Water or sewage treatment plant workers either process and dispose of sewerage and wastewater, or treat and clean drinking water. Their duties vary according to the size and type of treatment plant, but usually include: working manual and computerised equipment such as sludge processing and pumping stations cleaning and maintaining septic tanks and filters adding chemicals [...]
Water distribution/sewerage workers look after pipes and mains that supply homes and businesses with water and remove waste water and sewage. They carry out planned maintenance work and also respond to emergencies such as mending burst pipes and major leaks. Their duties include: digging holes by hand or using mechanical digging equipment using maps and plans to [...]
Waste management officers organise and manage waste collection and disposal. They may also be responsible for recycling, treatment of waste and street cleaning operations. Their duties usually include: running and inspecting waste disposal sites and recycling facilities managing teams of refuse collectors managing contracts with private waste collection companies monitoring local waste collection services collecting [...]
Scientists can work in a range of areas and job roles; some examples are listed below. Research and development Scientists working in this field are involved in developing new products and industrial processes, improving efficiency, or carrying out laboratory experiments and converting them into large scale manufacturing operations. Scientific analysis and investigation This area of work [...]
Refuse collectors collect waste from homes and businesses and take it away for disposal or recycling. They work in a small team with one driver and few other refuse collectors. The team goes to one area on the same day each week, and collects the rubbish left out for them by householders and businesses. Refuse [...]
Refuse collection drivers take household and business waste away for disposal or recycling. They lead a team of refuse collectors and drive the refuse collection vehicle to a tip or landfill site. The team goes to one area on the same day each week, and collects the rubbish left out for them by householders and [...]
Recycling officers are responsible for planning and developing local environmental and waste reduction policies, and running recycling schemes. Their work usually includes: developing waste reduction and recycling policies promoting recycling to the local community and media managing local recycling facilities and collection services developing and introducing new recycling schemes monitoring and reporting on how often [...]
Pest control technicians get rid of infestations of pests and vermin. They use a range of chemicals and equipment to deal with insect pests and animals like rats and mice, foxes, moles and birds (known as vertebrate pests). As a pest control technician, you could treat infestations in all kinds of places such as people’s [...]
Oceanographers study the seas and oceans, conducting research into the effects of climate change, or the impact of pollution and offshore engineering on marine ecosystems. Oceanographers use a variety of techniques to collect data, including the use of: remote sensors on satellites instruments on towed or self-powered submersibles apparatus on moored or drifting buoys probes [...]
Nuclear engineers research and design processes and equipment for the nuclear energy industry. They can be physicists or mechanical, electrical or chemical engineers, who also use specialist knowledge of nuclear physics in their work. Most nuclear engineers work in power generation, on tasks such as: running nuclear power stations and equipment fuel reprocessing waste management decommissioning nuclear power stations radiological protection and [...]
