GOVERNMENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The federal, state, and local governments are major employers of environmental scientists and technicians. The process of landing a job in government is very different from that in the private sector. In the public sector scores of standardized forms must be completed and volumes of hiring guidelines must be followed before just one person can be hired. In the private sector the process is much less bureaucratic and hiring decisions are often made on an individual basis, like a well-placed recommendation, a successful interview, or an immediate job need. Below, the process of securing a federal job will be outlined. While the individual state and local government agencies may have slightly different hiring practices, the federal model is most often followed.
Applying for a Government Job
By federal law anyone applying for a nonpolitical civil servant position in the federal government must submit a standard form (SF) 171 for employment. This is a long application form, spanning five pages and requiring you to submit your employment history for the past ten years. Because each agency receive thousands of these forms annually, it would be beneficial for you to somehow make your application stand out from the others. Along with each job description or announcement number, in the government's terms, is a quality ranking factor (QRF). This is a short list of qualifications or areas of specific substantive knowledge that the agency is seeking in an applicant. Mary Louise Uhlig, assistant administrator for Pesticides and Toxic Substances in the Environmental Protection Agency, suggests that applicants write a short paragraph for each QRF point in which they describe their knowledge and/or experience. This should then be used as a cover letter to the SF 171. This method will not only make your application physically stand out from the rest, but it provides a more specific profile of your qualifications and, more importantly, an edge over other equally qualified applicants.
Each state and local government agency has its own standard application form. These forms are no doubt easier to complete than the SF 171. The same cover letter strategy as above is suggested for other levels of government because they too receive a large number of applications per year.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The EPA was created in 1970 as an independent body to consolidate the environmental activities of five executive departments and various other agencies. Its basic purpose is to carry out federal laws to protect the environment, especially in the areas of clean air and water. The EPA is responsible for the enforcement of most federal environmental laws, which gives it a full agenda. The regional offices are responsible for carrying out and enforcing all federal environmental law and regulations. The regional personnel work directly with state and local agencies, industry, environmental organizations, and private citizens.
The EPA is organized into nine divisions; each deals with specific environmental areas. These programs are: administration and resource management, enforcement and compliance, policy planning and evaluation, air and radiation, water, pesticides and toxic substances, solid waste and emergency response, international activities, and research and development. Global concerns like ozone depletion, global warming, and sustainable development are becoming a top priority of the EPA. In addition, there are 25 EPA scientific research facilities located throughout the nation.
The EPA hires about 1,000 new employees annually. Most of these openings are at entry-level positions (GS 5, 7, and 9). A little more than half of all new employees have training in the environmental sciences. The most frequently advertised job opening is for environmental engineers. The majority of the remaining job openings are for environmental protection specialists, who often have backgrounds in the conservation sciences.
Other Federal Agencies with Environmental Regulatory Responsibilities
The following agencies and commissions share environmental regulatory responsibility in areas of transportation, health, and commerce. In the Department of Transportation - the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Materials Transportation Bureau, and the National Transportation Safety Board. At the independent commissions there are environmental jobs at the Consumer Product Safety Board, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Maritime Commission, the National Bureau of Standards, and the Federal Trade Commission.
SOURCES OF FURTHER INFORMATION
Careers for Environmentalists and Others Who Respect the Earth (1993). By Michael Fasulo and Jane Kinney and published by VGM Career Horizons, the NTC Publishing Group. Included is an excellent strategy for landing a government job called "Navigating the Federal Job Maze," and a description and diagram of all federal environmental activities.
Conservation Directory (annual). By the National Wildlife Federation. Included is a listing of all federal agencies, committees, and departments that have an environmental focus.
Almanac of Government Jobs and Careers (1991). By Ronald and Caryle Krannich and published by Impact Publications.
Career Profiles in Forestry, Conservation, Ecology, and Environmental Management. Published and distributed free by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, P.O. Box 2417, Washington, DC 20013.