Applied freshwater science is critical for turning research into actionable strategies that protect and restore aquatic ecosystems. This presentation highlights my career path and current work as a project manager, aquatic ecologist, and data analyst at Tetra Tech (a global consulting firm in water, environment, and sustainable infrastructure). My projects focus on supporting state agencies and the U.S. EPA on a variety of monitoring and assessment projects under the Clean Water Act, with a primary emphasis on developing bioassessment models (i.e., multimetric indices). Other topics I will highlight include creating R packages to support automated water quality analyses, conducting ad-hoc research and literature reviews to inform policy and guidance decisions, and science communication using ArcGIS StoryMaps. A throughline of all these projects is the delivery of science-based recommendations that inform regulatory programs protecting and restoring waterbodies nationwide. Complementing these efforts, I will highlight the work of my colleagues in our Ecological Analytics and Modeling Group who advance projects in watershed modeling, remote sensing, climate change and ecosystem resilience assessments, risk analyses, causal assessment, and technical communication. This talk will explore how applied freshwater science supports policy development and ecosystem management, emphasizing the technical and collaborative aspects of consulting work. Beyond technical outcomes, these projects illustrate the importance of interdisciplinary approaches, which combine ecological theory, data analytics, and stakeholder engagement to achieve measurable improvements in aquatic health. Attendees will gain insight into the unique challenges and opportunities of non-academic career pathways, including how applied science complements academic research and drives real-world environmental solutions.