Hi everyone,

I’m soon to be moving to Aberdeen, based on my partner getting an awesome job there. A rare opportunity which she could not turn down. Naturally I’ll be joining her (my current job is menial and casual, so need to get a better paying, more settled job anyway).

SO how do I go about finding a job up there? I’ve uploaded some CVs to websites, and got friendly with a few recruitment agencies. Tonight I’m going to send some speculative CVs to some potential employers.

I’m an environmental scientist, with experience in water and drainage modelling, but would like to do something in a consultancy if poss. Or anything! what does the hive mind of singletrack suggest?

Thanks muchly, Kieron.

environmental scientist, with experience in water and drainage modelling,

Plumber with imagination then

There’s still the drainage in the lower field to work on.

I’m an environmental scientist, with experience in water and drainage modelling

Should have no problem then…

But what kinda job would actually suit you – interested really.

You’re applying to Scottish water, yes?

Plumber with imagination then

Please! I prefer street plumber 😉

b r – I finished a masters last year which had elements of environmental ethics and econimics, anthropology and landscape studies. i really got into the landscape side of things, but visual/landscape assessment is not easy to get into without some kind of landscape architecture degree. I don’t know if I have a conversion-type course in me! so realistically, but still a bit ideally, it’d be good to do some kind of river modelling and surface flow stuff. although i’m not too fussy – i’d be pretty chuffed getting any consultancy work! 🙂

millitary.

has jobs to suit all people!

I’d suggest you need to have a bit more ‘up and at em’ attitude! You come across as very airy fairy about your abilities/aims/goals etc.

Talking to recruitment companies and uploading cv’s is an opt out! Start doing research into companies who may want to employ someone with your qualifications and abilities and then start calling them, writing to them etc etc. Even offer to do a trial period without pay if it comes to it.

Basically, pull yer f……g finger out!

ok, but you’ve still not said what job you are looking for, and for one I’ve no idea what you can do…

carpet bomb the environmental consultancies up there, try public/civil service too but you’ll be lucky these days. Find the name of the right person in the consultancy to send it to by ringing them first. loads of oil and gas work up there if you don’t mind working for satan.

the environmental consultancy I work for has an aberdeen office but it is 95% marine work, do you have skills that can transfer to the wet stuff?

Get in touch with the James Hutton Institute: http://www.hutton.ac.uk/

Not just re jobs, but have a look at their staff / research projects – find one in your area and drop them a line to ask if you can come in for an informal chat. They won’t be offering you a job, but will be able to give you a lot of detailed information, especially relating to work in that area in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is also hosting the British Science Festival in early september – largely aimed at the public, but also has sessions for ‘professionals’ – so another opportunity for informal networking and finding out what is going on re work in the area.

local councils – though they may be fairly cash strapped. This is, City of Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Planning consultants may require such services as well.

University — RG, Aberdeen – lecturer?

As has been said, ‘environmental consultant’ is quite broad and it really depends what skilsl and experience you have as to what you can realistically apply for. Aim high and apply to everything, but don’t be too upset if you don’t get responses!

I left an environmental consultancy a few years ago to do a PhD and I get the impression it is hard to get work at the moment with consultancies as they are in a bit of a slump… But jobs do exist, you just need to really put the effort into each and every one.

1) Be specific about your skills and experience. Don’t go over the top but emphasise experience with particular software/packages, modelling software, GIS, databases, technical skills.

2) Write a specific covering letter for each application / speculative approach to a company. Indicate you know what they do/their place in the market and why you want to join them specifically, as well as a paragraph on why they should chose you over all the other applicants.

With regard to potential employers, the landscape stuff sounds more aligned with large environmental or engineering consultancies, I’m sure you find a list of these online for that area. But be aware they might pigeon-hole your work somewhat so be clear on what you would like to do, work-wise (i.e. in my experience the landscaping and planning guys were in a separate team from the drainage modellers, the latter were mathematicians / engineers, the former were generally architects or geographers with a planning background). As has been said, there are a lot of opportunities related to the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen including surveying and hydraulic modelling (Fugro, Arcadis, the usual engineering consultancies), but there are also public bodies such as Marine Scotland Science, SEPA and the University of Aberdeen, and the utilities sector (Scottish Water, Centrica). http://www.earthworks-jobs.com/ isn’t updated very often but gives you an idea of which companies work where. Also http://www.jobs.ac.uk is good for academic and public sector opportunities.

