Environmental Restoration Planners

Overview

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Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Job Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Examples

These occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, physician assistants, and veterinarians.

Collaborate with field and biology staff to oversee the implementation of restoration projects and to develop new products. Process and synthesize complex scientific data into practical strategies for restoration, monitoring or management.

Yearly Salary

High: $129K
Median: $73K
Low: $42K

Demand

Career Demand by State Career Demand by State Legend

Core Tasks

  • Develop environmental restoration project schedules and budgets.
  • Provide technical direction on environmental planning to energy engineers, biologists, geologists, or other professionals working to develop restoration plans or strategies.
  • Conduct site assessments to certify a habitat or to ascertain environmental damage or restoration needs.
  • Create habitat management or restoration plans, such as native tree restoration and weed control.
  • Collect and analyze data to determine environmental conditions and restoration needs.
  • Plan environmental restoration projects, using biological databases, environmental strategies, and planning software.
  • Supervise and provide technical guidance, training, or assistance to employees working in the field to restore habitats.
  • Communicate findings of environmental studies or proposals for environmental remediation to other restoration professionals.
  • Apply for permits required for the implementation of environmental remediation projects.
  • Develop natural resource management plans, using knowledge of environmental planning or state and federal environmental regulatory requirements.
  • Inspect active remediation sites to ensure compliance with environmental or safety policies, standards, or regulations.
  • Identify environmental mitigation alternatives, ensuring compliance with applicable standards, laws, or regulations.
  • Identify short- and long-term impacts of environmental remediation activities.
  • Notify regulatory or permitting agencies of deviations from implemented remediation plans.
  • Plan or supervise environmental studies to achieve compliance with environmental regulations in construction, modification, operation, acquisition, or divestiture of facilities such as power plants.
  • Review existing environmental remediation designs.
  • Write grants to obtain funding for restoration projects.
  • Develop and communicate recommendations for landowners to maintain or restore environmental conditions.
  • Conduct feasibility and cost-benefit studies for environmental remediation projects.
  • Conduct environmental impact studies to examine the ecological effects of pollutants, disease, human activities, nature, and climate change.
  • Create environmental models or simulations, using geographic information system (GIS) data and knowledge of particular ecosystems or ecological regions.
  • Create diagrams to communicate environmental remediation planning, using geographic information systems (GIS), computer-aided design (CAD), or other mapping or diagramming software.
  • Develop environmental management or restoration plans for sites with power transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, fuel refineries, geothermal plants, wind farms, or solar farms.

Technology Skills

Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Analytical or scientific software
IWR-PLAN
Computer aided design CAD software
Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D
Customer relationship management CRM software
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Data base user interface and query software
Microsoft Access
Desktop publishing software
Adobe InDesign
Document management software
Microsoft SharePoint
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
Enterprise resource planning ERP software
Microsoft Dynamics
Geographic information system
ESRI ArcGIS software
Graphics or photo imaging software
Adobe Photoshop
Internet browser software
Web browser software
Mobile location based services software
Global positioning system GPS software
Office suite software
Microsoft Office software
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Project management software
Microsoft Project
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Word processing software
Microsoft Word

Tools Used

Tool
Example
Communications Devices and Accessories
Multi-line telephone systems
Computer Equipment and Accessories
Laptop computers
Consumer electronics
Global positioning system GPS receivers
Office machines and their supplies and accessories
Laser facsimile machines

Top 10 Knowledge Required

Biology
95%
Importance

Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

English Language
79%
Importance

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Geography
76%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

Design
75%
Importance

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Mathematics
73%
Importance

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Administration and Management
70%
Importance

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Customer and Personal Service
69%
Importance

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Engineering and Technology
69%
Importance

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Law and Government
69%
Importance

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Computers and Electronics
68%
Importance

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Top 10 Skills

Critical Thinking
80%
Importance

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Active Listening
78%
Importance

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Complex Problem Solving
78%
Importance

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Judgment and Decision Making
78%
Importance

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Reading Comprehension
78%
Importance

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Speaking
78%
Importance

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Writing
78%
Importance

Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Monitoring
75%
Importance

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Systems Analysis
73%
Importance

Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.

Active Learning
70%
Importance

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Top 10 Abilities

Inductive Reasoning
80%
Importance

The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Oral Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Oral Expression
80%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Written Comprehension
80%
Importance

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Written Expression
80%
Importance

The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

Deductive Reasoning
78%
Importance

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Information Ordering
75%
Importance

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Problem Sensitivity
75%
Importance

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

Speech Clarity
75%
Importance

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

Speech Recognition
75%
Importance

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Top 10 Work Activities

Getting Information
91%
Importance

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
89%
Importance

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Working with Computers
89%
Importance

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems
87%
Importance

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
86%
Importance

Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization
85%
Importance

Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Analyzing Data or Information
84%
Importance

Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
84%
Importance

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
84%
Importance

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
83%
Importance

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Detailed Work Activities

  • Plan natural resources conservation or restoration programs.
  • Advise others about environmental management or conservation.
  • Inspect condition of natural environments.
  • Analyze environmental data.
  • Collect environmental data or samples.
  • Train personnel in technical or scientific procedures.
  • Supervise scientific or technical personnel.
  • Communicate results of environmental research.
  • Prepare documentation for permits or licenses.
  • Assess compliance with environmental laws.
  • Develop plans to manage natural or renewable resources.
  • Identify sustainable business practices.
  • Research impacts of environmental conservation initiatives.
  • Communicate with government agencies.
  • Write grant proposals.
  • Prepare proposals or grant applications to obtain project funding.
  • Plan environmental research.
  • Direct natural resources management or conservation programs.
  • Review environmental permits, plans, or reports.
  • Advise others about land management or conservation.
  • Research environmental impact of industrial or development activities.
  • Develop mathematical models of environmental conditions.
  • Create images or other visual displays.

Education

Interests

Investigative
90%
Importance

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Realistic
76%
Importance

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Conventional
59%
Importance

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Enterprising
52%
Importance

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Artistic
32%
Importance

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Social
31%
Importance

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Work Values

Achievement
86%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.

Independence
81%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.

Recognition
77%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Working Conditions
72%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Relationships
67%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.

Support
43%
Importance

Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Colleges

SAGE Scholars Member Schools that offer majors leading to this career.

Check out the College Search to see the full list of schools with majors for this career.