Environmental advisor
You'll help organisations adopt greener practices to promote sustainability and protect the environment.
About the job
What it's like
Do you want a career where you can make a real difference to Scotland's environment?
As an environmental advisor, you'll help shape a greener, more sustainable future. You'll tell businesses, communities and government agencies how to become more eco-friendly.
Becoming greener is a challenge every organisation is trying to tackle. That means your work could take you into any sector you like. You could get your hard hat on, making sure construction projects are using sustainable materials and processes. Or dive into data for an energy firm to help them understand and improve their impact on the environment.
Your tasks might include:
providing advice to organisations on ways to make their practices greener
doing field surveys, collecting data and creating environmental impact assessments for projects
keeping up to date with laws and regulations and helping organisations follow them
carrying out research such as discovering the history of a site through archives or maps
writing reports and communicating your findings to others
Your work will have a direct impact on Scotland's natural beauty and quality of life. If you're a problem-solver with a passion for environmental issues, this could be the perfect career for you.
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 normal office hours, Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. You could work at irregular times depending on project deadlines or other factors.
Some companies may offer flexible working hours.
Environment
You'll likely work in an office environment. There may be opportunities to work from home some of the time.
You may spend a long time sitting at a desk, on a computer doing research or writing reports. You'll also work outdoors at times, for example to do field surveys.
Travel
You'll likely travel to sites to carry out assessments or research.
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
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Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Environmental advisor'
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Environmental consultant Environmental manager Sustainability manager Renewable energy manager Environmental engineer Sustainability consultant Environmental health and safety manager Environmental product manager Climate change specialist Environmental officer
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.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing Transport Digital technologies Construction and built environment Engineering and manufacturing
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.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- environmental laws
- environmental resource management
- environmentalism
- environmental management systems
- ecology
- environmental auditing
- environmental issue
- environmental monitoring
- environmental management plans
- environmental risk assessment
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- analysing
- negotiating
- attention to detail
- developing a plan
- verbal communication
- problem solving
- written communication
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
Environmental Science
Science in the Environment
Maths (Mathematics)
Applications of Mathematics
Geography
Physics
You’ll likely need a degree or postgraduate qualification for this job. You can work towards this after school by going to university, college or by getting an apprenticeship.
Explore the information you need for each route to this career.
University
For many roles, you'll need a degree or postgraduate qualification. Courses related to the environment and sustainability are very useful, such as:
environmental engineering
environmental management
environmental science
environmental sustainability
sustainability
sustainable development
Other courses which could be helpful for this career include:
agricultural science
biology
chemistry
earth sciences
ecology or ecology and conservation
geology
geophysics
geoscience
hydrogeology
You can browse a list of university courses approved by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment.
What you need to enter a degree course will vary depending on the subject and university. For an environmental science degree, you'll likely need:
at least 3 or 4 Highers at C or better, including science subjects
National 5 qualifications in at least 1 science subject
Some universities will have higher entry requirements, these are what you'll need as a minimum. A relevant HNC or HND will allow you to apply for some courses.
For entry to a postgraduate course, you'll need an honours degree in a relevant subject.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you find work or progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
environmental management
construction management with sustainability
Other subjects could be relevant to this career. For example, ones related to science, conservation, construction or data.
What you'll need for a college course will depend on the qualification level, subject and college. As a guide, for an HNC in Environmental Management, you'll likely need one or two Highers at C or better, including a relevant subject such as a science.
Apprenticeship
You can start learning the skills you'll need in this career through a Foundation Apprenticeship (FA). While you're in S5 or S6, you'll gain work experience while you study.
Check out this FA in Scientific Technologies on Apprenticeships.scot.
If you’re 16 or older, a Modern Apprenticeship will let you work and earn while you study for a qualification. After you qualify, you'd be able to study further or move into a role where you can build experience.
There are many apprenticeships which could be relevant to this career, here are some you may find interesting:
Getting work experience in a relevant role can help you break into the environmental sector. Search for opportunities on Volunteer.scot.
Find more volunteering through:
You can become registered with an environmental organisation. This can help develop professional contacts and find training opportunities to further your career.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Environmental advisor'
