Overview

What is an Environmental Surveyor?

Environmental Surveyors are built environment professionals who provide expert advice across projects in real estate, land and construction. They assess the environmental challenges faced by developers, landowners and investors, such as environmental management, land use and contaminated land and environmental auditing.

Professionals in this area may go by similar job titles, such as Environmental Consultant or Environmental Technician. It’s also a discipline that aligns with both sustainability consulting and environmental science.

How much do Environmental Surveyors earn?

The average salary of an Environmental Surveyor is usually between £23,000 – £45,000 a year.

Slide
Starting salary:
£0k
Higher end:
£0k

Skills

What’s required for the role?

  • Excellent communication skills
  • The ability to work well with others
  • Client relations and stakeholder management
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Practical skills
  • Technical skills
  • Sustainability literacy*
  • Report writing
  • Critical thinking
  • Project management and critical thinking
  • Commercial awareness and acumen
  • Data analysis and research
  • Digital literacy and IT skills

*Read about sustainability literacy

Details

What does an Environmental Surveyor do?

Environmental surveying professionals have a wide range of responsibilities. They may be expected to: 

Point 1

Conduct field surveys to understand the environmental impact of construction work, pollution and other activities

Point 2

Assess the potential impacts of construction and other commercial or industrial development activities

Point 3

Perform inspections and collect samples and data on sites for further analysis, such as soil samples

Point 4

Produce scientific reports and written environmental impact assessments to be shared and presented to clients and colleagues

Point 5

Consult clients on the best course of action to mitigate environmental risk and align with environmental regulations

Point 6

Assist governments, businesses and landowners in policy matters

Point 7

Conduct desk research on previous investigations of a site to advise clients on whether they should make a purchase

Point 8

Build strong relationships with clients, regulatory bodies, project stakeholders and individuals from other disciplines

Point 9

Develop conceptual models for identifying and reducing environmental risks

Point 10

Balance the commercial needs of clients with environmental risk management

previous arrowprevious arrow
next arrownext arrow

What is the work environment like?

Depending on the capacity of their work, environmental experts in the built environment could work on a consulting basis for developers, construction firms, local authorities and utility companies.

Professionals in this area should expect a combination of office and site work in their role, with the latter often in challenging or rural environments, regardless of the weather.

While it’s undoubtedly a hands-on role, environmental surveying professionals will frequently need to attend meetings with clients and other professionals.

There’s also the possibility that your role will include acting as an expert witness in court. This can make it a particularly varied profession where no two weeks are the same. One day, you could be on a site conducting environmental surveys, while the next you could be delivering a presentation to a client in their offices.

Opportunities

Is environmental surveying a good career?

It’s no secret that, in the built environment, sustainability knowledge and skills are in high demand. According to a UCEM survey of 300 built environment professionals, almost all (98%) of our respondents agreed that their industries are desperately in need of sustainability talent.

For professionals with an interest in the environment and the drive to make a positive contribution to both the sector and the battle against climate change, environmental surveying could be the ideal career path. It’s a great field for people who enjoy cultivating technical skills, working with different people and using science, technology and design to assess environmental factors and impact.

Environmental surveying can also be a launchpad for other careers in the sector, such as sustainability consulting.

Become an Environmental Surveyor

Who can become an Environmental Surveyor?

If you’re motivated by the rising impact of climate change and want to make a difference, there’s nothing stopping you from pursuing a career in environmental surveying. At UCEM sustainability is a fundamental part of all of our programmes, and thousands of students from various backgrounds have completed their studies and found careers in the sector. Find out more about their experiences below:

How to become an Environmental Surveyor

Environmental Surveyors usually gain their experience in general practice work, including residential, commercial and rural areas. Employers may require a degree accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), or if you have a non-cognate degree, you could undertake an RICS-accredited postgraduate degree. Surveyors can work towards Chartered or Associate membership of the RICS to further their credentials.

Along with obtaining degrees, online CPD courses in relevant subjects can strengthen your employment credentials, such as:

Related