How to become a Sustainability Officer

Sustainability officers work to create enduring communities that have a positive environmental, economical and social impact.

Personal requirements for a Sustainability Officer

Strong organisational and project management skills
Able to work well in a team
Able to think strategically
Interested in the environment and communities
Good communication skills

Education & Training for a Sustainability Officer

You can become a sustainability officer by studying sustainability, environmental science or environmental science and management at university. Alternatively, you can complete a degree in a relevant field, followed by a postgraduate qualification in sustainability or environmental management. To get into the degree courses you usually need to gain a Year 12 qualification. Prerequisite subjects, or assumed knowledge, in English and mathematics is normally required. Universities have different prerequisites and some have flexible entry requirements. Contact the universities you are interested in for more information.

Duties & Tasks of a Sustainability Officer

Sustainability officers:

Prepare grants and partnership proposals
Assess a city or business’s programmes to determine their environmental impact, and make recommendations to avoid or lessen impacts
Investigate, recommend and implement renewable energy, water conservation, waste and recycling and other environmental management programmes
Provide information to the public about environmentally sustainable methods and projects
Represent organisations in public forums
Strategically advocate for sustainable approaches to projects
Develop sustainability programmes.

Tasks

Proposes solutions to address negative environmental impacts of a development project.
Studies the effects of factors, such as terrain, altitude, climatic and environmental change, sources of nutrition, predators and the impacts of humans, on animal and plant life.
Studies and analyses pollution, atmospheric conditions, demographic characteristics, ecology, mineral, soil and water samples.
Develops conservation and management policies for biological resources, such as fish populations and forests, as well as establishing standards and developing approaches for the control of pollution and the rehabilitation of areas disturbed by activities such as mining, timber felling and overgrazing.
Participates in management planning by providing environmental information and making inventories of plants, animals and items of cultural and heritage significance.
Carries out environmental impact assessments for a wide range of development projects.

Working conditions for a Sustainability Officer

Sustainability officers may work indoors, or visit sites relevant to an environmental management programme.

Employment Opportunities for a Sustainability Officer

Opportunities exist within state and federal government departments, city councils and private organisations.

Average age
39
Future Growth
N/A
Gender Share
45% female
Average full-time
44 hours
Weekly Pay
N/A
Skill level rating
Very high skill
Unemployment
Lower unemployment
Full-Time Share
75%
Employment Size
5,100
Employment by state
ACT: 1.6%
NSW: 27.6%
NT: 1.6%
QLD: 20.5%
SA: 5.3%
TAS: 2.1%
VIC: 19.0%
WA: 22.2%
Age brackets
15-19: 0.1%
20-24: 3%
25-34: 31.8%
35-44: 33.3%
45-54: 17.1%
55-59: 6%
60-64: 4.6%
65 and Over: 4.2%
Education level
Advanced Diploma/Diploma: 3.9%
Bachelor degree: 56%
Certificate III/IV: 1.7%
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate: 35.2%
Year 10 and below: 0.1%
Year 11: 0.3%
Year 12: 2.8%