And good luck!

I get the impression it is hard to get work at the moment with consultancies as they are in a bit of a slump

It probably depends on the area of consultancy you are in I think, contaminated land and anything housing/redevelopment related really slumped in the last few years, but renewables and big infrastructure projects still seem to be strong. Certainly the consultancy I work for now and the last one are expanding pretty quickly after the 2009 lull.

Environmentjob is another good source of jobs being advertised, but I’ve never had a job that has been advertised, its always been CV being sent to consultancies and circulated around.

A friend of a friend asked i would ask around at the company I work for if they had any jobs going. His qualification was very similar to yours and he no work experience. Despite him trying to explain what he could actually offer I have no idea what his degree related to in the real world, neither did any of the colleagues I sent his cv to.

I can only advise you to be a lot less wooly about what you can offer.

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/morson-aberdeen-prize-draw-943754126?src=search

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/principal-associate-oil-gas-consultant-943682515?src=search

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/senior-environmental-consultant-risk-data-management-943704120?src=search

http://www.jobsite.co.uk/job/principal-environmental-consultant-environmental-assessment-mana-943704109?src=search

Aberdeen is pretty much the centre for Marine Renewables. As per links above, loads of opps in EIA field, both Power and Oil & Gas. The industry is very busy and there are real staff shortages. also google AREG

aberdeen

your only unemployed in aberdeen through your own doing/choice.

jobs for all shortage of skilled people up here.

do make sure your cv is strong though as a crap cv will still be disguarded.

Are you a trained and experienced LVIA practitioner? Landscape impacts are the big hurdle to major projects at the moment so consultancies are needing to sharpen up their offer in this area.

Don’t waste your time on public sector, they’re all reducing staff count.

Hi Kieron,

First up, good luck with the job search and hope something comes up for you.

So you graduated from uni and did some work in drainage/ modelling but haven’t been working in it recently (from what you said in your first post). You also like the landscape stuff.

For the first point, i would suggest sorting out some membership of a professional body – CIWEM is possibly the most relevant, but also IEMA would be worth considering. Getting a graduate membership of one of these would show some ongoing commitment to the area of work, even if you aren’t working in it at the moment. CIWEM graduate membership is about £115 a year i think http://www.ciwem.org (also check out the jobs board).

Right, as for your second point RE liking landscape work – i am sure you have come across SuDS (sustainable drainage systems). This is basically a combination of drainage design and landscaping – parfait, non?

Short courses are available to get your skills up in that. If i had to pin down the best ones, i would recommend the microdrainage courses (http://www.microdrainage.co.uk/course-info.asp) as a good grounding for using their windes package, which is quite popular and builds on your modelling skills (which are desirable).

And (shameless plug) check out the CIRIA courses like ‘designing SuDS’ http://www.ciria.org

These cost money, but its a good start to getting your CV near to the top of the pile in what others have already said is a competitive area, but keep on it if it’s what you want to do.

Well, thanks for all your help everyone. It’s much appreciated. I have been trying very hard to find work, but progress is a wee bit slower than I would like. I’ve had a couple of recruitment agencies working for me to find work there, but I’ve come to the conclusion that they’re mostly mouth and not much trousers.

I’ve contacted some places though via email, and I will be following up with calls soon. Right now I’m putting together an appropriate email for the Hutton Institute.

owen p – your tips are pretty good there, especially regarding training. I already have a free version ISIS modelling software on my laptop to practise on, and further training with windes and CIRIA is something I’ll be looking into. I am a lapsed member of CIWEM, so might be time to get back to that too.

As many have already said, work is abundant up there. I am aware that my CV wasn’t great. I’ve rewritten it to highlight my experience (and downplay the masters in whoknowswhat) which is good for watery jobs, but need a second one that is more ‘skills’ focused for those jobs i have no direct experience of doing.

So yeah, thanks again for everyone’s advice, it really is appreciated.

Cheers, Kieron