Meet the Community Coaches
Lynne Sebille-White
Alicia Joens
Explore Careers in Environment and Sustainability
- Exploring Majors & Careers - scroll to What Can I Do With This Major?
- What Hawkeyes Do After Graduation (by college/major)
- Guide to Green Careers
- Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*Net
Explore Careers by Major/Interest Area
- Agriculture & Forestry
- Climate Change
- Ecology
- Environmental Education
- Environmental Science
- Environmental Policy & Planning
- Geography
- Geoscience
- Public Health
- Sustainability & Green Careers
Check out Industry Insights recordings specific to Environment & Sustainability.
Learn from professionals working at SWCA Environmental Consultants, EPA law enforcement and Descartes Labs.
Student Organizations and Volunteering
Want to put your interests to good use? Join with other students who share them.
- Find UI student organizations involved in environment & sustainability.
- Search all UI student organizations.
- Schedule an engagement advising meeting to get started.
Volunteering is another great way to explore your interests, build your resume, and connect with the community!
- Check out local volunteer options: https://sustainability.uiowa.edu/volunteer
- Explore UI service programs
- Schedule a volunteer advising meeting to get started.
Professional Organizations
Professional associatons offer insights on current issues in different career fields. Some include career path information and advice and offer opportunities to meet and become involved with professionals working in fields of specific interest.
Many offer discounted memberships to students and may have state or campus chapters.
- Explore this list of green professional associations for ideas.
- View this list of Iowa Environmental Organizations
Sample National Organizations
- American Geographical Society
- American Geosciences Institute
- Ecological Society of America
- National Association of Environmental Professionals
- The Geological Society of America
- The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
- The Wildlife Society
Sample Iowa Organizations
Suggested Search Terms for Jobs and Internships
Climate Change/Sustainability
- Climate (can pair with Action, Solutions, Analyst, Communications, Risk, Outreach, Strategy)
- CSR or Corporate Social Responsibility (cain pair with intern, representative, coordinator, associate)
- ESG or Environmental, Social and Governance (can pair with intern, analyst, coordinator, associate and fields like marketing, communications, data, supply chain, etc.)
- Environmental Justice
- Green
- Carbon
- Recycling
- Sustainability (pair with Advocate, Intern, Associate, Project/Program Manager, Coordinator and add fields like Communications, Finance, Consulting, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Policy, etc.)
Conservation/Natural Resources
- Conservation (can pair with Coordinator, Technician, Intern, Steward, Officer, Crew, Corps., Education/Educator, Communications/PR)
- Environment/Environmental (can pair with Steward, Educator, Guide, Research, Justice, Interpreter/Interpretation, Outreach, Scientist, Intern, Social Media, Communications,
- Outdoor (can pair with Educator/Education, Youth, Visitor)
- Field (can pair with Work, Crew, Member)
- Land (can pair with Protection, Program, Manager, Coordinator)
- Plants/Invasive Plant/Invasive Species/Vegetation
- Seed Collection/Collector
- Habitat (can pair with restoration, technician)
- Wildlife/Animal ( can pair with Conservation, Protection, Rehabilitation, Biology)
- Zoo
- Desert
- Marine
- Mountain
- Water/Watershed/River/Stream/Lake/Marsh/Ocean
- Soil (can pair with Conservation/Conservationist, Science)
- Trails (can pair with Planner, Assistant, Crew, Preservation, Assessment, Technician)
- Wildfire/Fire (can pair with Science, Prevention)
- Forest/Wilderness (can pair with Ranger, Intern, Program, Associate)
- Park or Historical Park (can pair with Ranger, Intern, Interpreter, Guide, National, State)
- Natural Resources (can pair with Department, Technician, Education)
- Fisheries/Fish
- Ecology/Biology/Entomology (can pair with Intern, Technician, Research)
- Museum Curator/Exhibit Intern (within national/state parks/aquariums, etc.)
