Environmental Science Resume—Examples & Writing Tips

As an environmental scientist, you know that energy conservation is essential. You even applied this principle to your everyday activities—you walk instead of driving, recycle, and buy sustainable veggies. 

But can you write an environmental science resume that will preserve the recruiter’s energy and decrease your carbon footprint? Of course you can! 

In this guide:

• An environmental science resume sample better than most.
• How to write the perfect environmental science job description on a resume.
• How to write a resume for environmental science that gets the interview.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing an environmental science job.

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Environmental Science Resume Sample

Environmental scientists not only conduct research and design experiments; they also have a working knowledge of current environmental policies. The purpose of your environmental science resume is to highlight your areas of expertise and impress the recruiters with your achievements. 

Let’s see how to write a job-winning environmental science resume:

1. Format Your Environmental Science Resume for Readability

Every research article follows specific formatting rules. And as a seasoned environmental scientist, you can spot a good article structure from afar. Format matters. 

Here’s how to construct a clean and clear resume layout for your environmental science resume:

• Apply the reverse-chronological format to your resume—put your most recent jobs first. 
• Pick a legible resume font, like Helvetica or Arial set to 11–12 points.
• Give your resume one-inch margins all around the page. 
• Stick to a one-page resume if possible, it’s the best resume length for any job. Two-page resumes are okay if you have 10+ years of experience and tons of accomplishments to share—but don’t pad out your resume on purpose to make it longer, that’ll just work against you. 
• Include these resume sections: Header, Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills, Additional.

Does the job ad specify the file format? If not, save your resume as a PDF file. This will make it compatible with every device. 

2. Write a Winning Environmental Science Resume Objective or Summary

Academic papers start with abstracts. Your environmental science resume should start with a resume profile—and a profile is basically like the abstract of your resume, so that works out pretty well! 

A resume profile can take two forms: summary or objective. If you already have some experience, write a resume summary statement.

Use this formula:

1. An adjective (diligent, passionate, detail-oriented)
2. Job title (Environmental Scientist)
3. Years of experience (5+, 7+)
4. What you have to offer to the new employer (conduct environmental analysis for XYZ Company)
5. Your most impressive 2–3 achievements (developed circular economy plan that helped reduce waste by 15%)

Writing an entry-level environmental science resume? Start with a resume objective statement instead. In it, focus on your transferable skills, academic achievements, and volunteer work. 

Expert Hint: Write your environmental science resume last. Once you sort out your job experience, skills, and education section, writing a resume profile will be much easier. 

3. Add an Impressive Environmental Science Job Description and a Tailored Skills Section

What has happened in the past can profoundly affect the future. As an environmental scientist, you’re acutely aware of that fact. How can you show what you can do for your next employer? Write a compelling work experience section. 

To do that, target your resume to the job ad. Just like a research paper should cover one area of expertise, your environmental science resume should focus on a particular job posting. 

How to write a job description for environmental science:

1. Re-read the job ad. 
2. Pay attention to the skills and requirements mentioned in it—these are your resume keywords.
3. Think back to when you used those skills in previous jobs. 
4. Quantify those achievements and write them down in bullet points. 

Expert Hint: While writing your job description section, use action words. Action words will add impact to your achievement statements and present you as someone who takes initiative. 

Since you only have a few seconds to impress the recruiter, focus on the most impressive professional achievements that will help you stand out in the crowd. Leave out basic duties, obvious responsibilities, and bland statements that don’t add anything to your job descriptions. “Worked well as part of a team” means nothing if there’s no measurable result that came out of that cooperation. 

Now, you will also need a resume skills section. You probably have a very impressive skill set, but the trick is to tailor this section to the job posting as well, rather than listing every single skill you have. Focus on identifying 5–10 most relevant skills, ideally mentioned in the job ad.

Environmental Science Resume Skills

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Problem-solving
• Data analysis
• NEPA & SEPA
• Water Treatment 
• Water Laboratory
• Environmental standards on a federal, state, and local level
• Interpersonal Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Communication Skills
• Computer Skills
• Technical Skills
• Conflict Resolution Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Conceptual Skills
• Creative Thinking Skills
• Time Management Skills

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4. Highlight your Environmental Science Education Section

The competition is fierce. More and more students earn Bachelor's degrees in environmental science.

The education section on your resume is, therefore, a must-have. If you already have a few years of relevant experience, you can just list the basics:

• Your highest degree
• School name
• Your graduation date

If education is key to the role, however, or if you don’t have much work experience just yet, add extra bullet points. Focus on extracurricular activities, relevant coursework, projects, and academic achievements. Don’t forget to state your GPA, but only if it’s 3.5 or higher. 

Expert Hint: Got a scholarship? Received an award from the dean? Brag about it! Anything to show your skills, talent, and potential is worth mentioning on your job application. 

5. Enrich Your Environmental Science Resume with Extra Sections

By this point, you’ve covered the essentials—but there are bound to be other things you want to include on your resume that don’t fit neatly into the obligatory sections. Give them a space of their own with a couple additional resume sections, like:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Publications
• Awards
• Hobbies and Interests
• Volunteering
• Certifications
• Professional References

And one more thing! Unless the job ad explicitly states not to, write a cover letter. It will give you an extra chance to showcase your research skills or give more detail about your most prominent achievements.

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Key Points

For an environmental science resume that will get you hired:

• Use the environmental science resume format shown at the top of this article. 
• Add your achievements in the resume summary, job descriptions, and education sections. 
• Choose relevant environmental science resume skills. Identify the resume keywords and use them to list only relevant skills. 
• Include an environmental science cover letter. It will give you some extra space to highlight your strengths. 

Thanks for reading! Do you have any questions about writing your environmental science resume? Drop us a comment below, we’d love to chat!

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