Guest Post: Organic Job Growth: Environmental Career Paths to Consider

Guest post by Martin Valdez. A vegan environmentalist who loves crossword puzzles and Tetris, Martin would like to one day create a video game that is both entertaining and educational about how to protect our planet.

If you're looking for a career with stability that also makes you feel good, try looking at the environmental sector. Many environmental jobs have a lasting impact on the world, which that's something you can feel good about. As we work to reclaim the parts of our planet we have damaged and live in better harmony going forward, there are many career options available that feature good compensation, room for growth and long-term stability.

HVAC Engineer

Beyond jobs available for heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technicians — which mostly involve installation and maintenance — there are great opportunities available as an HVAC engineer. Engineers in the HVAC field are valuable in both new construction and existing buildings. For new construction, engineers design a system that will ensure good ventilation and climate control while leveraging the appropriate technology to make the system as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. In established buildings, engineers can look for opportunities for cost savings or simply investigate existing systems for deficiencies.

Environmental Remediation

Environmental remediation companies reclaim land that has been rendered useless or dangerous. Landfills, land polluted by manufacturing by-products and otherwise unusable land areas are a valuable asset when safely reclaimed.
"Business opportunities are steady in both the public and private sector," said Sevenson Environmental CEO, Michael Elia in an article on EngineeringNewsRecord.com. The company is a leader in environmental remediation and has handled more than 1,500 contracts. Jobs in this sector range from technicians to scientists and environmental engineers.

Solar Cell Technology

As oil gets increasingly expensive and scarce, the United States is turning more to alternative and sustainable energy sources. The solar cell sector has, perhaps, the most potential for job growth as solar technology is implemented on gadget accessories, single-family homes, corporate complexes and farm operations.
A 2011 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates job growth throughout the solar industry, especially in manufacturing, project development, construction, operation, maintenance and installation.

Water Quality Technician

Beyond jobs in traditional water treatment centers, there are opportunities for creative solutions to new (and existing) problems, as National Geographic reports. For example, in 2008, engineers in California were tasked with overcoming a chemical balance issue in the Ivanhoe Reservoir. They were able to solve the problem by adding 3 million black polyethylene balls (similar to ball-pit balls found on children's playgrounds) to the open-air reservoir to deflect UV rays, which, when combined with the toxic chemicals, became carcinogenic. The balls are non-carcinogenic and are expected to provide coverage for five years, while the engineers devise a more permanent solution.

Green Design

Green design is a big industry with extensive opportunities for designers, engineers and architects. Green design can mean using found and recycled materials to build low-cost and low-impact buildings for underdeveloped areas, like the schools Long Way Home builds in Guatemala. Green design is also important in larger commercial applications. Designing large buildings with minimal impact during construction and long-term sustainability in mind is a valuable skill and very much in demand. Green design can even get literal by introducing green roofs, which insulate a building and control water run off by featuring grass or other vegetation blanketing a roof. Wallaceresearch.net lists architectural schools that offer environmental programs specializing in sustainability.