Collect samples, inspect sites, and run tests to monitor pollution and environmental health risks.
You may also see this posted as: Environmental Health Officer (EHO), Environmental Technician (Environmental Tech), Sanitarian, Soil Lab Technician (Soil Laboratory Technician), Industrial Pretreatment Program Specialist (IPP Specialist), Lab Technician (Laboratory Technician).
Laboratories, offices, factories, and outdoor field sites.
Usually full-time; field response may require irregular hours.
Realistic
working with tools, equipment, materials, or the physical world
Investigative
solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work
Conventional
organizing information, following systems, and getting details right
O*NET job zone 4 of 5
High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.
Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.
May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.
Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.
“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.
Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.
Associate degree
Training path: Associate degree in environmental science or a related field.
Related work experience: None.
On-the-job training: None.
No license required to start in most places.
Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.
Collects air, soil, and water samples and checks workplaces and communities for pollution and health hazards.
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Standard Occupational Classification 19-4042. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.