Jobs and Careers Spring 2020 - 257

E N V I R O N M E N TA L S E RV I C E S

C

ircular economy is the phrase of the
moment in waste management, and
it's creating plenty of jobs. It's all about
minimising waste and maximising
recycling and re-use, all the way from
product design to consumption and
disposal. We all play a part at homes, putting food waste in
a separate caddy and sorting our cardboard from our plastic
waste, but it ends up on a much larger scale than that.
The UK's waste sector employs around 100,000 people,
with an annual turnover of around £9.7bn. You've probably
heard of some of the big players, such as Veolia, Biffa,
Suez, Viridor and FCC Environment - together, these
companies generated around £4.8bn in revenue in 2018.
Because the environment and waste management sector
is so substantial, there's an enormous variety of careers to
choose from. From management and logistics positions
to environmental consultants and water technicians,
there's never been a more important time to make your
mark on the industry. And there's no time to waste.

Environment specialist
This office-based role is about
developing and implementing
environmental strategies,
policies and plans, with a
focus on sustainability and
energy management.
What skills and
qualifications do I need?
You'll need to be good at
data management, managing
teams and planning. A
degree in an environmental
subject is preferable, as
is sound understanding
of environmental
and sustainability issues.
How much can I earn? Starting salaries are usually
around £24,000, rising to £60,000 with experience.

Waste recycling operative
Making our planet greener doesn't just happen by itself - it
needs hard-working people to help those recycling efforts and
make sure it all goes smoothly. As a recycling operative, you'll
sort and segregate waste, putting it in the right containers.
What skills and qualifications do I need? Flexibility
around your working days and hours is key, but you'd also
be expected to be a team player, have a good attention to
detail and be self-motivated. Formal qualifications are less
important in this role.
How much can I earn? You can expect to earn around
£15,000 to £17,000 a year.

The UK's waste sector
employs around 100,000
people, with an annual
turnover of around £9.7bn
Hydrologist
As well as checking water quality for clients and
engineering projects, a hydrologist also measures
the property of water, stream flow, analyses the
environmental impact of pollution and deals with
external bodies such as water regulators.
What skills and qualifications do I need? You'd be
expected to have a degree in ecology, environmental
management, civil engineering or soil science. Most people
take a postgraduate degree in a relevant
subject, such as water management
or flood risk management, too.
How much can I earn? A typical
starting salary is £18,000, rising to
£45,000 or more with experience.

Mechanical
maintenance technician
Working at a recycling facility that
processes municipal, commercial and
industrial material, a maintenance
technician is crucial to ensure
that the plant is reliable, and that
output meets production demands.
Shift work is usually necessary as
these kinds of plants often operate 24 hours a day.
What skills and qualifications do I need? An
HNC or NVQ level 3 qualification in a mechanical
or fabrication engineering discipline would be
useful, as would experience in manufacturing.
How much can I earn? New recruits earn around
£27,000, rising to around £37,000 with experience.

Find out more
* Chartered Institute of Wastes Management
ciwm.co.uk
* Environmental Services Association
esauk.org
* Institute of Environmental Management
& Assessment
iema.net
* Waste Jobs
wastejobsuk.com

JOBS & CAREERS /// 257

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https://www.ciwm.co.uk/ http://www.esauk.org http://www.iema.net https://www.wastejobsuk.com/
Jobs and Careers Spring 2020

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