eers in 

Waste Management

So 

You 

Want to Pursue an Environmental Career?

Almost any career field that interests you—from computers to science tolaw to communications—can be applied to environmental fields. Thesecareers are open to people from all backgrounds, regardless of race orgender or any disabilities. 

You don’t have to wait until you find a job,

however, to start your career in solid waste management. 

You can

begin today by finding volunteer positions, student jobs, internships,and academic programs that can give you educational, real-worldexperiences.

n Make a Difference A Day in the Life...

Have you ever wondered what itwould be like to manage yourcommunit

y’s recycling program,

or create new policies that helppeople manage their waste? Visit OS

W’s Careers 

Web site

(www.epa.gov/osw/careers) for

more information. This site offersdetailed profiles of employees in several diverse fields within the 

U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

and in non-government organizations.Environmental engineer, lawyer, computer 

specialist, and professor are some of the jobsprofiled. Each profile gives you a glimpse of theemployees’ daily activities, as well as their diversecareer experiences and educational backgrounds.In addition, these jobs illustrate how environmentalists in any career field can help support wastereduction and resource conservation.If you are interested in working for EPA, you

can access the Agenc

y’s automated recruitment

and job application system at the EPA EZhire

Web site (www.epa.gov/ezhire). Also visit thePartnership for Public Service 

Web site

(www.calltoserve.com) for additional information on federal service (see “Answering the Call”

on the left side of the home page).

Community ServiceYou can start learning about careers in waste management by joining a community group or another serviceorganization that does environmentalwork. Whether as a paid employee or avolunteer, you can learn firsthand whatcommunities and individuals can do tomanage their waste and what it wouldbe like to pursue this type of environmental career. EPA’s booklet ServiceLearning: Education Beyond theClassroom (available by calling 800424-9346 or visiting <www.epa.gov/osw/publicat.htm>)

(continued on reverse)
and other student jobs atEPA headquarters andregional offices across thenation. Opportunities existwithin several different EPAregional offices covering awide range of environmentalissues, and participation inmany of these programs canlead to full-time employment. For more information,visit EPA’s Office of HumanResources and Organizational Services 

Web site at

<www.epa.gov/epahrist

>.

Advanced EducationIn a competitive econom

y,

higher education is animportant step in a successful career. Hundreds of universities across the UnitedStates offer environmentaldegree programs coveringtopics such as ecolog

y, environmental studies, natural

resources, geosciences,marine biolog

y, technical

writing and communications, information technolog

y, administration, and

environmental policy andla

w. The following resources

can help you identify whichinstitutions have the programs that interest you mostand how to apply:

• Advanced 

Technology

EnvironmentalEducation Center<www.ateec.org/career/careers.cfm

>

Contains information on environmental programs in high schools, 2-year colleges, 4-yearuniversities, as well asbroad descriptions of typical environmentaltechnology jobs.

• Brown Center for

Environmental Studies<envstudies.brown.edu/Dept/espgm.htm>Provides links to environmental studies programsat more than 100 universities across theUnited States.

• Society for Conservation

Biology<conbio.net/SCB/Services/Programs

>

Includes a database directory of almost 200higher education environmental programs that can be searched by subject, state, type ofdegree, and school.

What Is E

PA’s Office of Solid

Waste (OSW)?OSW helps protect human health and theenvironment by overseeing a nationalprogram for the responsible managementof hazardous and nonhazardous waste.OSW works closely with states and tribes,industr

y, environmental groups, and the

public to set national environmental goalsand policies, assume leadership roles inenvironmental education, and write flexible regulations. One way OSW canaccomplish its goal is to encourage people like you to pursue a career in wastemanagement.

Solid Waste and Emergency Response (5305W)

E

PA530-F-02-011

www.epa.gov/oswFebruary 2003