Top Jobs in the Science & Technology Careers

Engineering & Technologies

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS deal with integrating people and the outdoor environment in a manner that is beneficial to both. They are involved in projects associated with all aspects of the outdoor environment, from the design of intimate gardens to the planning and management of land areas hundreds of square miles in size. Landscape architects design areas such as public parks, college campuses, industrial parks, parkways, shopping centers, and golf courses to be not only functional but also beautiful and environmentally appropriate. Landscape architects may plan the location of buildings, roads, and walkways and the arrangement of flowers, shrubs, trees, and other features of open space. They may also redesign streets to limit automobile traffic and to improve pedestrian access and safety. Practically all states require landscape architects to be licensed or registered. A 4-year or graduate degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $45,000 to $76,500 a year in 2008.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNICIANS use their knowledge of computer technology, electrical circuitry, and long-distance communication technology to help with building new phone, satellite, or other long-distance communication networks. They look for problems in these networks, dispatch crews to make the necessary repairs, or make the repairs themselves. Continuing education is necessary for telecommunications technicians in order to keep up with the rapid changes in this field. Technicians must also know the characteristics and limitations of each technology and how they can be connected to build a network. Most employers prefer to hire technicians who have a 2-year degree in electrical, electronics, or computer engineering technology, and with knowledge of networking and telecommunications technologies. Some positions require a 4-year degree in engineering, or the equivalent amount of work experience. Average salary ranged from $41,000 to $64,000 a year in 2008.

Natural Science & Technologies

MARINE BIOLOGISTS study plants and animals living in salt water and their relationship to the environment. Most work in research or development. Some teach in college or university settings. Other marine biologists conduct basic research to gain knowledge about living organisms. Those in applied research use the knowledge provided by basic research to develop new products, such as medicines, or to improve the environment. Marine biologists who conduct research usually work in laboratories. Some may work on experiments with salt-water organisms. Marine biologists collect and identify specimens from tide pools on the shore and at sea. They record details and return samples to laboratories for further study. Marine biologists observe animals that live on shores and in the sea. They test them for various factors, such as radioactive contents, in order to monitor pollution fallout. A 4-year or graduate degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $41,500 to $70,000 a year in 2008.

POLLUTION CONTROL TECHNICIANS, or environmental technicians, conduct tests and field investigations to obtain information for use by environmental, engineering, and scientific personnel. They determine sources and ways of controlling pollutants in air, water, and soil, utilizing their knowledge of agriculture, chemistry, meteorology, and engineering principles and applied technologies. Pollution control technicians prepare samples for testing, record data, and prepare summaries and charts for review. They set monitoring equipment to provide flow of information. Pollution control technicians also install, operate, and perform routine maintenance on various testing instruments. Additional training or a 2-year degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $43,000 to $63,500 a year in 2008.

Medical Technologies

DIETETIC TECHNICIANS work in a variety of settings such as hospitals, public health nutrition programs, school lunch programs, and long-term care facilities. They assist dietitians by screening patients to identify nutrition problems. Dietetic technicians often provide patient education and counseling to individuals or groups. Technicians may help develop menus and standardized recipes or write modified diet plans for patients, using an approved diet manual. Duties of dietetic technicians vary depending upon the type of employer. For example, technicians in hospitals or nursing homes help to treat and prevent disease and administer medical nutrition therapy. Technicians in schools, day-care centers, or corporations manage employees, purchasing, and food preparation and storage. Additional training or a 2-year degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $28,500 to $40,500 a year in 2008.

PHARMACISTS serve society as the health professional most knowledgeable about the proper use of medicines. They dispense drugs and medicines prescribed by physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. Pharmacists advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, proper dosages, interactions, and potential side effects of medicines. Compounding (the actual mixing of ingredients to form powders, tablets, capsules, ointments, and solutions) is a small part of a pharmacist's practice, because most medicines are produced by pharmaceutical companies in a standard dosage and form. However, some pharmacists have become specialists in preparing compounded medicines for patients. Most pharmacists maintain and use computer medication profiles on patients to ensure that harmful drug interactions do not occur. They monitor patient compliance with the therapeutic plan and objectives. Pharmacists discuss drug therapy with patients to make sure they know how to take their drugs. They oversee the general operation of a pharmacy. A license to practice pharmacy is required in all states. A 4-year or graduate degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $74,500 to $114,500 a year in 2008.

Medical Diagnosis & Treatment

People's lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS (EMTs) and paramedics (technicians with additional training who perform more difficult pre-hospital medical procedures). Incidents as varied as automobile accidents, heart attacks, near drownings, gunshot wounds, as well as women giving birth unexpectedly, all demand urgent medical attention. Emergency medical technicians give immediate care and then transport the sick or injured to medical facilities. Depending on the nature of the emergency, EMTs and paramedics typically are dispatched to the scene by a 911 operator and often work with police and fire department personnel. Once they arrive, they determine the nature and extent of the patient's condition while trying to ascertain whether the patient has pre-existing medical problems. Some paramedics are trained to treat patients with minor injuries on the scene of an accident or at their home without transporting them to a medical facility. If needed, technicians help transfer patients to a medical facility; there they report their observations and actions to the staff and may provide additional emergency treatment. After each run, technicians replace used supplies and check equipment. Most paid EMTs work in metropolitan areas. In small cities, towns, and rural areas, volunteers provide almost all emergency medical services. Additional training and certification is needed to become an EMT. All 50 states have a certification procedure. Average salary ranged from $27,500 to $39,500 a year in 2008.

SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS identify, assess, treat, and help to prevent speech, language, cognitive, communication, voice, swallowing, fluency, and other related disorders. Speech and language problems can result from hearing loss, brain injury or deterioration, cerebral palsy, stroke, cleft palate, voice pathology, mental retardation, learning disabilities, emotional problems, or foreign dialect. Problems can be congenital, developmental, or acquired. Speech-language pathologists work with people who cannot make speech sounds, or cannot make them clearly. They work with persons who have speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering. Speech-language pathologists help people with voice quality problems, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice. They also help those with problems understanding and producing language and those with cognitive communication impairments, such as attention, memory, and problem-solving disorders. Speech-language pathologists may also work with people who have oral motor problems causing eating and swallowing difficulties. Most states require speech-language pathologists to be licensed. A graduate degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $52,500 to $79,000 a year in 2008.

Social Science

ECONOMISTS study how society distributes scarce resources such as land, labor, raw materials, and machinery to produce goods and services. They conduct research, collect and analyze data, monitor economic trends, and develop forecasts. They research issues such as energy costs, inflation, interest rates, imports, or employment levels. Most economists are concerned with practical applications of economic policy, and they work for a variety of organizations. They are involved primarily with microeconomic issues, such as forecasting consumer demand and sales of firms' products. Economists use mathematical models to help predict answers to questions such as the nature and length of business cycles, the effects of a specific rate of inflation on the economy, or the effects of tax legislation on unemployment levels. Many economists specialize in a particular area, such as micro- or macroeconomics, industrial/organizational economics, international economics, and labor and demographic economics. A 4-year or graduate degree is required for this occupation. Average salary ranged from $57,500 to $110,000 a year in 2008.

If you would like to learn more about eDISCOVER, click here.

If you are a currently enrolled Texas A&M University student and you would like to use DISCOVER to assist you in making important career and educational decisions, click here.