The What and How of a Career as a Consulting Scientist in Natural Resources

About the Webinar

A variety of factors, including the extreme competition for tenure-track faculty positions at Tier 1 Research Universities, significant contraction/extinction of many traditional funding sources, and continued cuts in the number of agency research positions, has led many scientists who were academically and professionally trained as researchers to seek career opportunities in the private sector. Broadly speaking, there are many private-sector career paths available for " the scientist". However, discipline-specific options can be limited. For those in the natural resources field, a position with a consulting firm is one of the more common opportunities. This presentation will focus on the "what" and " how" of a career as a consulting natural resources scientist.

Topics to be covered include:

• The business basis for consulting firms
• Common business sectors
• What makes a successful consultant
• The transition from research to consulting

The presentation will also provide a brief overview of non-consulting private sector careers for natural resources scientists.

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About Dr. Cody Hale

Cody is a Principal and Senior Scientist at Nutter & Associates, an environmental consulting firm located in Athens, Georgia. Cody holds a Ph.D. in Water Resources Science from Oregon State University with undergraduate and technical degrees in forest resources and management. He is certified as a Professional Hydrologist by the American Institute of Hydrology and is a Registered Forester in the state of Georgia. Cody's academic research involved application of tracer-based approaches to investigate hydrologic flow paths, subsurface storage, and groundwater-surface water interactions and conducting a paired watershed study to evaluate the effectiveness of contemporary silvicultural best management practices.

As a consultant, Cody assists clients by designing and implementing hydrology and/or water quality studies to inform regulatory decisions, providing technical expertise in support of ecological restoration projects, and providing science-based regulatory strategy and guidance. His professional responsibilities for Nutter & Associates include project management, business development, managing and developing staff, and business administration. Cody’s client base includes federal agencies, private industry, industry associations, engineering firms, and attorneys.