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Careers
Graduates of the Environment and Resources masters and Ph.D. programs are employed in many different types of positions by a wide variety of organizations including governmental and non-govermental agencies, private industry, universities, and others. The graph below shows the distribution of employers for ER graduates.
The tables below show a sampling of the types of positions that Environment and Resources graduates have held and contain data from the most recent ER 10-year review (self-reported by alumni; names, addresses withheld). The information is sorted according to the type of employer (eg., federal, state agencies, private sector, etc.) and may include entry through senior-level positions. The complete alumni directory (hard copy) is available in the Nelson Institute Academic Programs Office.
Faculty Positions (17.6%)
| Position | Employer (City, State) | Degree Level |
|---|---|---|
| Assistant Professor | Bucknell University, Environmental Studies Program (Lewisburg, PA) | MS |
| Assistant Professor | Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Florida State University (Tallahassee, FL) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Iowa State University (Ames, IA) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | McGill University (Montreal, Canada) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Northland College (Ashland, WI) | MS |
| Assistant Professor | School of Nursing, UW- Madison (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Southern Oregon University (Ashland, OR) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Univ of Maryland, Baltimore County, Dept of Geography & Environmental Systems (Baltimore, MD) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Univ of Missouri (Columbia, MO) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | University of Wisconsin-Madison (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor | Yale (New Haven, CT) | MS |
| Assistant Professor of Agriculture, Society, and Food Security | UC-Berkeley, Dept of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management (Providence, RI) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies | Green Mountain College (Poultney, VT) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor of Sociology | Washington State Univ-Vancouver (Vancouver, WA) | PhD |
| Assistant Professor of Sustainability Science | Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (Lund, Sweden) | MS |
| Assistant Professor/Research Scientist II | Colorado State University (Pueblo, CO) | PhD |
| Associate Professor | University of Georgia (Athens, GA) | PhD |
| Associate Professor | University of New England (Biddeford, ME) | PhD |
| Associate Professor of Environmental Science | Franklin College Switzerland (Sorengo, Switzerland) | PhD |
| Associate Professor of Law | University of Idaho (Moscow, ID) | PhD |
| Associate Researcher | University of Teacher Training in St. Gallen, Switzerland (St. Gallen, Switzerland) | MS |
| Dean - Social Sciences & Career Options | Kirkwood Community College (Cedar Rapids, IA) | PhD |
| Professor | Universidad de Guadalajara (Autlan, Jalisco, Mexico) | PhD |
| Tenure Track Life Science Faculty | Rock Valley College (Rockford, IL) | PhD |
Government Positions (24.6%)
| Position | Employer (City, State) | Degree Level |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture Agent | UW-Extension, Jackson County (Black River Falls, WI) | MS |
| Biological Technician | Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (Salt Lake City, UT) | MS |
| Compliance and Enforcement Data Manager | WDNR - Bureau of Air Management (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Correctional Officer; Ranger | Dept of Corrections/Dept of Health Services; Dept of Natural Resources (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Easement Programs Coordinator | USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Environmental economist | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Western Ecology Division (Corvallis, OR) | PhD |
| Environmental Program Manager | Federal Highway Administration - Wisconsin Division (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Environmental Protection Specialist | US EPA Office of Transportation and Air Quality (Ann Arbor, MI) | MS |
| Fisheries LTE | WI Dept of Natural Resources (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Forestry Planner | WI Dept of Natural Resources (Madison, WI) | MS |
| GIS Analyst | Franklin County Virginia (Rocky Mount, VA) | MS |
| GIS Coordinator | City of Sun Prairie (Sun Prairie, WI) | MS |
| Horticulture Educator | Eau Claire County UW-Extension (Altoona, WI) | MS |
| Lake and Reservoir Ecologist | WDNR (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Law Clerk | Wisconsin Court of Appeals (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Natural Resources Planner | Whatcom County Planning and Development Services (Bellingham, WA) | MS |
