Sustainability Specialists
At a Glance
- Have strong communication skills
- Promote environmental awareness
- Work with businesses and schools
- Usually work indoors but sometimes work outside
- Have at least an associate degree
Career summary
Sustainability specialists promote responsible ways to manage resources like water and energy.Sustainability specialists look at how businesses, schools, or other organizations use resources such as water and energy. They look for ways to save money for organizations by utilizing principles of sustainability. They develop organizational sustainability plans and help organizations meet the goals of their sustainability plan.
Sustainability specialists meet with managers, business leaders, and employees to learn about their concerns. They assess the organizations impact on the environment. For example, they may look at a factory's waste management system and how much material is recycled. They may also look at how a company educates the public about their sustainability practices.
A sustainability plan may contain one or more of the following goals:
- Reduce greenhouse emissions
- Increase recycling
- Reduce power usage
- Increase the use of public transportation by employees
To implement plans, sustainability specialists work with other managers to find out what equipment is required, how work can be done differently, and how to train employees. They help put together budgets and may write proposals to funding agencies or other investors.
They check the progress made towards the goals of the plan. They measure use of energy, the rate of recycling, or an increased use of public transportation. They keep records of progress and make adjustments when necessary.
Specialists communicate sustainability plans by writing reports, and talking with employees and members of the public. They also work with leaders from different organizations to improve cooperation on sustainability goals.
Related careers
This career is part of the Business Management and Administration cluster of careers.
Related careers include:
- Climate Change Analysts
- Conservation Scientists
- Energy Auditors
- Environmental Scientists
- Urban and Regional Planners
Job duties
Task list
The following list of tasks is specific to sustainability specialists.
- Work with other sustainability specialists to develop new goals, strategies, and programs.
- Create plans and documents related to sustainability projects.
- Assess sustainability programs, considering cost and the likelihood of acceptance.
- Provide technical support to programs already in place.
- Monitor energy and resource use, waste, and recycling.
- Research related laws and technical issues. Study economic forces related to environmental concerns.
- Review and change proposal and policies.
- Collect information about waste management and green building practices.
- Develop reports and presentations.
- Create web sites and brochures to communicate about new programs.
- Write grant applications to secure funding for new projects and programs.
Common work activities
Sustainability specialists perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.
- Communicate with people outside the organization
- Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
- Get information needed to do the job
- Update and use job-related knowledge
- Establish and maintain relationships
- Evaluate information against standards
- Explain the meaning of information to others
- Use computers
- Develop goals and strategies
- Make decisions and solve problems
- Provide advice and consultation to others
- Identify objects, actions, and events
- Process information
- Document and record information
- Coordinate the work and activities of others
- Organize, plan, and prioritize work
- Develop and build teams
- Teach others
- Think creatively
- Analyze data or information
- Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
- Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed
- Judge the value of objects, services, or people
- Convince others to buy goods or change their minds or actions
- Coach others
- Schedule work and activities
- Perform administrative tasks
Work requirements
Working conditions
In a typical work setting, sustainability specialists:
Interpersonal relationships
- Have a medium level of social interaction.
- Are somewhat responsible for the work done by others.
- Communicate daily by e-mail and telephone. They talk with others in person or by writing letters, but less frequently.
- Work as part of a team.
Physical work conditions
- Almost always work indoors, but may spend time outdoors to inspect work sites.
Work performance
- Must be accurate when writing reports and analyzing data.
- May repeat the same mental tasks.
- Work in a moderately competitive atmosphere in which they must meet weekly and monthly deadlines.
- Set most of their daily tasks and goals without talking to a supervisor first.
- Sometimes make decisions that affect the reputation of their company. They may consult others first, but usually act independently.
Hours/travel
- Usually work a standard 40-hour work week.
- May work overtime to meet project deadlines.
Physical demands
Sustainability specialists frequently:
- Sit for long periods of time.
It is important for sustainability specialists to be able to:
- Understand the speech of another person.
- Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
- See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
It is not as important, but still necessary, for sustainability specialists to be able to:
- See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.
- Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
- See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
- Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
- Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
Skills and abilities
Sustainability specialists need to:
Communicate
- Read and understand work-related materials.
- Understand written information.
- Write clearly so other people can understand.
- Listen to others and ask questions.
- Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
- Understand spoken information.
Reason and problem solve
- Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
- Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
- Recognize the nature of a problem.
- Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
- Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
- Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
- Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
- Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
- Think of original, unusual, or creative ways to solve problems.
- Think of new ideas about a topic.
- Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
- Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
- Develop rules that group items in various ways.
Manage oneself, people, time, and things
- Check how well one is learning or doing something.
- Manage the time of self and others.
- Motivate, develop, and direct people as they work.
