsO*NET
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Collect and analyze environmental data
+Compile the last six months of field survey data from transects and water tests, run basic QA, summarise key…
Collect and analyze environmental data
+Compile the last six months of field survey data from transects and water tests, run basic QA, summarise key trends in sediment, pH and species counts, and produce a one-page brief with recommended next steps for the ecologist on Monday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptionsO*NET
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Create diagrams for planning using GIS or CAD software
+Produce site maps and a grading diagram for the north wetland restoration showing existing contours, proposed…
Create diagrams for planning using GIS or CAD software
+Produce site maps and a grading diagram for the north wetland restoration showing existing contours, proposed swales, planting zones and access tracks so the contractor can price earthworks by Friday.
The tools that do the workAutodesk AutoCADESRI ArcGISjob descriptionsO*NET
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Move1
Supervise and guide field employees in habitat restoration
+Draft a morning briefing for the field crew covering safety briefings, daily tasks for the willow…
Supervise and guide field employees in habitat restoration
+Draft a morning briefing for the field crew covering safety briefings, daily tasks for the willow transplants, sediment control checks, tool assignments, and a contingency plan for heavy rain so the crew lead can hand it out at 07:30 tomorrow.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptionsO*NET
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The daily work15
Identify environmental mitigation options
+Map the proposed roadworks footprint and list three on-site mitigation measures for local wetlands, rank them…
Identify environmental mitigation options
+Map the proposed roadworks footprint and list three on-site mitigation measures for local wetlands, rank them by cost and habitat benefit, and prepare a one-page recommendation for the project manager by Thursday so procurement can budget them.
The tools that do the workESRI ArcGISjob descriptions
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Synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies
+Digest the survey results, species lists, soil chemistry and traffic-noise readings into a practical two-page…
Synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies
+Digest the survey results, species lists, soil chemistry and traffic-noise readings into a practical two-page restoration plan with three priority actions, expected outcomes, and monitoring metrics for the field crew next month.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESRI ArcGISjob descriptions
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Develop and implement policies to improve transport systems
+Draft a transport policy note that reduces road runoff into the reserve, requiring two structural treatments…
Develop and implement policies to improve transport systems
+Draft a transport policy note that reduces road runoff into the reserve, requiring two structural treatments and one maintenance change, include stakeholder impacts and a six-month rollout timetable for the council meeting on Tuesday.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OfficeESCO
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Collect traffic data
+Design a one-week field programme to collect weekday and weekend vehicle counts, classify vehicle types, and…
Collect traffic data
+Design a one-week field programme to collect weekday and weekend vehicle counts, classify vehicle types, and record speeds at the three junctions by the reserve, include equipment list and data sheet templates for the technicians.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCO
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Analyse road traffic patterns
+Analyse the month of traffic counts, produce hourly flow charts, modal split percentages and a short note on…
Analyse road traffic patterns
+Analyse the month of traffic counts, produce hourly flow charts, modal split percentages and a short note on peak-period risk to amphibian crossings, and flag any anomalies that need re-survey.
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Analyse test data
+Clean and validate the latest batch of soil and water test results, compute summary statistics and confidence…
Analyse test data
+Clean and validate the latest batch of soil and water test results, compute summary statistics and confidence ranges, and output a quality-checked dataset plus a short methods note for the ecologist.
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Environmental policy
+Draft a clear one‑page policy memo for the county parks director explaining how our restoration plan must…
Environmental policy
+Draft a clear one‑page policy memo for the county parks director explaining how our restoration plan must change to meet the new wetland buffer rules, list specific permit risks, propose two mitigation options with cost and monitoring implications, and request a decision by next Thursday.
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Identify statistical patterns
+Run analysis on the past three years of turbidity and bird-nesting counts to identify recurring seasonal…
Identify statistical patterns
+Run analysis on the past three years of turbidity and bird-nesting counts to identify recurring seasonal spikes and their correlation with nearby road traffic, summarise the statistical patterns in plain language, and attach charts showing confidence intervals for the key relationships.
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Geographical routes
+Map the preferred maintenance route for plantings from the storage yard to the restoration site, showing…
Geographical routes
+Map the preferred maintenance route for plantings from the storage yard to the restoration site, showing mile-by-mile access constraints, load limits at culverts, and two alternate routes for wet-weather closures, then produce a printable route sheet for crew leads.
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Traffic engineering
+Recalculate peak hour flows on the restoration access road using the latest tube count and site observations,…
Traffic engineering
+Recalculate peak hour flows on the restoration access road using the latest tube count and site observations, flag any turning movements that exceed 200 vehicles per hour, and produce a short mitigation memo for the council by Tuesday.
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Conduct environmental surveys
+Walk the wetland and riparian corridors, record species presence, invasive patches and disturbance points on…
Conduct environmental surveys
+Walk the wetland and riparian corridors, record species presence, invasive patches and disturbance points on the site map, upload geotagged photos and a biology checklist, and compile a one-page findings summary for the project ecologist by Friday.
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Analyse transport studies
+Compare the borrow pit transport study with our recent vehicle counts, calculate predicted daily heavy…
Analyse transport studies
+Compare the borrow pit transport study with our recent vehicle counts, calculate predicted daily heavy vehicle trips, highlight sections where predicted loadings exceed pavement capacity, and draft recommendations for haul timing and speed limits for the contractor.
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Urban planning
+Sketch a revised corridor plan that shifts the multiuse trail away from sensitive willow stands, list impacts…
Urban planning
+Sketch a revised corridor plan that shifts the multiuse trail away from sensitive willow stands, list impacts to tree canopy and drainage, and prepare a short justification for the planning officer to include in the permit application.
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Possess visual literacy
+Review the site photo set and map legend, pick images that show erosion, revegetation and invasive cover,…
Possess visual literacy
+Review the site photo set and map legend, pick images that show erosion, revegetation and invasive cover, arrange them into a visual sequence that tells the restoration story, and write three caption lines per image for the funder report.
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Prepare visual data
+Produce a poster-size chart summarising planting density, survival rates and canopy cover over three seasons,…
Prepare visual data
+Produce a poster-size chart summarising planting density, survival rates and canopy cover over three seasons, ensure the chart updates when the underlying spreadsheet changes, and export a print-ready PDF for the monitoring board meeting.
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Says who?
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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