Water Conservation Officer

Salary

Graduate with experience: £18,000 - £27,000
Employee with 10-15 years in the role: £25,000 - £45,000

Main Employers

• Government bodies
• Local and regional government
• Consultancies
• Charities
• Nature reserves, national and country parks, private estates
• Water companies
• Environmental and conservation organisations
• Research centres

Job Profile

Water conservation officers are concerned with protecting and improving environmental habitats that depend on groundwater. Their role may focus either on the management and conservation of wetland areas, or on the management of the environmental impact of developments that affect groundwater. This is a specialised role within nature conservation and environmental management. It has grown in response to an increasing awareness of the importance and vulnerability of wetland habitats at a time when they are often threatened by house building, road building and industrial developments.

Role and Responsibilities

Jobs will vary according to each employer; however you could expect to be involved in:

• Assessing the effect on wildlife of existing and proposed works, e.g. pipelines, drainage or flood defence schemes
• Advising on how to safeguard existing wildlife habitats
• Promoting educational and public awareness of the environmental importance of wetland habitats and species
• Visiting sites and monitoring work
• Negotiating and discussing environmental impact with other professionals (architects, engineers, planners, wildlife groups)
Qualifications
Relevant further education subjects include: Applied Life Science; Botany; Conservation Biology; Earth Science (Physical); Ecology; Environmental Biology; Environmental Management; Environmental Science; Marine Biology; Marine Sciences; Oceanography

Pre-entry experience, either paid or voluntary, is essential and will boost your chances of securing a first position.

Career Development

At first, career progression is not usually rapid. Post holders must first build up their expertise, knowledge and experience.

In addition to academic qualifications, membership of a professional body such as the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) is useful. CIWEM provides training, debating, networking and socialising opportunities, and offers a student membership scheme which can provide useful contacts for the future.