The environmental health field holds a variety of different jobs in the public and private sectors. An expert in assessing health risks can find work with travel companies, universities, and cities as an environmental epidemiologist. Local and regional governments open environmental health jobs to professionals interested in public health campaigns. An environmental health professional might find work as a health inspector with a municipal government. The environmental health industry also offers employment through waste management and pest control companies.
An environmental epidemiologist is assigned to find potential sources of illness in heavily used facilities. Airlines and cruise companies create environmental health jobs to protect their customers from bacterial infections. Another job option for an environmental epidemiologist is a university or college concerned about student health. Government agencies also offer environmental health jobs to epidemiologists interested in informing public policy through research.
A municipal campaign to improve environmental health might require the work of a public education coordinator. This organizer assembles advertisements, information materials, and presentations about dangers to public health. An environmental health campaign might encourage residents to dispose of household chemicals properly to avoid water contamination, for example, or a public education coordinator might try to promote decreased noise pollution and more recycling to improve environmental health.
The role of a health inspector is to ensure legal compliance by restaurants, groceries, and cafeterias. An inspector can spend hours looking through inventories of canned goods and fresh produce. These investigations might reveal excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, and coloring agents that can be harmful to consumers. This environmental health job also requires a review of storage temperatures, food preparation policies, and expiration dates.
Every waste management company has environmental health jobs for professionals interested in waste storage. A waste management specialist might spend time looking at trash and recycling storage systems for potential leaks. Another task of a waste management specialist is to dispose hazardous materials in a responsible manner. This job can also encompass trucking and storage logistics required to make room for additional waste.
A pest control company is another option for young professionals looking for environmental health jobs. This profession allows an environmental health expert to educate consumers about the causes of pest infestation. A pest control professional can assist multiple clients each day with non-kill pest traps and interior systems that keep ants, cockroaches, and other insects at bay. This position can be an opportunity for a young professional to promote consumer behaviors that decrease unhealthy living environments.
