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Kat Liney
Job title and description
I am an Environmental Scientist for Cascade Consulting.
I work for an environmental consultancy firm where I specialise in aquatic ecology. A core part of our business is Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA), which is a procedure that must be followed for certain types of development e.g. housing, roads and
power stations, before they are allowed to go ahead. This involves preparing documents that describe the effects of the development
on the environment and any measures that will be put in place to minimise them. The documents are then reviewed and approved
by environmental regulators, including local councils and the Environment Agency.
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What degree did you study?
I have a BSc in Biology from the University of Nottingham and a PhD in Biology from the University of Exeter.
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What are your main duties of work?
I gather relevant information for proposed developments, which includes data on the site's habitats and any species present;
I also look at their conservation value and any legal protection they have. If there is no data available, I design a survey
programme and either go out in the field myself, or call in experts to do specific surveys of protected species, e.g. native
crayfish surveys, great crested newt surveys, etc. I then review the data and carry out an impact assessment, which judges
the relative size and importance of the environmental impact. Suggestions are then made about what can be done to minimise
or remove environmental risks. These measures are often made conditions of the planning permission when it is granted; I organise
and carry out environmental monitoring to help our clients meet these legal obligations.
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What are your favourite aspects of the job?
From an ethical point of view, I like the fact that my work can have real environmental benefits. I enjoy the variety of the
work, no two projects are the same and I'm constantly learning new things. I also enjoy the aspects of problem solving and
conflict resolution. Opportunities to do field survey work and site visits are great. There have been times when I've strolled
along a river in the sunshine, not quite believing that I'm being paid to be there!
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What kind of salary can a graduate expect to earn in this job?
Starting salaries vary from about £15,000 to £22,000. Those with postgraduate qualifications can expect to be at the higher
end of the scale.
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How has your degree helped you?
My undergraduate degree was a very varied course which gave me a general grounding in all aspects of biology. Although I now
specialise in aquatic ecology, the general background knowledge is still very helpful when considering the wider environment.
The written and oral presentation skills that you build on during a PhD or Masters degree are invaluable in this kind of work
and are actively sought by employers. Postgraduates are particularly favoured as they tend to have the analytical skills required
to shift through large amounts of information and identify key points and issues quickly. The project management, research
and communication skills I developed during my PhD made the step into consultancy work a relatively easy one.
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What made you choose science as a career pathway?
I have always been interested in biology and it was very important to me to do something environmentally relevant. My career
often involves applying biological and ecological knowledge, principles and research to real-life scenarios.
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