- Seasonal (relevant for park/preserve and similar summer work)
- Science Communications (pair with Intern, Assistant, Associate)
- Restoration
Energy
- Wind
- Solar
- Geothermal
- Biomass
- Ethanol
- Air (can pair with Pollution, Emissions, Quality)
- Energy (can pair with Audit, Coordinator, Efficiency, Renewable, Research)
Environmental Planning/Policy/Advocacy/Organizing
- Policy (can pair with Wildlife, Climate, Environmental, Research, Agriculture)
- Environmental Compliance (can pair with Specialist, Coordinator, Scientist, Analyst, Field Technician)
- Government Relations (within orgs. that must comply with environment regulations)
- Regulatory Specialist
- Climate Action/Policy
- Organizing (Can pair with Community, Environmental)
- Public Interest Research
- Planner (can pair with Urban, Transportation, Assistant, Associate, Technician)
- Sustainability or Corporate Sustainability (can pair with Advocate, Intern, Project/Program, Coordinator, Lead)
- Environmental Remediation
- Environmental Protection (can pair with Agency, Specialist, Public Affairs, Program)
- Legal Assistant/Paralegal (within relevant law firms or government agencies)
Environmental Health & Safety
Food/Agriculture
- Farm (can pair with Organic, Intern, Market, Coordinator)
- Farmers Market (can pair with Manager, Coordinator, I)ntern
- Horticulture/Community Garden
- Food (can pair with Corps, Inspector, Scientist, Pantry, Access, Supply)
- Agriculture/Natural Resources (can pair with Extension, Educator, Agent, Intern)
- Quality Assurance/Food Inspector
- Agronomy/Agronomist
- USDA, FDA or Dept. of Agriculture for State of ____
Geography/Geoscience/GIS
- GIS(can pair with Intern, Mapper, Analyst, Technician, Integrator, Coordinator, Specialist)
- Geology/Geological/Geologist (can pair with Entry-Level, Assistant)
- Geological Survey (U.S. or by state)
- Cartographer/Cartography/Geographer
- Environmental Scientist
- Mine/Mining
- Mud Logger/Logging
- Hydrology/Hydrologic Technician
- Meteorologist/ Meteorological Technician
Internship, Job and Field Work Resources
Check out student employment, internships, and post-graduation full-time jobs in Handshake. Employers targeting University of Iowa students and alumni use this recruiting system to connect with you! We also have an Environment & Sustainability Collection to help narrow your search.
Climate Change/Sustainability
- Sustainable Business Guide's 30+ Job Boards
- Eco-Stylist's List of Job Boards for Sustainable Fashion
- Climatebase
- Climate Change Careers
- ClimateChangeJobs
- Climate Draft (Find companies + jobs)
- Green Jobs Board
- Idealist.org
- Net Impact
- The Impact Job
- Terra.do
- Trellis (formerly GreenBizJobs)
- Unreasonable (find companies + jobs)
Conservation/Natural Resources
- Conservation Job Board
- EnvironmentalJobs
- Iowa Lakeside Laboratory
- Niabi Zoo Animal Care, Conservation or Horticulture Internships (Illinois)
- State Hygienic Labs (Iowa)
- Marine Careers
- Natural Resources Job Board (Texas A & M)
- North American Association for Environmental Education Job Board
- The National Park Service
- The Nature Conservancy
- The Student Conservation Association
- The Wildlife Society
- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Careers & Internships
- USAJobs (Federal jobs - EPA, Dept. of Interior and more)
Environmental Planning/ Policy/ Organizing
- American Planning Association Career Center
- Environment America
- Environmental Defense Fund's Green Jobs Hub
- Environmental Law & Policy Job Board
- Environmental Protection Agency
- GreenCorps (environmental organizing)
- U.S. PIRGS (Public Interest Research Groups)
Food/Agriculture
- ATTRA: Sustainable Farming Internships and Apprenticeships
- FoodCorps
- Good Food Jobs
- Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship
- Iowa State University Extension & Outreach
- North American Food Systems Network Job Listings
- Sustainable Agriculture Jobs, Internships and Apprenticeships (Facebook group with professional farm, foof and food system opportunities.
- Sustainable Food Jobs
- US Dept. of Agriculture jobs (USDA)
Geography/Geoscience/GIS
General
- Gap Year Options (includes fellowships)
- NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs)
- UI Office of Sustainability & Environment
- UI Study Abroad
Past Student Internship Experiences
Below is a sampling of internship sites that Iowa students have registered in recent years.
Sustainable Education Intern, Earthways Center
Field Ecologist & Storm Water Management Intern, Resource Environmental Solutions
Water Treatment Intern, Johnson County Public Health
Transportation Planning Intern, Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County
GIS Intern, City of Iowa City
Superfund Student Trainee, US Environmental Protection Agency
Research Assistant, Ocean Research and Conservation Association
Naturalist Corps Intern, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Climate Action and Outreach Division Intern, City of Iowa City
Seasonal Ranger, Forest Preserve District of DuPage County
Air Quality Intern, Polk County Public Works
Writing/Media Intern, Alaska National Park Service
Solar Production Intern, Kimley-Horn
Intern, Renewable Energy Group
Learn About Careers from Professionals
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