Work with people
- Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
- Persuade others to approach things differently.
- Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
- Teach others how to do something.
- Use several methods to learn or teach new things.
- Solve problems by bringing others together to discuss differences.
- Look for ways to help people.
Education and training
Educational programs
The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.
Programs of study directly related to this occupation
Other programs of study to consider
- Community and Regional Planning
- Environmental Design
- Natural Resources Policy and Management
- Natural Sciences
- Project Management
- Public Policy Studies
Training
To work as a sustainability specialist, you typically need to:
- have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
- have at least an associate degree in sustainability or a related field.
Education after high school
Most people prepare for this occupation by getting an associate or bachelor's degree in sustainability. This prepares you to work with the various organizations needed to reduce the environmental impact of human activity. As an undergraduate you study environmental politics, energy analysis, and sustainable practices.
English courses are helpful for writing research and technical reports. Take business courses to learn how to coordinate project management goals and tasks. Algebra and statistics courses can help you solve mathematical problems.
Work experience
Experience working with administration, project management, and public outreach is good background for this occupation.
On-the-job training
It is common for newly hired sustainability specialists to receive some on-the-job training. This varies by employer. Each organization will have its own unique way of approaching sustainability issues.
Helpful high school courses
In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements .
You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.
Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth Science
- Environmental Science
- Physics
The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.
You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.
Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.
Things to know
Employers look for applicants who have at least an associate degree. They look for analysts that have strong oral and written communication skills. They also look for applicants that can solve problems and work well on a team. Specialists who have certificates in green building practice are attractive to many employers.
Wages
Currently, there is no specific statewide wage information available for sustainability specialists. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other business operations specialists."
Business operations specialists, all other (SOC 13-1199)
| Location |
Pay Period | |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10% |
25% |
Median |
75% |
90% |
||
| Washington | Hourly | $20.55 | $26.87 | $34.98 | $45.85 | $57.91 |
| Monthly | $3,561 | $4,657 | $6,062 | $7,946 | $10,036 | |
| Yearly | $42,750 | $55,900 | $72,750 | $95,370 | $120,460 | |
| Bellingham | Hourly | $19.58 | $24.49 | $29.94 | $37.02 | $46.81 |
| Monthly | $3,393 | $4,244 | $5,189 | $6,416 | $8,112 | |
| Yearly | $40,736 | $50,932 | $62,282 | $77,019 | $97,356 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale | Hourly | $23.08 | $32.08 | $40.30 | $47.85 | $54.23 |
| Monthly | $4,000 | $5,559 | $6,984 | $8,292 | $9,398 | |
| Yearly | $47,995 | $66,719 | $83,812 | $99,523 | $112,805 | |
| Clarkston-Lewiston | Hourly | $18.25 | $20.68 | $23.80 | $30.58 | $42.74 |
| Monthly | $3,163 | $3,584 | $4,125 | $5,300 | $7,407 | |
| Yearly | $37,959 | $43,027 | $49,505 | $63,609 | $88,905 | |
| Kennewick-Richland | Hourly | $20.16 | $27.73 | $40.49 | $54.95 | $65.84 |
| Monthly | $3,494 | $4,806 | $7,017 | $9,523 | $11,410 | |
| Yearly | $41,934 | $57,669 | $84,220 | $114,311 | $136,956 | |
| Longview | Hourly | $19.71 | $23.64 | $33.82 | $41.20 | $52.94 |
| Monthly | $3,416 | $4,097 | $5,861 | $7,140 | $9,175 | |
| Yearly | $41,001 | $49,170 | $70,344 | $85,711 | $110,103 | |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes | Hourly | $17.16 | $22.32 | $29.61 | $39.54 | $49.22 |
| Monthly | $2,974 | $3,868 | $5,131 | $6,852 | $8,530 | |
| Yearly | $35,677 | $46,429 | $61,602 | $82,244 | $102,362 | |
| Olympia-Tumwater | Hourly | $19.10 | $25.25 | $31.47 | $39.77 | $50.26 |
| Monthly | $3,310 | $4,376 | $5,454 | $6,892 | $8,710 | |
| Yearly | $39,735 | $52,525 | $65,445 | $82,705 | $104,524 | |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | Hourly | $21.78 | $28.01 | $36.29 | $47.50 | $60.29 |
| Monthly | $3,774 | $4,854 | $6,289 | $8,232 | $10,448 | |
| Yearly | $45,308 | $58,265 | $75,484 | $98,801 | $125,391 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | Hourly | $16.89 | $23.65 | $31.89 | $42.44 | $54.24 |
