Career Opportunities in Certification Verification

By Piper Hodson

CAR, VCS, ISO 14000, FSC, MSC.* These are only a few of the veritable alphabet soup of voluntary environmental standards that companies use to assure consumers that they are environmentally responsible. You may have learned about some of these standards in NRES classes, but have you ever thought about the career opportunities that they create?

These certifications provide information to potential customers. For example, you learned about declining fish populations when you took NRES 102, and wanting to continue to make your excellent grilled salmon recipe, you wonder how you can find salmon you can feel confident was harvested sustainably. The answer is that you use the sustainable seafood product finder provided by the Marine Stewardship Council to find the brands of specific fish species that meet the MSC’s standards of sustainable seafood.

Companies know that there are some consumers who will want sustainably harvested seafood (or lumber or coffee or cars that are produced with attention to sustainability, etc.), so they seek an advantage over their competitors by becoming certified. When a company signs onto one of these standards, it submits its activities to a certification process. Even the most voluntary standards (those not requiring third-party verification of claims) have an organization that needs people to convince companies to participate in the standard, educate the public to look for products with its seal of approval, investigate claims of violations, and manage the certification records. Those standards that require third-party verification generate even more career opportunities, because someone has to do the verification.

As a result, there are businesses that specialize in certification. One such company is Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), which describes itself as “a global leader in independent certification and verification of environmental, sustainability, stewardship, food quality, food safety and food purity claims.” SCS is one of several large companies, Bureau Veritas being another, that offers certification services for a wide range of standards around the world.

To learn more about this career path, you can explore some jobs with certification companies that are currently available:

·         Chain of Custody Technical Associate for Scientific Certification Systems

·         ISO 9000, 14000, and 18000 Lead Auditor for Bureau Veritas

·         Product Integrity Director for the Marine Stewardship Council

·         Accreditation Officer for International Code Council

·         Sustainability Services Program Coordinator for Scientific Certification Systems

·         Client Relations Manager for International Code Council

·         Technical Sales, Environmental Certification Services for Scientific Certification Systems

·         Account Manager for Bureau Veritas

·         Customer Service Specialist for Bureau Veritas

There are similar positions related to enforcing legally required standards, as well. For example, NRES Student Services recently received an e-mail asking us to advertise jobs in the Catch Shares Observer Program run by Alaskan Observers, Inc. Fishing trawlers on the West Coast receive limits on the fish they are allowed to catch, and they are required to carry observers when they are fishing. According to the job description, “Observers in the Trawl Catch Share Observer Program can expect to work at-sea 15-20 days per month, gathering fishing effort and location information, sampling for species composition, and collecting biological data from both prohibited and target species.” These positions require at least a B.S. in a natural science with at least 30 credit hours in biological sciences, one course in math, and one course in statistics. NRES graduates, particularly those in the Fish and Wildlife Conservation concentration, fulfill these requirements very well, and positions related to other types of regulation fit the profiles of other NRES concentrations.

So next time you are thinking about your career, consider standard setting organizations and certification companies as one possible path.

*CAR (Climate Action Reserve), VCS (Verified Carbon Standards), ISO 14000 (International Organization for Standardization standards for Environmental Management), FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), and MSC (Marine Stewardship Council).

Piper's Advice on Searching for Research Based Graduate Program

Once you know that you want to pursue a research based graduate program, you may feel overwhelmed by the idea that, for many programs, you are supposed to find an advisor before you even apply. I frequently get asked, "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THAT?" So here is my advice:

First, contact faculty from your undergraduate or master's program to see if they have any suggestions, given your research interests. This may or may not provide you with some good leads, but never fear, there is a way to do this for yourself.

Think back to your undergraduate courses and research that you have read. Are there any books or articles that pose intriguing questions that made you want to go find an answer? If so, they can lead you to an appropriate advisor and graduate program, and you should make a note of who wrote them and where they were employed at the time.

If you can't remember or find any of those materials, I'd advise you to do some searching in Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com/). Of course, journal indexes and abstracts are also great sources, if you have access to them. For example, let’s say that after reading a lot of articles about the drought in the southern United States this summer and fall, you decide that one topic that interests you is how natural resource managers can best adapt their management practices in times of environmental stress. You would type in a search such as [drought "environmental management"], and when you get the results, limit it to more recent articles by using the pull down menu (say, to since 2008).

