Industrial Ecologists
The occupation Industrial Ecologists covers people who apply principles and processes of natural ecosystems to develop models for efficient industrial systems. One core duty is to identify environmental impacts caused by products, systems, or projects. On the six-type interest model it reads IRC, meaning research, analysis and working through hard problems comes first, followed by hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world. Plan on graduate school and often five years or more of related experience; O*NET labels this extensive preparation. Strength in reading comprehension, writing, and speaking helps most here. If you want research, analysis and working through hard problems, keep it on your list. If you need helping, teaching or caring for people, it may feel thin.
What they do
Apply principles and processes of natural ecosystems to develop models for efficient industrial systems. Use knowledge from the physical and social sciences to maximize effective use of natural resources in the production and use of goods and services. Examine societal issues and their relationship with both technical systems and the environment.
Main tasks
- Identify environmental impacts caused by products, systems, or projects.
- Identify or develop strategies or methods to minimize the environmental impact of industrial production processes.
- Analyze changes designed to improve the environmental performance of complex systems and avoid unintended negative consequences.
- Conduct environmental sustainability assessments, using material flow analysis (MFA) or substance flow analysis (SFA) techniques.
- Identify sustainable alternatives to industrial or waste-management practices.
- Review research literature to maintain knowledge on topics related to industrial ecology, such as physical science, technology, economy, and public policy.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Systems Analysis
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on reading comprehension and writing.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You want helping people to be at the center of your work. Social rates 2.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code IRC takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Master'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
- Ecologist
- Environmental Consultant
- Environmental Protection Agency Counselor
- Research Scientist
- Researcher
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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.