As part of Green Careers Week, IES Member Oliver, the Technical Director at DustScanAQ , talks to the IES about his career journey and what a typical day in the life looks like.
What has your career path looked like?
I graduated back in 2002 with a BSc in Marine Environmental Science but have spent the last 18 years developing my career in dust, air quality and occupational hygiene monitoring and consultancy - go figure! Living in Oxfordshire and family circumstances limited my opportunities to begin a career in the marine sciences, so I soon broadened my horizons and interests to include a wider range of environmental work. After temping for a couple of years in retail, countryside management and laboratory work I stumbled across an Environmental Scientist job advert for DustScan in the Oxford Times newspaper classifieds. I applied, got the job and haven't looked back. That was in 2006 and since then I have developed my interests and expertise further and began specialising in occupational exposure and indoor air quality (IAQ) assessment about 8 years ago.
What does your current job role entail?
I’m now Technical Director and co-MD at DustScanAQ, with mainly business management, development and strategy responsibilities.
The role of a director in an Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) is very broad and no two days are the same; there is no ‘typical’ day in my position! I’m presently working on ISO 9001 documentation and our quarterly business performance report for our Trustee Board, investigating overseas business development and marketing opportunities for a new service we’re launching and regularly checking in with my colleagues to find out what they’re working on and see if I can provide any support. I also help manage and develop new work enquiries and with the preparation of fee proposals, and occasionally with IAQ monitoring and reporting.
Is there a particular notable project that you have enjoyed?
I assisted in designing (and latterly re-wrote) the Air Quality Monitoring Strategy (AQMS) for the High Speed 2 (HS2) enabling works phase at Old Oak Common. The AQMS included ambient dust, particulate matter (PM10) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) monitoring and both environmental reassurance and occupational exposure assessments for airborne asbestos fibres. Our AQMS scope required weekly site visits at times, and often over multiple consecutive days, which provided a great opportunity to work with consultants from other environmental disciplines. It was great to feel part of the Costain Skanska joint venture (CSJV) project team and I formed many new contacts and friendships during this work. It was also a rewarding experience to be involved in a nationally significant transport infrastructure project.
Have any further qualifications, training, internships, or volunteering been valuable to your career journey?
Yes! Becoming chartered (CSci) with the IES has really helped to raise my professional profile, by recognising my career experience and expertise in the air quality field. I’ve also gained professional recognition (and collaboration experience) by joining industry working groups. I was a member of the IAQM IAQ sub-committee and am currently a member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) Air Quality Working Group.
Whilst on the IAQM IAQ sub-committee I had the privilege of co-authoring the IAQM’s IAQ assessment guidance which I feel very proud to have contributed towards; this is certainly one of my career highlights to date.
I served on the IES Council and Trustee board between 2019 – 2022 and this was both an incredibly rewarding and valuable experience. Overseeing how the IES operates and is managed and governed provided me with insights that were very useful in helping me develop company director-related competencies and understand and appreciate the roles and responsibilities of trustees.
I have also maintained my interests in the marine sciences through volunteer work, most notably working as a Research Assistant at the South African Shark Conservancy on an Earthwatch Institute expedition and more recently helping develop the Marine Science Community for the IES.
What one piece of advice you would give to an individual starting their career in the environmental sector?
Don't be too fussy or specific when searching/applying for your first job in the environmental sector. Getting experience under your belt is critical and you never know where your first employment might take you...
Image Credit: (c) Kai | Adobe Stock