Then you start exploring. It’s a good idea to try several different versions of search terms for each of your areas of interest, and be as specific as you can. For example, one problem with the example search is that it will include aquatic, terrestrial, and, perhaps even, atmospheric subjects. You would want to specify that in your search. You might not be ready to do that right away, but once you do enough reading, you will be able narrow your searches to reflect your more specific interests.

Once you find books/articles that are central to your research interest, look for the place of employment of the authors (it’s almost always there somewhere). Then you can use Google (or any search engine) to find that faculty member’s university page, his/her individual page, and, most likely, the page of the graduate program(s) in which he/she teaches.

The biggest advantage of doing your search this way is that you are much more likely to find the full range of graduate programs that cover some element of what you want to study. Graduate programs in areas related to the environment are named in many different ways, and, because they are interdisciplinary, they can be found in a range of departments (i.e. in addition to a department such as NRES, you might also find that your area of interest is researched by people in departments of geography, plant science, fish & wildlife ecology, sociology, etc.).

Once you have found the faculty members who research what you want to study, you must begin contacting them. This is extremely intimidating, but for many research based programs, it is an absolute necessity for admission. On some faculty member's lab group pages, you will find specific instructions for how the prospective advisor wants to be approached, and some graduate program web pages will provide suggestions. In most cases, you will be asked to contact faculty via e-mail. In my experience, the most effective e-mail to a faculty member whom you want to enlist as your advisor is one that contains the key elements of

1. demonstrating a well-reasoned interest in their research (and reference to previous publications can be good evidence of that),
2. briefly discussing why their current projects interest you (especially if they have a section on it on their web page or list their current graduate students and their projects), and
3. outlining the skills that you already have and that you would want to develop in graduate school in order to pursue that research area. 

As always, though, no advice is universal, and you should always check to see if the graduate program or faculty member has different elements that they want to see.

Prospective students sometimes tell me that this sounds like a lot of work, and they are correct. This is a TON of work. Graduate school is even more work, though, and research based programs require the kind of self-direction and willingness to dig into a problem that this process requires. If you don't have the skills and perseverence to research potential advisors and the initiative to contact them, you should seriously rethink whether a research based graduate program is the best choice for you. As I discussed in a previous post, there are different types of graduate programs, and it may be that one of the others would better suit your interests. On the other hand, you may find that, in the process of doing all of this advance work, you find the research area that ignites your passion and sets the stage for a great career and life. It's worth some effort to find out, don't you think?

Urbana Forester/Volunteer Coordinator, Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Please see the information below regarding the job opening with Indiana Department of Natural Resources. 

• The position is housed at the Natural Resources Education Center at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis, IN.
• Applicants will need to establish a Profile in the State Personnel Department’s online recruiting tool. http://www.in.gov/spd/2334.htm
• Once a profile has been completed you will be applying for Job ID 576408.

Purpose of Position/Summary:

The purpose of the urban forester/volunteer coordinator(UVC) is to provide technical inventory and tree planting assistance to volunteers to expand private and other non-governmental efforts to improve the practice of urban forestry on a statewide basis. This involves working with volunteers (non-profit groups, citizen organizations, service groups, tree boards and others donating their time).

Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

-Promote and expand Tree Stewards.
-Develop, plan, and carry out workshops.
-Provide tree inventory expertise, assistance, and training to municipal volunteers.
-Research and secure non traditional opportunities to display CUF info.
-Maintain inventory and grant databases.
-Monitor and inspect CUF funded tree planting projects.
-Outreach to non profits involved in urban forestry.
-Provide assistance and appropriate information to customers.
-Organize, contact, and supervise Tree Stewards volunteers for CUF tasks.

Nonessential Duties/Responsibilities:

 -Grant evaluations.

Job Requirements:

-Bachelor's Degree
-Background in forestry, or natural resources with a willingness to learn urban forestry.
-Knowledge of urban forestry tools and equipment.
-Working knowledge of technical equipment such as computers, LCD projectors, tree inventory tools, and inventory software.
-Communication skills, presentation skills.
-General knowledge of disease and insect threats in an urban forestry environment.
- Ability to become an ISA Certified Arborist or maintain existing accredition as such.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Direct Reports:

The  UVC supervises volunteers only.

