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4B031 Career Guide

Air Force

4B031: Bioenvironmental Engineering Journeyman

Career transition guide for Air Force Bioenvironmental Engineering Journeyman (4B031)

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Civilian Career Pathways

Top civilian roles for 4B031 veterans, with average salary and market demand data.

Industrial Hygienist

$85K
High matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) certification

Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Specialist

$75K
High matchVery high demand

Skills to develop:

OSHA certificationsKnowledge of specific industry regulations

Environmental Compliance Manager

$95K
Good matchGrowing demand

Skills to develop:

Project management certificationAdvanced knowledge of environmental regulations

Radiation Safety Officer

$88K
Good matchStable demand

Skills to develop:

Certification as a Radiation Safety OfficerKnowledge of specific state and federal regulations

Emergency Management Specialist

$70K
Moderate matchHigh demand

Skills to develop:

FEMA certificationsEmergency planning software proficiency

Salary estimates from VWC career data

Hidden Strengths

Cognitive skills your 4B031 training built — and where they transfer.

Situational Awareness

The 4B031 constantly monitors the environment for potential health hazards, from chemical spills to radiation leaks, requiring a high degree of situational awareness to identify and respond to threats effectively.

This translates to the ability to quickly assess complex situations, identify potential risks, and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the surrounding environment – a skill highly valuable in dynamic civilian settings.

Procedural Compliance

Adherence to strict regulatory standards is paramount, as this role involves conducting surveys, monitoring hazardous materials, and ensuring compliance with environmental and occupational health directives.

Your meticulous approach to following protocols, documenting procedures, and ensuring adherence to regulations makes you a reliable asset in any industry requiring strict compliance.

System Modeling

Developing and implementing water pollution surveillance programs, evaluating waste treatment systems, and understanding the interconnectedness of environmental factors all require system modeling skills.

You can create models to understand and manage complex systems. This makes you effective at understanding cause and effect across multiple layers in organizations.

Rapid Prioritization

The role demands the ability to quickly assess and prioritize responses to various threats, such as chemical spills or radiation leaks, ensuring the most critical issues are addressed first.

In civilian settings, this skill manifests as the ability to efficiently manage multiple tasks, delegate effectively, and make critical decisions under pressure – ensuring projects stay on track and objectives are met.

Resource Optimization

Managing inventories of hazardous materials, selecting appropriate protective equipment, and allocating resources for monitoring and sampling require careful resource optimization.

Your experience optimizing resources translates to efficient budget management, strategic allocation of personnel, and effective procurement of equipment and supplies, ensuring projects are completed within budget and on time.

Non-Obvious Career Matches

Emergency Management Specialist

SOC 29-9011.00

You've been at the forefront of responding to hazardous material incidents and developing preparedness plans. This experience directly translates to coordinating responses to natural disasters, industrial accidents, and other emergencies in a civilian context. Your ability to assess risks, implement safety protocols, and coordinate with various agencies makes you an ideal candidate.

Healthcare Risk Manager

SOC 11-9111.00

You've honed your expertise in assessing and mitigating health hazards, which makes you well-prepared to identify and manage risks within a healthcare setting. Your experience with regulatory compliance, safety protocols, and incident investigation will ensure patient and staff safety while minimizing institutional liability.

Insurance Underwriter

SOC 13-2051.00

You've developed a keen eye for evaluating risks, understanding environmental factors, and assessing compliance with regulations. This makes you well-suited to assess the risks associated with insuring properties and businesses, analyzing data, and determining appropriate coverage levels. Your attention to detail and analytical skills will ensure accurate risk assessments and profitable underwriting decisions.

Compliance Officer

SOC 13-1041.00

You've demonstrated a strong understanding of regulatory frameworks and the ability to implement and monitor compliance programs. You can leverage these skills to ensure organizations adhere to legal and ethical standards, conducting internal audits, investigating potential violations, and developing corrective action plans. Your experience with documentation, reporting, and training will be invaluable in maintaining a culture of compliance.

Training & Education Equivalencies

Bioenvironmental Engineering Apprentice Course, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

320 training hours8 weeksUp to 6 semester hours recommended in Occupational Safety and Health or Environmental Science

Topics Covered

  • Industrial Hygiene Surveys
  • Hazardous Material Management
  • Air and Water Sampling Techniques
  • Radiation Safety
  • Occupational Health Program Management
  • Environmental Compliance
  • Emergency Response Procedures

Certification Pathways

Partial Coverage

Certified Safety Professional (CSP)70% covered

Safety management systems, advanced safety engineering principles, and legal/regulatory frameworks specific to civilian industries.

Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH)75% covered

In-depth knowledge of toxicology, advanced sampling methodologies, and specific industrial processes outside of military applications.

Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM)60% covered

Comprehensive understanding of civilian hazardous waste regulations (RCRA), transportation regulations (DOT), and emergency response protocols (EPCRA).

Registered Environmental Manager (REM)65% covered

Environmental regulations (CAA, CWA, CERCLA/SARA), environmental management systems (ISO 14001), and sustainability practices.

Recommended Next Certifications

Certified Professional in Environmental Management (CPEM)OSHA 30-Hour General Industry or ConstructionCertified Healthcare Safety Professional (CHSP)

Technical Systems Translation

Military systems you've used and their civilian equivalents for your resume.

Military SystemCivilian Equivalent
HAZMAT Incident Response EquipmentHAZMAT response kits and equipment (e.g., Dräger, 3M)
Air Sampling Equipment (e.g., personal sampling pumps, area samplers)Industrial hygiene air sampling equipment (e.g., SKC, Sensidyne)
Noise Dosimeters and Sound Level MetersAcoustic measurement devices (e.g., Larson Davis, Casella CEL)
Radiation Survey Meters (e.g., Ludlum, Thermo Scientific)Geiger counters and radiation detection equipment
Ventilation Measurement Equipment (e.g., anemometers, pitot tubes)Airflow measurement tools (e.g., Dwyer Instruments, TSI)
Water Quality Testing EquipmentWater analysis kits and laboratory equipment (e.g., Hach, YSI)
Occupational Health Management System (e.g., Air Force's DOEHRS-IH module)Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) software platforms (e.g., VelocityEHS, Intelex)

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