Climate change specialist
Research and develop environmental strategies that’ll help save the planet.
Also known as: climate policy analyst, environmental policy specialist, climate adaption specialist
About the job
What it's like
Are you passionate about the environment? As a climate change specialist, you’ll use your expert knowledge to promote sustainability.
Every day is different! Sometimes, you’ll research and analyse data to measure the impact of climate change. On other days, you'll present reports to government officials or businesses to help them develop green policies.
If the world is going to become more sustainable – we need climate change specialists!
Your daily tasks might include:
researching the effects of climate change on ecosystems, industries or communities
analysing climate data like temperature trends and carbon emissions
preparing reports and forecasts based on your research findings
developing policies or strategies that’ll help fight climate change
recommending new, sustainable practices to governments, businesses or organisations
designing and implementing programs, such as renewable energy initiatives or conservation projects
writing articles or reports to raise awareness of climate change
delivering workshops or presentations to share your findings and solutions
Green job
In this job you’ll be doing work to help the environment. Find out more about green jobs.
Hours
You'll likely work 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. If you’re doing fieldwork, you may need to adapt to irregular hours for a temporary period.
As you enter the final stages of a large project, you might be expected to do some overtime.
Environment
This depends on the sector you’re in and the type of projects you work on. You’ll likely spend most of your time in an office environment. There may be opportunities to work from home for part of your week.
When doing fieldwork to collect data, you’ll spend time outdoors in a range of weather conditions. Remember, fieldwork will involve walking and standing. You should also be confident using specialist equipment to collect data.
You may also work in a laboratory – testing samples and modelling climate data.
Travel
Sometimes, you’ll travel to remote locations to gather climate change data. For example, you might go to a forest or coastline at the other side of the country.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Related industries
Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- written communication
- verbal communication
- social conscience
- resilience
- researching
- questioning
- problem solving
- evaluating
- analysing
- adaptability
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Biology
Chemistry
Economics
Environmental Science
Geography
Maths (Mathematics)
Physics
Politics
Social Subjects
Statistics
Most climate change specialists have a degree.
Although, it’s possible to start in a relevant entry-level role and work your way up. For example, a background as an environmental assistant or research assistant puts you in a good position to specialise in climate change further down the line.
University
Scotland has a range of relevant university degrees. These undergraduate subjects can help you get straight into a career as a climate change specialist:
Environmental Science
Geography
Geography and Environmental Science
Environmental Management and Sustainability
Environmental Geography
There are also plenty of relevant post-graduate courses available.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you get into an entry-level role or move on to more advanced study. Subjects you could do at college include:
Environmental Science
Environmental Management
Sustainable Development
Geography
Renewable Energy
Conservation and Land Management
Apprenticeships
You can start learning the skills you'll need in this career through a Foundation Apprenticeship (FA). When you're in S5 or S6, you'll gain work experience while you study.
This Scientific Technologies FA could set you up for further study, or a job where you’ll develop your skills further.
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) mean you learn on the job. You get paid and work towards a qualification at the same time.
Explore all the MAs available on Apprenticeships.scot. You may find one that’s a good starting point to reach your goal of working as a climate change specialist.
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become a climate change specialist. Search for climate change opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Find more volunteering through:
Any environmental-related volunteering will look fantastic on your CV. Volunteering is particularly beneficial if you want to secure an entry-level role and specialise in climate change later.
A strong knowledge of sustainability can help you stand out from the crowd. Make sure you know all about the latest climate change agreements and regulations.
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Climate change specialist'