Difficulty of Work:

The UVC conducts workshops which can mean long hours, overnight travel and a large amount of driving to workshop locations.  The UVC does tree inspections in all types of weather.  The UVC may help with tree planting projects,  which could involve heavy lifting, carrying of equipment, and being in the vicinity of large equipment. 

Responsibility:

Incumbent works independently and is responsible for coordinating and implementing volunteer urban forestry program statewide. Incumbent is responsible for recruiting, training and retaining volunteers for the Community and Urban Forestry Program.  The incumbent consults with the Community and Urban Forestry Coordinator and the  Assistant State Forester and support personnel, but is free to exercise authority and common sense to develop strategies and make decisions to accomplish program objectives within established policy and regulations.  Community and Urban Forestry Program Coordinator periodically reviews program accomplishments, develops or approves annual work plan, provides direction and guidance on an as-needed basis, and provides problem resolution assistance in complex cases.

Personal Work Relationships:

The UVC works with DoF, CUF staff regularly, and serves on various committees.  At various time, the UVC works with volunteers, tree board members, urban forestry professionals, neighborhood residents, municipalities, universities, and other DoF, DNR employees.

Physical Effort:

Physical effort required is heavy lifting of trees, boxes, equipment, mailings, pamphlets, etc.  Tree planting inspections require using tools to dig into soils and root balls and using sharp tools. The UVC may help with inventories, which means lots of walking and being subjected to the elements.

Working Conditions:

The working conditions of the UVC varies.  TIme is spent in a shared office environment, in front of a computer.  Tree inspections are out in the elements, around cities/towns or in parks and along highways.  Workshops are at various locations with sessions being held inside and outside.  

"Graduate School" Means Many Different Things

At this time of year, there is a lot of discussion of “grad school” as an option for what to do after graduation. This can be an excellent next step in your career development, but “grad school” is not just one thing. Any student making a decision about whether or not to pursue an advanced degree needs to be aware of the different types of options.

The most important distinction that prospective graduate students must make is between graduate programs that are research oriented and those that are professionally oriented. This is not always a clear delineation, and many programs have elements of both. When you are considering and applying to programs, it is vital to determine their emphasis so that you can make the best selection for your interests and produce the strongest possible application.

Do you have a passion for working in the lab or the field to make new discoveries? Do you want to go to graduate school to improve your knowledge and skills so that you can design better studies in the future? If so, then you should seek out a graduate program with a research focus. If your answer to those questions is no, and you want to go to graduate school to enter a particular profession or to gain the knowledge and skills to move forward in a non-research career, you should consider programs with a stronger professional focus.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or doctorate) programs in the sciences clearly have a very strong emphasis on the pursuit of new knowledge through the use of the scientific method. On the other hand, law school and medical school are easily identifiable as professional programs, because they prepare you for the licensing exam(s) in a particular profession. Likewise, Masters of Business Administration (MBA), Masters of Public Administration (MPA), and Professional Science Masters (PSM) degrees, while not preparing you for a particular license, have a strong focus on developing professional knowledge and skills. This is not to say that these programs do not involve scientific learning and research, clearly medical school and PSMs do, but there is a difference in emphasis.

The type of degree that can cause the most confusion is the Master of Science (MS). There are MS programs that are very research oriented and others that are more professionally oriented. So how do you tell the difference? You should look at what the program’s web page and materials feature as important and also at their advice for your application. Programs with a more research focus often ask you to explore potential advisers and/or discuss the topic you want to research. If the materials seem to assume that applicants will eventually pursue a PhD, that also generally means that it likely emphasizes research.

As you consider graduate school, make sure that you are comparing programs for how they will move you toward your goals. If you do not know what your goals are, graduate school is often a very expensive way to try to discover them. Make an appointment to talk with your academic adviser and/or me (Piper Hodson, NRES Student Services Coordinator) about the grad school option. The Career Center here at Illinois has terrific sources of information available at http://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/gradschool/resources. Another good resource for considering and applying to graduate programs is Getting In: An Applicant’s Guide to Graduate School Admissions, available online at http://www.gettingintogradschool.com/book/applying-to-graduate-school.

