Environmental Officer
Also advertised as: Carbon Analyst, EHS Advisor, Environmental Advisor, Environmental Compliance Officer, Environmental Officer, Sustainability Officer
Helps organisations meet environmental rules and reduce their impact.
What the job involves
Environmental officers monitor emissions, waste and water, run audits, prepare permits and reports, and drive improvement projects such as carbon reduction. Demand is rising sharply as reporting requirements tighten.
Typical responsibilities
- Monitor environmental performance and emissions
- Carry out audits and site inspections
- Prepare permits, returns and reports
- Advise operations on legal requirements
- Deliver improvement and carbon reduction projects
Common employers
- Waste and water companies
- Manufacturers
- Councils
- Construction firms
- Consultancies
Pay, hours and working environment
Typical pay
£25,000 – £31,000 a year
With experience
£36,000 – £50,000 a year
Typical hours
37.5 hours with site visits
Working environment
Mix of office, site and outdoors
Remote working
hybrid
Demand for this work
high
Pay ranges are indicative guidance drawn from advertised UK vacancies and published careers information. They are not an offer, and actual pay varies by employer, location and experience.
Skills and qualifications
Core skills
- Environmental legislation
- Auditing
- Data analysis
- Report writing
- Stakeholder influence
Transferable skills you may already have
- Compliance checking
- Site inspections
- Data recording
Requirements employers ask for
- Environmental legislation
- Auditing
- Data analysis
- Report writing
- Stakeholder influence
- No formal qualification required, though a science degree is common
Useful but not essential
- Compliance checking
- Site inspections
- Data recording
- IEMA Certificate in Environmental Management
- NEBOSH Environmental Certificate
Helpful qualifications
- IEMA Certificate in Environmental Management
- NEBOSH Environmental Certificate
Ways into this career
A degree is only one route. Where an apprenticeship, work-experience or qualification route exists, it is listed here alongside the academic option.
Apprenticeships and work-based routes
- Environmental Practitioner (Level 6)
- Sustainability Business Specialist (Level 7)
Degree and college routes
- Related subject: Environmental science
- Related subject: Geography
- Related subject: Engineering
- Related subject: Sustainability
Where this career can lead
next
Environmental Manager
next
Head of Sustainability
next
Principal Consultant
The good parts and the hard parts
What people enjoy
- Growing sector with rising demand
- Mix of desk and site work
- Meaningful environmental impact
What people find hard
- Regulatory detail is heavy
- Travel between sites
Common questions
- Do you need a degree to become a environmental officer?
- No. As well as degree routes, this career can be entered through an apprenticeship or by building experience and qualifications on the job. preferred
- How much does a environmental officer earn in the UK?
- Typical advertised pay runs from £25,000 to £31,000 a year, rising towards £50,000 with experience. Figures are indicative guidance rather than an offer.
- What skills transfer into this career?
- Skills that transfer well include Compliance checking, Site inspections, Data recording.
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Where this information comes from
- National Careers Service
- Institute for Apprenticeships
Last reviewed 14 September 2026.
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