Career Information and Search Tools in Environmental and Geological Sciences
GROW(opens in new window) - Geoscience Resources on Opportunities in the Workforce.
CSC2 (opens in new window)- Chico STEM Collections Collaborative: offers a variety of services to assist them with navigating college life and natural sciences courses.
Adelante Program(opens in new window) - supports Latinx and low-income students on their undergraduate academic journeys and prepare them for graduate and other post-college opportunities.
REU programs(opens in new window) - internships for NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates.
Jobs sites to search
Indeed.com(opens in new window) - one of the better job consolidator websites; has jobs from many if not all of the websites below. You can refine by location; consider search terms (or combinations) like "geology", "hydrology", "ecology", "atmospheric science", "energy", "internship", "river", "wildfire", "forest", "agriculture", "environmental justice", "ecohydrology".
Green jobs(opens in new window) - network community for climate and social impact jobseekers.
Environmental jobs(opens in new window) - environmental jobs around the country.
State of California jobs(opens in new window) - examples include: Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Transportation, State Water Resources Control Board, California Energy Commission, State Air Resources Board.
USA Federal jobs(opens in new window) - federal jobs website; potential jobs you might search for: Physical Science technician, Biological Science technician, Forestry technician, AmeriCorps environmental; students should qualify for GS-4 and GS-5 positions.
Conservation job board(opens in new window) - the world’s largest and most-visited career website in conservation, ecology, forestry, wildlife, and fisheries.
Earth Science Women's Network jobs(opens in new window) - fantastic environmental science listserv open to all genders, scroll down and subscribe to Es_jobs_net.
ECOLOG-L listserv(opens in new window) - all things ecology: jobs, graduate school, etc. You will need to create a non-member web account to search the listserv. Hosted by the Ecological Society of America (ESA).
California Society for Ecological Restoration(opens in new window) - great site for ecology-based jobs in California.
Society for Wetland Scientists(opens in new window) - discover exciting opportunities in wetland science.
Society for Ecological Restoration(opens in new window) - excellent resource for jobs related to ecological restoration.
Society for Freshwater Science Classified Ads(opens in new window) - jobs and graduate school opportunities in freshwater science.
Texas A&M job board(opens in new window) - Texas A&M University Department of Rangeland, Wildlife, and Fisheries Management maintains an awesome job board; for everywhere, not just Texas.
Student Conservation Association(opens in new window) - lots of AmeriCorps-like jobs for different agencies (mostly federal). Go to SERVE --> Young adult --> Search internships.
American Geophysical Union (AGU)(opens in new window) - physical science jobs; filter for "internships"; lots of graduate student opportunities.
American Meteorological Society(opens in new window) - great for jobs related to atmospheric science.
Oregon jobs(opens in new window) - environmental job opportunities to work in Oregon.
Job titles to search for
For Energy and Earth Resources majors:
- Environmental/energy auditor
- Program Director/Manager/Staff for outdoor center, environmental center, environmental organization, conservation group
- Lawyer working for a general law firm, an environmental consulting firm, environmental organization, conservation group, state or federal government
- Educator at an Environmental Center or an Outdoor Center
- Management Consultant focusing on resource and environmental practices
- Outdoor Trip Leader (Outward Bound, National Outdoor Leadership School, etc.)
- Lobbyist for an environmental organization, conservation group
- Urban planning staff on a state or local level
- Fundraiser for an environmental organization, conservation group, foundation
- Political aid on environmental and resource issues
- Researcher for an environmental organization, conservation group
For sustainability career opportunities:
- Corporate sustainability
- Corporate social responsibility
- Socially responsible investing
- Research and development
- Marketing/media
- Event planning
- Consulting
- Policy makers, government, and regulatory agencies
- NGO or other nonprofit
- Education
- Non-sustainability jobs in sustainability companies
- Standards organizations
- Waste and recycling
- Fashion and apparel
- Military
- Food and agriculture
- Start your own business/non-profit
Internal Funding Opportunities
CSU Pre-doctoral Scholarship Program(opens in new window) - supports CSU students interested in pursuing a PhD. Funding for travel to meetings and visits to prospective PhD programs. Applications due early Spring.
Research and creativity award(opens in new window) – Chico State – award deadlines twice a year based on funds allocated by Provost. Up to $1700 for semester awards and $5000 for summer.
Chico State Enterprises(opens in new window) – Chico State research and sponsored programs office home.
External Funding Opportunities
American Association of University Women(opens in new window) – offers a variety of fellowships for women in science.
American Museum of Natural History(opens in new window) – offers a variety of fellowships, research grants, and exchange opportunities for students at all levels. Deadlines throughout the year.
American Society of Plant Biologists(opens in new window) - offers fellowships, research funding, and travel awards to present research at their annual meeting. See individual announcements for details.
Association of Women Geologists(opens in new window) – opportunities for women in geology.
Botanical Society of America(opens in new window) - numerous opportunities to support graduate student research or travel to annual Botanical Society meeting. See individual announcements for details.
California Botanical Society(opens in new window) - supports travel & supplies (usually up to $1000) on research associated with Baja California. Proposals due Mar and Dec.
California Native Plant Society(opens in new window) - various grant opportunities to support travel & materials associated with research on plants. Proposals due September 30 annually.
Evolving Earth(opens in new window) – opportunities for student research in the Earth sciences.
Explorer’s Club(opens in new window) – opportunities for exploration and field research to advance the scientific knowledge of the world.
Garden Club of America(opens in new window) - offers a wide variety of fellowships and scholarships to support research in botany, conservation, restoration, bird habitat, urban forestry, wetlands, etc. Award size varies but is usually several thousand dollars. See individual announcements for details.
Geological Society of America(opens in new window) – opportunities for graduate student research in the geosciences.
Mineralogical Society of America(opens in new window) – opportunities for student research in mineralogy and petrology.
National Science Foundation(opens in new window) - graduate research fellowship. MS students from non-PhD granting institutions (such as Chico State) are encouraged.
Northern California Botanists(opens in new window) - supports travel & materials up to $1000 for research on plants in northern California. Proposals due mid-Spring semester annually.
Plant Population Ecology(opens in new window) - section of the Ecological Society of America - small grants to support student travel to present research results at annual Ecological Society meeting. Proposals due during Spring semester.
Sigma Xi(opens in new window)-travel & materials up to $1000 in support of research by full-time students. Proposals due in March and October annually.
Society of Economic Geologists(opens in new window) – opportunities to support research in economic geology.
Society of Wetland Scientists(opens in new window) - student research grants to support research in wetlands.
Other directories of STEM funding opportunities
Undergraduate Scholarships(opens in new window) - 30+ opportunities from a variety of private and federal funders for students pursuing STEM.
Graduate Funding for Masters Students(opens in new window) - 40+ funding opportunities for Masters-level students in STEM.
Graduate Funding for PhD Students(opens in new window) - 40+ funding opportunities including funding from NSF, NASA, and NIH.
Graduate Teaching Assistantships
A limited number of graduate teaching assistantships are available in the department. Students awarded TAs conduct laboratories for our general education courses in environmental science (ERTH 110 and ERTH 130) and geology (ERTH 101 and ERTH 102), and possibly others depending upon qualifications.
If you wish to apply for a graduate teaching assistantship in the department please email the department. To be considered for a TA as an incoming student we must have all application materials by May 15 for fall semester or November 15 for spring semester and you must be admitted with at least conditionally classified status.