| Outreach Specialist | WI Dept of Natural Resources (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Planner | City of Madison (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Program Manager and Team Lead, Coalbed Methane Outreach Program | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Washington, DC) | PhD |
| Program Technician | USDA - Farm Service Agency (Faribault, MN) | MS |
| Project Assistant, Southwest Grassland and Stream Conservation Area | Wisconsin DNR (Fitchburg, WI) | MS |
| Project Manager | California Energy Commission (Sacramento, CA) | MS |
| Research Scientist | NYC Dept of Health and Mental Hygiene (New York, NY) | MS |
| Restoration Ecologist | City of Eugene, Oregon: Parks and Open Space Division (Eugene, OR) | MS |
| Riparian Management Forester | Wisconsin DNR, Forestry Division, Forest Sciences Section (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Senior Biologist | City of Austin Wildland Conservation Division (Austin, TX) | MS |
| Senior Energy Analyst | National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Golden, CO) | PhD |
| Software Engineer | National Center for Atmospheric Research (Boulder, CO) | PhD |
| Specialty Crop Block Grant Manager | WI Dept of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Supervisor, Demand Side Energy Management Evaluation | California Public Utilities Commission (San Francisco, CA) | MS |
| Teacher | Oconomowoc Area School District (Oconomowoc, WI) | PhD |
| Utah State Grazing Coordinator | Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (Salt Lake City, UT) | MS |
| Water Resources Management Specialist | WI Dept of Natural Resources (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Watershed Coordinator | Oldham County Fiscal Court - Curry's Fork (La Grange, KY) | MS |
| Wildlife Biologist | USDA Forest Service (Rhinelander, WI) | PhD |
Non-Profit/NGO (20.4%)
| Position | Employer (City, State) | Degree Level |
|---|---|---|
| Attorney | Appalachian Research and Defense Fund (Prestonsburg, KY) | MS |
| Board Member | Center for Rural Empowerment and the Environment (Chicago, IL) | PhD |
| Certification Manager | Food Alliance (Portland, OR) | MS |
| Children's Ministries Coordinator (part time) | St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Madison, WI (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Clean Energy Policy Advisor | The Wilderness Society (Washington, DC) | MS |
| Conservation Ecologist | The Nature Conservancy (Sturgeon Bay, WI) | MS |
| Director of Advocacy and Education | Local Motion (Burlington, VT) | MS |
| Director of Conservation Strategy | Conservation International (Arlington, VA) | PhD |
| Director of Ecological Restoration | Belwin Conservancy (Afton, MN) | MS |
| Director, Creation Care Program | The Center for Law and Culture, Olivet Nazarene University (Bourbonnais, IL) | PhD |
| Ecosystem Policy Manager | Conservation International-Japan (Tokyo, Japan) | PhD |
| Executive Director | Driftless Area Land Conservancy (Dodgeville, WI) | MS |
| Executive Director | Family Farm Defenders (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Executive Director and Founder | Lion Guardians program (Nairobi, Kenya) | PhD |
| Founder and President of Ecological Internet | www.ecologicalinternet.org (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Government Relations Director | Gathering Waters Conservancy (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Green Downtown Program Manager | 1000 Friends of Wisconsin (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Lawyer | Pivot Legal Society (Vancouver, Canada) | MS |
| Naturalist | Aldo Leopold Nature Center (Monona, WI) | MS |
| Policy and Program Director | Clean Lakes Alliance (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Policy Director | California Climate and Agriculture Network (Sacramento, CA) | MS |
| Policy Director | Wisconsin Wetlands Association (Madison, WI) | MS |
| President | Panda Mountain - U.S. China Environmental Fund (Mount Horeb, WI) | MS |
| Project Manager | Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development (Boston, MA) | MS |
| Project Manager/Energy Efficiency Research | Energy Center of Wisconsin (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Site Manager/Ecologist | The Nature Conservancy (Morocco, IN) | MS |
| Teacher | Virginia Beach Friends School (Virginia, VA) | MS |
| Team Development Specialist | American Field Service USA (New York, NY) | MS |
| Wildlife Epidemiologist | Wildlife Conservation Society (Nanaimo, Canada) | PhD |
Private (16.9%)
| Position | Employer (City, State) | Degree Level |
|---|---|---|
| Associate | Synapse Energy Economics Inc (Cambridge, MA) | MS |
| Attorney | Somach Simmons & Dunn (Sacramento, CA) | MS |
| CEO | Leaguevine Inc. (Chicago, IL) | MS |
