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In-Demand Career Paths

To understand how to prepare for your chosen career in natural resources or environmental management, one of the simplest things you can do is check the federal qualifications for your preferred career path.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has determined education and experience requirements for thousands of job families (“occupational series”) that you can use as a template for becoming a qualified entry-level candidate in your field, whether or not you ultimately intend to seek employment in federal service.  Although OPM is continuously retiring outmoded occupational series, their standards are still useful as a general planning tool. 

As you explore some of the careers listed here, make sure you verify the qualifications with OPM to see if they have been updated since this guide was developed.

On this page, you can find information about career paths in:

Land management

General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences

This series contains several occupations within natural resource management: biologists, NEPA planners, environmental coordinators, interdisciplinary researchers and others.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 0401)

General Natural Resources Management Requirements

Grade Education Requirement
GS03 One year of higher education
GS04 Two years of higher education
GS05 A four year degree in biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry or a related discipline
GS07 The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) OR One year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?
Recommended minors include:
What does competitive experience look like?

Assisting in the preparation of environmental assessments or environmental impact statements; or, evaluating compliance with environmental laws and regulations; or, performing field work to identify existing environmental conditions and factors that could impact those conditions.

Where can I gain relevant experience?

Forestry

Foresters manage timber resources by developing annual work plans, conducting on-the-ground surveys, reviewing logging plans for compliance with contract terms, and inspecting logging operations.  Fieldwork, often performed alone, is a large part of the job. Foresters frequently work with other specialists to monitor logging operations and their impacts and resolve problems as they arise.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 0460)

Forestry requirements
GradeEducation Requirement
GS03One year of higher education
GS04Two years of higher education
GS05A four-year degree, including 30+ hours of coursework in biological, physical, or mathematical sciences or engineering, 24+ hours in forestry, including renewable resource management, Forest biology, Forest resource measurements and inventory
GS07The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA) OR one year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?

Students interested in pursuing careers in forestry may wish to major in Biology with a pre-forestry and pre-wildlife management emphasis before transferring to University of Idaho’s forestry program.

What does competitive experience look like?

Assisting higher-level foresters or working as a team member in accomplishing selected portions of forestry projects such as timber sale contracts, laying out unit boundaries, or cruising and marking timber,

Ensuring all contract provisions are enforced in accordance with contract objectives,

Conducting cruises of timber stands to determine volume of merchantable timber, species composition, accessibility, and environmental constraints,

Performing related timber sale preparation, timber stand improvement, and reforestation duties.

Where can I gain relevant experience?

Parks and recreation

Outdoor Recreation Planning

Outdoor recreation planners design recreation programs, recommend recreation activities appropriate for the land, write environmental reports, and manage and suggest improvements for current recreation facilities.  They generally work in an office and in the field. Their day-to-day work requires both project management and communication skills.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 0023)

Outdoor Recreation Planning Requirements

Grade Education Requirement
GS03 One year of higher education
GS04 Two years of higher education
GS05 A four year degree in outdoor recreation planning, sociology, forestry, landscape architecture, economics, biological science, park administration, earth science, natural resource management and conservation, civil engineering, urban planning, or recreation.
GS07 The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)
OR
One year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?
What does competitive experience look like?
  • Experience that provided a knowledge of the requirements and practices of outdoor recreation planning or natural resource utilization and conservation.
  • Analysis and evaluation of outdoor recreation interests, habits, and needs of diversified groups, and the means for meeting those needs.
  • Evaluation of land or water areas for their recreation and related potential use, such as wildlife reserve.
  • Preparation or review of plans and programs for natural resource utilization and recreation area development.
  • Solution of administrative, intergovernmental, socioeconomic, and other problems involved in providing adequate recreation opportunities while preserving, restoring, and enhancing the quality of the outdoor environment.
Where can I gain relevant experience?

