Careers
Careers and Recent Employers
Careers in the Plant and Environmental Sciences are diverse, rewarding, and in high demand. Our graduates are prepared for roles in industry, consulting, government, non-profits, and academia, with opportunities to improve natural resources, advance crop and plant production, and shape sustainable landscapes. Students also benefit from strong employer connections, hands-on learning, and pathways to graduate or professional school.
View the SPES Job Board for opportunities, including full-time jobs, internships, co-ops, undergraduate research, and graduate research.
Employers who would like to feature open positions on the job board are encouraged to fill out this form.
The SPES Bridge Experience Program provides undergraduate students with hands-on learning opportunities that connect their academic training to real-world applications. Students apply the knowledge they learn from their major and minors to meaningful experiences, such as internships, undergraduate research, and faculty-led service-learning projects, to better prepare themselves to work in industry or pursue graduate degrees.
The Student Opportunity Center (SOC) is a technology and services provider that helps colleges and universities scale experiential education and high-impact practices for their entire student body. SOC offers a platform to centralize opportunity listings and track student participation, provides strategic development and implementation support for experiential learning, and helps institutions assess the quality and impact of these programs.
The CALS Career Fair is a day‑long event where employers connect with students pursuing agriculture and life sciences careers, offering networking, resume review, and on‑site interview opportunities. Held at The Inn at Virginia Tech, it brings together industry partners and students for meaningful career conversations and recruitment.
The annual Horticulture Industry Dinner is an opportunity for students of all majors to meet with industry leaders in horticulture, landscaping, and nurseries to discuss internships and career opportunities. Companies that participated in the 2025 Horticulture Industry Dinner include:
- Back To Nature Landscaping
- Bartlett Tree Experts
- Colao & Peter Luxury Outdoor Living
- Colonial Williamsburg Foundation - Landscape & Horticulture Dept.
- Cross Creek Nursery & Landscape
- Heritage Landscape Services
- Hidden Lane Residential Landscapes
- J.W. Townsend Landscapes
- James River Nurseries
- Kane Landscapes
- McHale Landscape Design
- Midwest Landscape Industries
- Professional Grounds, Inc.
- Rock Creek Innovations
- Rossen Landscape
- Ruppert Landscape
- Southern Landscape Group, Inc.
- Williams Landscape & Design, Inc.
- Yellowstone Landscape
- Virginia Nursery & Landscape Association
Information for employers and students on how to register for the 2026 Horticulture Dinner in November will be released this summer.
If you have any questions, please contact Scott Douglas or Karen Drake-Whitney.
Handshake is a leading online career platform designed to connect students and recent graduates with job opportunities, internships, and employers. Tailored specifically for college and university students, Handshake enables users to discover positions that align with their skills, interests, and goals. With Handshake, you can:
- AECOM
- Alpha Natural Resources
- Altria Client Services
- American Water Works Association
- AmeriCorps
- Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Augusta Cooperative
- Balzar & Associates
- Bartlett Tree Experts
- BASF
- Battlefield Farms
- BioWorks
- Booz Allen Hamilton
- Cardno ATC
- Carolina Ecosystem, Inc.
- Cederville Engineering
- CE Farms
- Colonial Farm Credit
- Columbia Green
- Corn Refiners Association
- Crawford Environmental Services
- DG3
- Dow AgroSciences
- ECS Limited
- Enviro-Utilities
- ERG
- Exploration Research, Inc.
- Farm Service Agency
- FW Rickard Seed Company
- General Electric
- GreenVest, LLC
- Greensward, LLC
- Grigg Design
- Hazera Seeds
- Helena Chemical
- Hermitage Country Club
- Hidden Lane Landscaping and Design, Inc.
- Hubner Seed
- Independence Golf Course
- James River Association
- Joyce Engineering
- Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
- Meherrin Ag and Chemical
- National Park Service
- Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC)
- Peace Corps
- Pioneer
- Red Sun Farms
- Richmond Flying Squirrels
- Rinker Design Associates
- Riverbanks Zoo and Gardens
- San Diego Padres
- Smithfield
- Soil Consultants Engineering
- Soils Inc.
- Southern States
- Spectra Venue Management
- Stantec
- Strange’s Florist and Greenhouse
- Syngenta
- Tellus Agronomics
- Terracon
- Tetra Tech
- Timmons Group
- TNT Environmental
- TRC Solutions
- Trump National Golf Course
- USDA – Farm Service Agency
- USDA - NRCS
- US Forest Service
- US Geological Survey
- VA Department of Environmental Quality
- Virginia Cooperative Extension
- Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
- Virginia Forage and Grassland Council
- Western Skies Strategies
- Wetland Studies and Solutions
- Willow Oaks Country Club
- Williamsburg Environmental Group
- William’s Tree Service
- WSP
- Zannino Engineering
- Air and Water Quality Manager
- Biological Science Technician
- Ecologist
- Environmental Analyst
- Environmental Consultant
- Environmental Educator
- Environmental Health Specialist
- Environmental Planner
- Environmental Restoration Specialist
- Environmental Scientist
- Environmental Soil Scientist
- Field Technician
- Forest Ranger
- Natural Resources Management Specialist
- Regulatory Specialist
- Soil Conservation Technician
- Wastewater Plant Operator
- Water Monitoring Specialist
- Water Quality Specialist or Technician
- Wetland Scientist
- Agronomist
- Agronomy Production Specialist
- Agronomy Sales
- Assistant Superintendent
- Biological Lab Technician
- Consultant
- Crop Advisor
- Crop Analyst
- Crop Consultant
- Crop Scout
- Extension Agent
- Facility Manager
- Grounds Manager
- Greenhouse Manager
- Horticultural Educator
- Irrigation and Spray Technician
- Lab Assistant
- Landscape Contractor
- Landscape Designer
- Lawn Care Technician
- Municipal Horticulturist
- Nursery Grower
- Operations Manager
- Research Assistant
- Sales and Management
- Soil Conservationist
- Soil Scientist
- Sports Turf Manager
- Territory Manager
- Zoo or Garden Horticulturist
Stepping Blocks is a data-driven platform for Virginia Tech students and alumni that uses analytics on career paths, job outcomes, and skills to aid in career exploration and decision-making. The tool provides resources like personality assessments, job boards, tuition analysis, and detailed graduate outcomes to help users find personalized career paths and understand the real-world value of their education.
Schedule a visit or contact the Academic Advising Team with questions.
