Environmental Scientist - How to become an Environmental Scientist

Environmental Scientist is an expert who studies the physical environment of objects. His work includes studying interactions among physical, chemical, and biological components of the environment. Environmental scientist focuses on pollution and degradation of the environment related to human activities and their adverse impact on biodiversity and sustainability of the nature.

Environmental Scientists job description involve ascertaining the reasons behind the environmental degradation. They try to find the corrective measures to rectify the imbalances caused to the environment by human activities. To an extent the Environmental Scientists are also involved in conservation programmes. They examine observations and measurements of air, water, soil, food, and other aspects to determine the best possible way of improving and preserving the environment. They collaborate with other human science professionals for making policies and ways to modify human behavior to avoid harmful effects on environment.

In preset day’s increasingly environment conscious society, environmental scientists are in high demand. Thus there is a great scope in this field as an interesting career.  Although it demands a lot of hard work and effort but at the same time offers enormous scope for building of one’s career.

Thus to discharge his duties with utmost proficiency an Environmental Scientist  should have good interpretation skills, be confident of accepting challenges and an aptitude to understand  natural phenomenon. They have to look into every minute details of the happening going around them to conclude as precisely as possible.  So to acquire these kinds of traits besides having core science background one can go for course specially designed for the professional who have decided to choose Environment Scientist as a career. Young people with desire and capacity for hard work can get both money and satisfaction in this profession.

How to become an Environmental Scientist

To become an Environmental Scientist the aspiring candidates have to undergo one or more of the following Courses

Undergraduate courses

(i) B.Sc or BE in Environmental science.

However candidate can also do their graduation with subjects  like, chemistry, geology, physics, or related area.

Eligibility

1. Educational Qualification

Candidates who wish to apply for above given Under Graduate degree courses should have passed 10+2 or equivalent examination, with physics, chemistry and biology with a minimum of 50% marks in the aggregate in the subjects concerned.

Post Graduate Courses

(ii) M.Sc. in Environmental Sciences.

The major topics covered in the course include ecology environmental planning, pollution biology, environmental laws, etc

More advanced courses such Ph.D. and Post-Doctoral Research in Enviornment Science can also be pursued to directly do the research level job.    

Eligibility

1. Educational Qualification

Graduates in sciences preferably Environmental Sciences are eligible for the postgraduate (M.Sc.) course in Environmental Sciences.

Process to join these courses

Step 1

Interested candidate has to apply for the entrance tests conducted by the various Universities and independent institutions providing above given graduate and undergraduate course of varying duration (usually 3 to 4 years for the graduates, 2-3 years for the Post Graduate and 5 years of the integrated M. Sc Programmes )

Step 2

Selection to the graduate courses (B.Sc or equivalent) is based on merit i.e the marks secured in the final exams of 10+2 and through entrance test.

Selection to the postgraduate courses (M. Sc) in different universities is through entrance test conducted by the respective universities.

Environmental Scientist Career Prospects

In present scenario there is a great demand of Environmental Scientists in so many fields related to environment and it is bound to increase in the near future.. Environmental Scientists can built their career in  wide variety of fields like nature conservation, pollution control, regional development and environmental education to name a few of them. One may be employed by the Department of Environmental Affairs, the provincial departments of Nature Conservation and the National Parks Board. Private organisations, with a special interest in nature conservation may also employ Environmental Scientist.

Environmental Scientist Salary

Environmental Scientist Salary depends upon their academic qualification, institute or university from which they have attained their qualification and the level of work experience they have achieved. To start with the fresh Post Graduates from the prestigious institutes can get anything between Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 as  their monthly salary.