Background
Environmental consultants normally have undergraduate degrees in environmental science or a related field such as environmental engineering. Environmental consultants should have an in-depth understanding of the various environmental laws and keep themselves updated on any recent changes in those laws.
The most common field to find environmental consultants is in commercial real estate development. Generally speaking, the government requires that an environmental impact study be completed before the construction of a major commercial building or project begins. Environmental consultants are also sometimes involved in evaluating the value of land taking into account environmental factors.
Various organizations employ environmental consultants on an as-needed basis. With increasingly complex governmental regulations, the demand for environmental consultants is increasing all the time.
Education and Training Requirements
You may need more than an undergraduate degree to become an environmental consultant. You should certainly have a strong background in the core sciences. After graduation, you should then proceed to do a master’s degree in a specific environmental field. Experience in the industry would be an added advantage.
There are various professional certification programs which are valued by many potential employers, but the certificates are only awarded to individuals who successfully pass an examination. Industry experience is mandatory to be eligible to sit for these professional exams.
There are also those who enter into environmental consultancy with an engineering background. They are people who have undergraduate degrees in either civil engineering or chemical engineering. A specialized degree at the master’s or doctoral level is also required.
Duties and Responsibilities
An environmental consultant is supposed to ensure that environmental laws and regulations are complied with before commercial construction projects are begun. The main duty of an environmental consultant is to protect the public from imminent health hazards while preserving the environment for future generations. In order to fulfill these duties, the consultant will assess the impact of the given project on the eco-system, also taking into consideration the effects it have on the quality of living in the surrounding area.
An environmental consultant is also concerned with issues related to water and waste management. The consultant ensures that the sources of water meant for human consumption are safe and secure from contamination.
Environmental consultants also ensure that manufacturing industries control their emissions into the air such that air pollution is kept to a bare minimum.
Job Outlook
With governments instituting various legislations to protect the environment, the job outlook for environmental consultants is promising. Governments are currently involved in the active prevention of environmental hazards such that the demand for environmental consultants in the private sector should only continue to increase.
Environmental consultants can also get employed by the government itself. The government normally employs environmental consultants for long-term purposes. For example, they might develop environmental policies for the government. They also work for environmental compliance agencies of the government. They ensure that industries and individuals comply with various environmental laws.
Salary Ranges
Environmental consultants typically earn at least $60,000 per year, and, as the need for environmental consultants increases, they will likely earn even more.
Conclusion
Environmental consultancy jobs cut across various sectors of the economy. Any company that would like to set up a manufacturing plant would definitely need an environmental consultant to carry out an environmental impact assessment for it. Environmental consultants can also work in academia and for government agencies.
Environmental consultancy is fundamentally about working for a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment for future generations.
