Students studying in Social Sciences Building

What can I do with my studies?

Potential occupations

Universities studies lead to multiple occupations. Furthermore, certain professions require talent, special aptitudes, additional skills and experience beyond degrees themselves. By targeting a profession, it can make decisions easier during your schooling, throughout your job search and, finally, when choosing among job offers. The choices can change over time based on academic, personal, and professional paths and on the knowledge of occupations and of the labour market.

In order to list your choices, visit the Job Bank Canada website and, using the National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes, view job postings, wages, employment prospects and other important information that can help you make a decision. If need be, additional and complementary information can be found via two online career exploration tools (Careercruisingand Choices Planner)* also designed to facilitate your career advancement. The occupations found below are examples derived from the National Occupational Classification.

Natural and applied science policy researchers, consultants and program officers

  • Environmental consultant

Inspector in public and environmental health and occupational health and safety

Biologists and related scientists

  • Environmental and occupational toxicologist
  • Environmental biologist
  • Environmental toxicologist

Chemists

  • Environmental chemist

Geoscientists and oceanographers

  • Environmental geologist

Architecture and science managers

  • Scientific research department  manager
  • Scientific research director

Meteorologists and climatologists

  • Meteorologist

College and other vocational instructors

  • College teacher

Volunteer opportunities

In addition to providing an opportunity to apply theories and knowledge learned during your university studies outside the classroom, in real world situations, volunteering is a way to help the community and its many organizations. The Community Service Learning also allows students to contribute to their community by participating in projects that are related to their program of study.

Potential employers

The following examples of employers can offer internships or employment opportunities related to students’ program of studies.

  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Canadian Intellectual Property Office
  • Canadian museum of nature
  • Canadian Seed Trade Association
  • City of Ottawa
  • Envirocentre
  • Environment Canada
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Geofirma Engineering Ltd.
  • Health Canada
  • National Research Council Canada
  • J.F. Sabourin & Associates
  • Natural Resources Canada
  • Public Works and Government Services Canada
  • Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
  • Transport Canada
  • University of Ottawa
  • 3M
  • Alcoa
  • BFI
  • Credit Valley Conservation
  • Eco-Tec
  • Maxxam
  • Ministry of Natural Resources 
  • Nature Conservancy Canada
  • Ontario Clean Water Agency
  • Rideau Valley Conservation Authority
  • The Living City
  • Thunderhouse Forest Services Inc.
  • Waste Management - WM
  • World Wildlife Fund
  • Aeterna Zentaris
  • Lafarge
  • Tembec
  • AECOM
  • Alberta Institute of Agrologists
  • Cameco
  • Dow AgroSciences
  • Ducks Unlimited Canada
  • Government of Manitoba
  • Pinchin West
  • Saskatchewan Power
  • Viterra

Professional organizations

Examples of professional organizations, presented by location, provide essential information on professional development opportunities and networking activities, the examples can also provide access to publications and job opportunities.

  • Biosphere Canada
  • Canadian Association of Environmental Management
  • Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment
  • Canadian Environmental Network - RCEN
  • Canadian Policy Research Networks - CPRN
  • Canadian Public Health Association
  • Canadian Society for Environmental Biologists - CSEB
  • Earth Day Canada
  • ECO Canada
  • Environmental Studies Association of Canada
  • Geological Association of Canada
  • British Columbia Environment Industry Association - BCEIA
  • Ontario Environment Industry Association - ONEIA
  • Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
  • We conserve
  • American Society for Environmental History
  • National Association of Environmental Professionals
  • National Council for Science and the Environment
  • National Science Foundation  
  • North American Association for Environmental Education
  • European Geosciences Union
  • International Union of Geodesy & Geophysics

Date modified : 2023-07-19