Working in Environmental Health can be rewarding for anyone who enjoys a role that involves Investigating complaints, understanding laws and regulations, and enforcing changes within a commercial establishment or home. Depending on the sector, you could easily be working at a restaurant, at a client’s business, at a store, in a court, or in an office.

“Environmental Health is an incredibly diverse profession, that covers the protection of the public’s health. This includes making sure Food, Housing and the Environment are all up to standard to keep people safe, so if you’re looking for a job that constantly keeps you on your toes a job in Environmental Health may be right for you.”

Will Shipley, Managing Consultant, Environmental Health

Best jobs in Environmental Health

The level of qualifications needed for a job in environmental health varies depending on the industry. For some, being registered with the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, having a degree in Environmental Health or similar, or having a Higher Certificate of Food Control is necessary.

Environmental Health Officer

One of the most varied professions there is, an Environmental Health Officer is responsible for protecting the general public’s health and wellbeing. This means inspecting housing conditions, food hygiene inspections, pollution, and health & safety. They are at the forefront of infectious disease control and are heavily involved in the efforts to sort out COVID-19.

Chartership and/or Environmental Health Registration Board (‘EHRB’) registration is desirable but on-the-job experience is top.

Contractors: £30-£50 an hour

Food Safety Officer

Responsible for inspecting restaurants, takeaways, and anywhere that serves food. They ensure that the food is being prepared and sold in a safe way with proper hygiene standards to make sure the general public doesn’t get sick. They also respond to complaints of food poisoning etc. Qualifications are essential; they either need EHRB registration or the Higher Certificate of Food Control to be able to do inspections.

Contractors: £30-£38 an hour or £50-£100 per inspection

Private Sector Housing Officer

Private Sector Housing Officers inspect privately rented accommodation, ensuring that the homes are safe for multiple people to live in.

Key responsibilities include:

• Investigation of complaints
• Inspection of properties
• Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation
• Preparation of notices, reports, consultations etc
• Undertaking interviews under caution
• Responding to allegations of unlawful eviction and harassment

Qualifications aren’t essential; it is largely experience based but a qualification in the Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) is necessary.

Contractors: £25-£35 an hour

Environmental Protection

Environmental Protection Officers inspect and report environmental complaints or issues, which can either be reactive work or proactive work depending on the size of the team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Investigating and reporting on noise complaints from commercial or residential premises/events – can be very specialised as involves setting up and using specific equipment
• Investigating and reporting on air and land pollution – very specialised, go out on-site and take samples.
• Investigating environmental complaints such as fly-tipping, dog fouling, and anti-social behaviour (ASB), undertaking necessary actions such as serving notices or prosecutions
• Commenting and assisting with Planning applications

Qualifications are essential here with the minimum requirement of an Environmental Health degree. Some roles are extremely specialised and you often find people specialising in specific areas.

Contractors: £28-£38 an hour

Licensing Officer

Licensing Officers deal with the licensing applications of events, premises, and people in different areas. There are two main different areas Taxi and Private Hire Licensing, and Alcohol and Gambling Licensing, which are sometimes split within teams but can be in the same team.

Key responsibilities include:

· Processing and validating applications

· Assessing applications against criteria for gaining licenses

· Undertaking licensing inspections and ensuring licenses are up to date and compliant

Licensing support roles are usually more office-based processing and validating applications in a 9-5 capacity. Licensing Enforcement roles vary and can either be usual 9-5 but more regularly involve odd hours in the evenings and weekends.

Contractors: £20-£30 an hour

Are you interested in a career in Environmental Health or Food Safety? Get in touch!

“We’re a specialist agency that has a team dedicated specifically to Environmental Health recruitment working with clients in the public and private sectors, placing people of all levels from graduate to director levels.”

Laurence Burch, Recruitment Consultant, Environmental Health

Our team of specialist recruitment consultants are experienced in understanding the needs and requirements of Environmental Health or Food Safety roles. They’re on hand to answer your questions and match your skills to our available roles. Call 020 7766 9000 or email your CV to info@oysterpartnership.com