How do you describe your job when you meet people at a party?
‘If you think your job is shit – mine is literally!!!!’ I work for a company that design and construct water and sewage treatment works. I run their environmental management system and make sure that the construction sites do not cause pollution or harm wildlife. I still have friends that are not sure exactly what I do!
Describe some of the highlights of your average day.
Working within the Quality, Safety and Environmental department – we have a good team which works well together. We manage to have fun as well as work hard. Satisfied customers – I get asked many environmental queries and it is always good when you have been able to assist them and they are happy with the answer
Describe briefly how your career has progressed to date.
I was originally employed by Biwater to be part of their Graduate Rotation scheme. Over the next year and a half I gained an insight into a variety of aspects of the business. I worked on the development of projects, as an assistant process scientist aiding in the design of treatment works and even as an on-site chemist carrying out various performance tests to ensure that the works met the required standards. The Graduate Rotation for me was cut short by six months because I was asked to work alongside the Quality Manager in developing the company’s Environmental Management System from scratch to achieve ISO14001. I remained and developed this role to become Biwater’s first Environmental Advisor
How is your job cross-disciplinary?
As well as the day to day management of the environmental management system I am also instrumental in calculating Biwater Treatment’s carbon footprint on an annual basis, production of Environmental Management Plans for specific projects and reviewing soil investigations/analysis to determine any contamination. I was also instrumental in setting up Biwater’s Corporate Responsibility (CR) Management Plan in order to incorporate all our activities under the CR banner. I am part of the CR Strategic Steering Group which identifies initiatives and continual improvement, incorporating environment, communities, marketplace and the workplace
How well is your job compensated? What is the starting salary for your field, and how much can this be expected to rise?
Starting as a trainee approximately £20,000 is expected. This should increase as you develop greater experience
What’s the biggest achievement of your career so far?
I think it was becoming a Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Water and Environmental Manager. I felt that receiving chartership showed that all the hard work and experience pays off and you are respected by your peers and other professionals
