Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health
Under the title Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health, workers perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist. The job can ask you to collect samples of gases, soils, water, industrial wastewater, or asbestos products to conduct tests on pollutant levels or identify sources of pollution. Interest ratings put Realistic on top at 5.8 out of 7 and Investigative second, so the code is RIC and the day leans toward hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in reading comprehension, writing, and speaking helps most here. If you want hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world, keep it on your list. If you need creative work with room for original expression, it may feel thin.
What they do
Perform laboratory and field tests to monitor the environment and investigate sources of pollution, including those that affect health, under the direction of an environmental scientist, engineer, or other specialist. May collect samples of gases, soil, water, and other materials for testing.
Main tasks
- Collect samples of gases, soils, water, industrial wastewater, or asbestos products to conduct tests on pollutant levels or identify sources of pollution.
- Investigate hazardous conditions or spills or outbreaks of disease or food poisoning, collecting samples for analysis.
- Record test data and prepare reports, summaries, or charts that interpret test results.
- Prepare samples or photomicrographs for testing and analysis.
- Discuss test results and analyses with customers.
- Inspect workplaces to ensure the absence of health and safety hazards, such as high noise levels, radiation, or potential lighting hazards.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Science
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and writing.
May not suit you if
- You would rather stay away from physical, hands-on tasks.
- You need creative expression to be a big part of your day. Artistic rates 1.2 out of 7 here.
- You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code RIC takes the three highest, and Realistic comes first here.
Preparation
Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Environmental Health Officer (EHO)
- Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech)
- Industrial Pretreatment Program Specialist (IPP Specialist)
- Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician)
- Public Health Sanitarian
Related careers
Is this your direction?
See how your interests line up with RIC and 906 other careers.
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.