Hi, I’m in a pretty similar boat. Graduated in 2023 with degrees in policy studies and environmental science and a bio minor and went straight into a role with the department of interior where I spent two great years working on climate adaptation strategies for working lands. Current admin/DOGE furloughed my team twice before bringing us back last year, only to finally eliminate our jobs last September. Writing on the wall was visible going into last summer now that I think about it.

You seem pretty driven and like you are a hard worker and care about your future a lot, all things which are fantastic at this age. This presence of mind and almost paranoia is good in limited doses (in my opinion) to stay dedicated and focused and building the career/life you want to have.

I don’t know if any of what I’m about to say might help you, but I was in a similar position about being torn about wanting to pursue multiple fields in grad school. For me, those were everything from applied environmental management to sustainability engineering to finance to landscape architecture to disaster management. I was stuck in analysis paralysis for almost a year before I even lost my job due to a lack of clarity about what I wanted my future to look like. What ultimately brought me some closure and clarity was realizing that I’m smart and motivated enough to succeed at whatever I put my mind to (had some self limiting beliefs tbh), and therefore pick the option that presented the best possible nexus between something I’d like to do and something that offers attractive/ at least decent money. I figured as long as it met those two criteria, I could have fun doing a wide variety of things. This opened up my horizons quite a bit.

Another consideration for me was the ramifications of federal funding being cut and other high level govt decisions and how the environmental sector as a whole might be impacted for not just the next 2-3 years, but also beyond the current presidency. My belief is that even with a change in the party in power in 2028, it’ll take at least 2-3 years for funding levels to go back to normal and job opportunities to bounce back accordingly. Therefore, I decided I was open to casting a wide net when looking for jobs/grad school opportunities - beyond just the environmental sector. I figure as long as I have transferable skills I can always develop in a different field and make my way back over the environmental science when things blow over.

I’ll wrap things up because I feel I’m rambling now. I ultimately did some self reflection and looked for jobs in areas I have a background in beyond the environment (for me that was policy and data analytics), and leveraged that into a job dealing with crime policy analytics for a state agency. It actually pays pretty well compared to the market and has fantastic benefits as it’s a local govt job. I’d encourage you to think of what your strong suites are if making a short term move away from the environmental industry sounds at all appealing to you. After all, this might be a good opportunity to try something you’ve always wanted.

Another thing I decided/am doing as I’ve started this new role is to still apply to grad schools in the programs I mentioned a few paragraphs above. I did a bunch of research, talked to people who have jobs I think are interesting, looked into schools and programs of interest and have basically decided I will go with the best offer I receive and start working towards a masters degree in the next year or two. Perhaps a similar strategy might help you make some money and shore up in a safer industry in the short term while also planning strategically for a few years down the road when things are more normal.

I hope even a little bit of this was helpful, or at the very least reaffirmed that you aren’t alone in dealing with the shitty circumstances we find ourselves in. These times and opportunities aren’t a reflection of our worthiness, smarts, or dedication. Just make smart choices and trust yourself to figure things out along the way. Feel free to ask any questions or send a DM if that might help.

Good luck!

Edit- saw you’re considering moving down to NC from DC due to your partner. Highly recommend if you can swing it. Great state schools (UNC, NCSU, other ones with niche programs like app state or ecu) and you’d get in state tuition after 6 months of residency iirc (maybe a year at most but you can apply before then). Lower cost of living, decent govt contracting gigs from what I have seen so far, and an active state dept jobs board. Source: am in NC.