Career Resources

What can you do with an ESS degree? A lot!

The field of Geoscience touches all aspects of life, making a degree in ESS incredibly valuable with a wide range of job opportunities. Because of this, Earth Scientists will be critical in finding solutions to current and future challenges.

The broad, interdisciplinary field of earth sciences offers careers in many areas, including resource management, environmental protection, urban and rural planning, and geotechnical consulting. An ESS degree equips students with analytical skills, problem solving skills, communication skills, experience in teamwork, and solid grounding in science — all valuable in today’s job market.

Image from The Geological Society showing a city near mountain and ocean, showing all of the types of jobs a geoscientist can have in society.

Students interested in geology positions are encouraged to learn more about the process for becoming a licensed geologist. Students considering a career in secondary science education are encouraged to review the requirements for a Secondary Teaching Endorsement in Earth & Space Sciences for UW’s Secondary Teacher Education Program.

Finding Internships and Jobs

Students can learn about internships and volunteer opportunities in the public sector (non-profit, government, education) by contacting the Carlson Leadership & Public Service Center. Students can learn about internship opportunities in business and industry by visiting Handshake or the UW Career & Internship Center website. The ESS Department shares internship and job postings via our LinkedIn group. The UW College of the Environment maintains a career opportunities page and brings potential employers to campus for an annual Environmental Career Fair. Many professional organizations also offer internship or training opportunities and provide internship/job listings on their websites.

UW Career & Internship Center

The UW Career & Internship Center is located in Mary Gates Hall room 134 and offers a number of free services for current undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and recent alumni including one-on-one career counseling; strength exploration exercises; internship and job search assistance; resume, CV, and cover letter reviews; mock interviews; career-related workshops, labs, and meetups; career fairs; employer/networking events; and credit-bearing career planning and strategy classes.

The UW Career and Internship Center has compiled data that provides a snapshot of students after they graduate. The data includes the top employers, employment location, job titles, and more for ESS students after completing their Bachelor’s degree.

Check out the UW Career and Internship Center for resources and services on career and professional development, including:

Career Links

For a more exhaustive list of earth and space science-related organizations, please check out our Student Services Organization List.

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