| Co-Founder/Director of Business to Business Development | SnowShoeFood LLC (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Co-Owner | Crossroads Community Farm, LLC (Cross Plains, WI) | MS |
| Director, Environmental Health and Safety | Goodrich Corporation (Charlotte, NC) | PhD |
| Energy and Sustainability Consultant | Shaw Environmental Inc (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Environmental Scientist/Consultant | Short Elliott Hendrickson Inc (Sheboygan, WI) | MS |
| Environmental Specialist | Booz Allen Hamilton (Seattle, WA) | MS |
| Farm Manager | Sommers' Harvest Farm (Hamilton, NY) | MS |
| Landscape Designer/Project Manager | Larry Weaner Landscape Associates (Glenside, PA) | MS |
| Learning Designer | LeapFrog Enterprises (Emeryville, CA) | PhD |
| Manager of Regulatory Affairs | Alliant Energy (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Owner | MDRoffers Consulting LLC (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Owner/Botanist | Trillium Environmental, LLC (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Principal | Cronin Energy Analysis, LLC (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Principal Ecologist | Adaptive Restoration LLC (Mt Horeb, WI) | MS |
| Program Manager | Digital Map Products (Irvine, CA) | MS |
| Project Manager | TecMarket Works (Oregon, WI) | MS |
| Research Analyst | Franklin Energy Services, LLC (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Restoration Specialist | Biologic/Adaptive Restoration LLC (Mt Horeb, WI) | MS |
| Senior Director of Sustainability, Corporate Environment, Health and Safety | Baxter International Inc. (Deerfield, IL) | PhD |
| Vice President, Technology | TermSync, Inc. (Fitchburg, WI) | MS |
| Wilderness Instructor and Guide | Wildlands Studies (Hotchkiss, CO) | MS |
University Staff (20.5%)
| Position | Employer (City, State) | Degree Level |
|---|---|---|
| Aquatic Invasive Species Communications Specialist | UW-Extension (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Assistant Scientist | UW-Madison (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Assistant Teaching Professor in Rural Sociology | University of Missouri-Columbia (Columbia, MO) | PhD |
| Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives | Univ of Louisville (Louisville, KY) | PhD |
| Associate Outreach Specialist | UW-Madison, Dept of Agronomy: Water, Sustainability and Climate research program (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Associate Scientist | UW-Madison: Environmental Resources Center (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Co-Director & Environmental Studies Specialist | UW-Extension (Green Bay, WI) | PhD |
| Cooperative Education Faculty | Northeastern University (Boston, MA) | MS |
| Curatorial Assistant II | Harvard University Museum of Comparative Zoology (Cambridge, MA) | MS |
| Director | Washington State Univ - Center for Sustaining Ag & Nat Resources (Wenatchee, WA) | MS |
| Instructor | Univ of Colorado Honors Program (Boulder, CO) | MS |
| Lecturer | UW-Extension, Cooperative Extension (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Managing Editor, Human Pathology | Dept of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, UW-Madison (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Natural Sciences Instructor | Leech Lake Tribal College (Cass Lake, MN) | PhD |
| Outreach Specialist | UW-Madison Lakeshore Nature Preserve (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Outreach Specialist | WI School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems, UW-Madison (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Post Doctoral Research Associate | Univ of Vermont, Dept of Pathology (Burlington, VT) | PhD |
| Postdoctoral Associate | Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ) | PhD |
| Postdoctoral Researcher | Univ of Minnesota, Inst on the Environment (St Paul, MN) | PhD |
| Professor of Practice & Co-Director of Energy Policy, Law and Governance | Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) | PhD |
| Research AssociatePostdoctoral Research Associate | Princeton University (Princeton, NJ) | PhD |
| Research Fellow | Univ of Minnesota, Inst on the Environment (St Paul, MN) | PhD |
| Research Scientist | Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, UW-Madison (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Senior Cartographer | Comm & Envir Soc, UW-Madison (Madison, WI) | PhD |
| Senior Commercial Analyst | University of Alaska-Fairbanks (Fairbanks, AK) | PhD |
| Senior Outreach Specialist | UW-Madison's Nelson Inst for Env Studies (Madison, WI) | MS |
| Special Projects-Academic Sustainability Initiatives; Adjunct faculty in Envir St | Univ of St Thomas (St Paul, MN) | PhD |
| Visiting Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies | The College of Wooster (Wooster, OH) | MS |
| Wetland Scientist | Rhode Island Natural History Survey (Kingston, RI) | MS |