Water management

Hydrology

Hydrologists monitor, restore and protect water resources.  They manage programs to monitor water quality and complete environmental reports that advise how damaged watersheds can be rehabilitated. Hydrologists spend many working hours taking samples in the field, and they often collaborate with other natural resource specialists to develop comprehensive land management plans.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 1315)

Hydrology requirements
GradeEducation Requirement
GS03One year of higher education
GS04Two years of higher education
GS05A degree in a physical science, natural science, or engineering, including
30+ hours of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics, chemistry, engineering science, soils, mathematics, aquatic biology, atmospheric science, meteorology, geology, oceanography, or the management or conservation of water resources, including
6+ hours of calculus (differential and integral)
6+ hours of physics
GS07The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)
OR
One year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?

Geosciences with a hydrology emphasis.

What does competitive experience look like?

Field or laboratory work that required application of hydrologic theory and related sciences such as geology, geo-chemistry, geophysics, or civil engineering to make observations, take samples, operate instruments, assemble data from source materials, analyze and interpret data, and report findings orally and in writing.

Where can I gain relevant experience?

Wildlife and fisheries

Wildlife Biology

Wildlife biologists manage, monitor and improve wildlife habitat by conducting studies and surveys, coordinating efforts with other agencies, tribes, and the public, and working closely with other specialists to develop management plans.  Their work is often connected to the Endangered Species Act: for example, a wildlife biologist might research the impact of planned agency actions on the habitat of threatened and endangered species and prepare a biological opinion to document these findings.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 0486)

Wildlife Biology Requirements

Grade Education Requirement
GS03 One year of higher education
GS04 Two years of higher education
GS05 A Bachelor of Science in a biological science with

  • 9+ hours in wildlife subjects (mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research courses)
  • 12+ hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses
  • 9+ hours in botany or the related plant sciences
GS07 The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)
OR
One year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?

Biology with Ecology, Evolution and Behavior emphasis

What does competitive experience look like?
  • Assist in conducting field surveys in remote locations to document and assess animal presence, abundance, reproduction, and population dynamics using established protocols and standard scientific equipment
  • Recording and analyzing wildlife data using computer software (such as Microsoft Access, Excel, Word, ArcGIS, Pathfinder Office, or comparable)
Where can I gain relevant experience?

Geology

Similar to other natural resource specialists, geologists investigate the geologic characteristics of land under management to ensure geological factors are considered in management plans and operations. For example, they inspect mining operations, monitor lands leased for mineral extraction, collect and analyze field data, and present their findings to others.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 1350)

Geology requirements
GradeEducation Requirement
GS03One year of higher education
GS04Two years of higher education
GS05A degree in geology and
20+ hours of coursework in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological science, structural, chemical, civil, mining or petroleum engineering, computer science, planetary geology, comparative planetology, geophysics, meteorology, hydrology, oceanography, physical geography, marine geology, and cartography.
GS07The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)
OR
One year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?

Geosciences with a geology emphasis

What does competitive experience look like?
  • Performing field studies to gather geological samples and data
  • Assisting with geological studies and surveys
  • Interpreting and analyzing results to determine the validity and scientific significance of the data
Where can I gain relevant experience?

Management and policy

Management and Program Analysis

Management and program analysis professionals develop performance measures for program evaluation, track the progress of programs, recommend changes to programs to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and participate in strategic planning to ensure programs adapt as needs change.

What are the education requirements? (Verify with OPM: 0343)

Management and Program Analysis Requirements

Grade Education Requirement
GS03 One year of higher education
GS04 Two years of higher education
GS05 A four year degree
GS07 The same four year degree with Superior Academic Achievement (SAA)
OR
One year of related graduate education
Which majors at Boise State University can fulfill these requirements?

Any major can fulfill these requirements.  Recommended majors:

What does competitive experience look like?
  • Analyzing problems to identify significant factors, gathering pertinent data, and recognizing solutions,
  • Planning and organizing work,
  • Communicating effectively orally and in writing.
Where can I gain relevant experience?
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