| Monthly | $2,927 | $4,099 | $5,527 | $7,355 | $9,400 | |
| Yearly | $35,134 | $49,196 | $66,316 | $88,275 | $112,830 | |
| Vancouver | Hourly | $20.27 | $25.37 | $33.60 | $44.04 | $56.85 |
| Monthly | $3,513 | $4,397 | $5,823 | $7,632 | $9,852 | |
| Yearly | $42,156 | $52,769 | $69,885 | $91,591 | $118,240 | |
| Walla Walla | Hourly | $22.15 | $31.41 | $39.00 | $46.75 | $55.59 |
| Monthly | $3,839 | $5,443 | $6,759 | $8,102 | $9,634 | |
| Yearly | $46,081 | $65,328 | $81,129 | $97,227 | $115,625 | |
| Wenatchee | Hourly | $19.15 | $22.74 | $29.45 | $38.84 | $47.96 |
| Monthly | $3,319 | $3,941 | $5,104 | $6,731 | $8,311 | |
| Yearly | $39,847 | $47,298 | $61,258 | $80,793 | $99,770 | |
| Yakima | Hourly | $19.21 | $24.11 | $28.85 | $35.96 | $43.23 |
| Monthly | $3,329 | $4,178 | $5,000 | $6,232 | $7,492 | |
| Yearly | $39,949 | $50,143 | $59,996 | $74,794 | $89,927 | |
| United States | Hourly | $18.47 | $25.09 | $33.91 | $45.62 | $59.13 |
| Monthly | $3,201 | $4,348 | $5,877 | $7,906 | $10,247 | |
| Yearly | $38,420 | $52,200 | $70,530 | $94,890 | $123,000 | |
Wages vary widely depending on the specialist's skill level, experience, and level of education. Wages also vary by area of the country and by employer.
Benefits also vary. Most full-time sustainability specialists receive typical benefits. These include paid vacation, sick leave, and health insurance.
National wage information is not available specifically for sustainability specialists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other business operations specialists."
Employment and outlook
Washington outlook
#Currently, there is no specific statewide outlook information available for sustainability specialists. However, this occupation is part of the larger group called "all other business operations specialists."
The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.
Business Operations Specialists, All Other (SOC 13-1199)
| Location | Current employment | Growth over 10 years | Annual openings | |
| This occupation |
All occupations |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 38,236 | 17.3% | 16.1% | 5,034 |
| Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties | 504 | 16.9% | 13.4% | 66 |
| Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman Counties | 815 | 8.8% | 8.6% | 90 |
| Benton and Franklin Counties | 1,089 | 12.7% | 15.0% | 131 |
| Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties | 1,915 | 7.5% | 11.9% | 207 |
| Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties | 1,633 | 15.6% | 15.2% | 207 |
| Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties | 1,265 | 18.8% | 14.1% | 171 |
| Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties | 1,589 | 17.9% | 14.6% | 212 |
| King County | 21,277 | 20.8% | 19.6% | 2,981 |
| Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties | 622 | 15.1% | 13.8% | 78 |
| Pierce County | 2,996 | 14.2% | 15.2% | 370 |
| Snohomish County | 2,669 | 9.2% | 12.4% | 298 |
| Spokane County | 1,894 | 14.3% | 13.9% | 235 |
| United States | 1,135,700 | 6.3% | 5.2% | 119,600 |
National employment
Major employers:
- Federal, state, and local government agencies
- Consulting companies
- Engineering firms
National outlook
Demand will grow quickly for this occupation as more businesses attempt to reduce waste and pollution. Demand may be limited by government budgets.
Job prospects are best for those with training and experience.
Employment and outlook information is not available specifically for sustainability specialists. However, they are part of the larger group of "all other business operations specialists."
Other resources
American Geophysical Union
2000 Florida Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20009
800.966.2481
202.462.6900
Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education
2401 Walnut St, Suite 102
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Council for Agricultural Science and Technology
4420 West Lincoln Way
Ames, IA 50014
515.292.2125
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy information
(US Department of Energy)
Environmental Career Center
P.O. Box 3387
Hampton, Virginia 23663
Environmental Council of the States
1250 H Street NW, Suite 850
Washington, DC 20005
Environmental Protection Agency
Park Place Building
1200 - 6th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
P.O. Box 3838
Butte, MT 59702
Seaweb Aquaculture Clearing House
SWANA-Solid Waste Association of North America
1100 Wayne Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
800.467.9262
United States Society for Ecological Economics
Washington Business Week
PO Box 1170
Renton, WA 98057
253.237.3545
References
Career cluster
Career path
- Enterprising (Business Communications)
O*Net occupation
O*Net job zone
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.
Holland occupational cluster
- Enterprising/Investigative/Artistic
COPSystem
- Science Skilled