• About us
  • Contact us
  • Search

You are not logged in:

Careers

Breadcrumbs

Environmental health officer

Between 2006 and 2009, 0.5% of employed doctoral graduates, or 75 doctoral graduates in total are known to have been working as environmental health or related officers six months after graduation.

Job description

Doctoral level environmental health officers are classified in the ‘other occupations' doctoral employment cluster

This role deals with the assessment and enforcements of standards of safety in home and working environments, with food and health protection and with developing and implementing policy to ensure safe leisure activities

Specialisms in specific areas of the industry include housing, public health, occupational health and safety, food safety and food standards, environmental protection, waste management and pollution control. Doctoral graduates may be particularly involved in specialist issues where significant professional expertise may be required.

Many roles are publicly funded and operate through the NHS or local authorities. Other employers include the armed forces, and central government.

Private sector employers are becoming increasingly important, particularly in retail (particularly food suppliers), tourism (monitoring hotel and resort standards) and airline and shipping companies. There are also opportunities in consultancy for experienced professionals and those with specific expertise, generally dealing with private businesses.

Typical work activities

Typical work activities will vary according to whether working in a general or specialised area, but typical work activities may include:

  • Investigating complaints from the public on environmental health issues
  • Conducting visits and inspections (planned or unplanned) to ensure compliance with health and safety legislation and taking action to improve conditions
  • Providing advice and assistance to householders and businesses
  • Taking photos, producing drawings, removing samples and conducting interviews as part of the inspection process
  • Carrying out food hygiene and food standards inspections
  • Investigating accidents at work, and complaints about poor standards of health and safety, as well as identifying areas of negligence
  • Investigating outbreaks of infectious disease
  • Taking water samples to maintain and improve standards in public swimming and bathing areas as well as private water supplies
  • Ensuring the health and welfare of animal livestock on farms and other premises, as well as during transportation
  • Advising on planning and licensing applications
  • Monitoring levels of noise, air, land and water pollution
  • Giving talks at public enquiries, meetings and exhibitions, as well as ensuring compliance through education, advice and enforcement
  • Taking enforcement action, initiating legal proceedings, preparing and giving evidence in court
  • Advising on health and safety issues in relation to new buildings and developments
  • Arranging for removal of abandoned vehicles and refuse.

Entry requirements

Environmental health officers generally need qualifications accredited with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) / Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS), and these are gained at BSc or, increasingly, MSc level.

Qualifications in environmental science may increase your chances of success, and work experience is particularly useful as this can be a competitive field. Doctoral candidates may find that specific subject skills give them an advantage in specialist areas of the profession, but work experience will nevertheless be a distinct advantage.

Candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

  • Excellent communication skills, written and oral, as the work demands constant contact with people at all levels
  • A strong scientific ability and technical understanding
  • Assertiveness and diplomacy skills, being sensitive to other people's views;
  • Good decision making skills
  • The ability to work independently and as a member of a team
  • A methodical, careful approach to gathering facts and assessing evidence.

A full UK driving license is required for most positions as site visits are common.

Salary

  • Range of typical starting salaries is £20,000 - £35,000 (salary data collected August 2009)
  • Range of typical salaries at senior/managerial level (e.g. after 10 - 15 years in role) is £35,000 - £65,000 (salary data collected August 2009).

Salaries are likely to vary between local authorities and according to the specific role and area of work. Higher earnings are possible with progression to senior management or head of department positions. Some authorities have performance related pay schemes. Environmental health practitioners working in private companies may earn more than those in the public sector.

The nature of the work means that non-standard office hours and working patterns are not uncommon and this may affect salary.

Sector and disciplinary information

Sector information

Doctoral graduates from 2006-9 working in this occupation were known to be employed in the following profiled sectors six months after graduation:

Disciplinary background

The most common disciplinary backgrounds for doctoral graduates (2006-2009) entering these jobs were:

Career stories

None available

Useful links