Wildlife Specialist for Wildlife Damage Management in Central Illinois

Subject: USDA Recruiting Wildlife Specialist for Wildlife Damage Management in Central, Illinois

Date: September 12, 2011

The Illinois Wildlife Services program is recruiting a Wildlife Specialist (Biological Science Technician) for work in managing conflicts with wildlife. Duties will primarily include implementing a technical assistance and operational feral swine damage management program. A majority of the duties will be conducted in central Illinois, but travel throughout the state will occur on occasion. This will be a fulltime,

term position not to exceed 13 months of employment. The appointment may be extended if funding is available. The starting salary will range between $27,990/year (GS-404-4) and $34,907/year (GS-404-6), depending on qualifications. Fringe benefits will be provided for this position. Relocation costs will not be paid for this position. The starting date is negotiable, but we would prefer the incumbent

to start during early November, 2011.

This assignment involves working as part of a team of WS employees conducting feral swine damage management in Illinois. The employee will also work closely with cooperating entities while conducting damage management activities. Work shifts change daily and will include working afternoons, evenings, and nights. Effective communication skills with other WS employees, partnering agencies/ entities, and the public are required.

The duty station for this position will be located in the vicinity of Fulton County, Illinois.

Interested individuals should send a completed SF-171, OF-612 (application for federal employment), or resume to:

Scott Beckerman

State Director

USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services

2869 Via Verde Drive

Springfield, Illinois 62703

Application materials must be received in our office by

September 23, 2011. Interviews will be scheduled shortly thereafter. If you need an application please contact us (217 241-6700) and we would be glad to provide you one.

Temporary Wildlife Specialist for Wildlife Damage Management in Springfield, IL

Subject: USDA Recruiting Wildlife Specialist for Wildlife Damage Management in Springfield, Illinois
Date: September 12, 2011

The Illinois Wildlife Services program is recruiting a Wildlife Specialist (Biological Science Technician) for work in managing conflicts with wildlife. Duties will primarily include managing conflicts caused by feral pigeons, European starlings, and beaver. A majority of the duties will be conducted in central Illinois, but travel throughout the state will occur on occasion. The position will be a full-time, temporary position through March 31, 2012. The appointment may be extended if funding is available. The starting salary will range between $11.95/hour (GS-404-3) and $15.00/hour (GS-404-5), depending on qualifications. Fringe benefits will not be provided for this position. Relocation costs will not be paid for this position. The
starting date is negotiable, but we would prefer the incumbent to start during early November, 2011.

This assignment involves working as part of a team of WS employees conducting wildlife damage management in central Illinois. The employee will also work closely with cooperating entities while conducting damage management activities. Work shifts change daily and will include working afternoons, evenings, and nights. Effective communication skills with other WS employees, partnering agencies/ entities, and the public are required.

The duty station for this position will be located in Springfield, Illinois.

Interested individuals should send a completed SF-171, OF-612 (application for federal employment), or resume to:
Scott Beckerman
State Director
USDA-APHIS-Wildlife Services
2869 Via Verde Drive
Springfield, Illinois 62703

Application materials must be received in our office by September 23, 2011. Interviews will be scheduled shortly thereafter. If you need an application please contact us (217 241-6700) and we would be glad to provide you one.

Forest Landscape Ecology Intern, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) is seeking a Forest Landscape Ecology intern to start on or around September 15, 2011. The Lab specializes in the application of ecological modeling, remote sensing, and geographic information systems (GIS) to conservation problems. The successful applicant will work closely with Dr. Jonathan Thompson assisting with several aspects of his ongoing research (forest landscape simulations, remote sensing, conservation assessments etc ), which are jointly based at SCBI and Harvard Forest. The intern will also be expected to help with general tasks in the Lab.

Preference will be given to applicants that have experience summarizing scientific literature, using GIS software, remote sensing software, and/or R-statistical software. Most importantly, the applicant should be interested in forest ecosystems, landscape ecology, ecological modeling, and must be willing to learn how to use esoteric software. The ideal candidate will be considering a graduate program in Forest Landscape Ecology.

The internship includes a stipend ($1000/month) and group housing with other SCBI Interns.

Send a letter of interest and resume to thompsonjr@SI.edu before August 23, 2011.

Please include the words "Internship Application" in the subject line of your email.  Resume should include contact information for 3 professional references. Include potential start date and the time period you are available for the internship in your letter.

SCBI is a rural campus located at the north entrance of the Shenandoah National Park about 60 miles west of Washington, D.C., in the hills outside of Front Royal, VA. In meeting the Smithsonian Institution's mandate, SCBI increases knowledge through investigations of threatened species, habitats, and communities, and disseminates knowledge through advanced studies, professional training, and public outreach.