Whenever someone starts thinking about any career option, the prime focus is that the career must reward them with financial aid and provide personal development. An environmental specialist is a job profile that helps an individual work for the earth while earning money. Most of the time, people are scared of working towards the land because they have to spend time on it, and no one pays for it. This attitude has to be replaced. They should give their weekend to do something for the environment. The changes will occur by applying thoughts as many of us only think of a cleaner world but do not actively execute the view. Let’s know about Environmental Specialist Interview Questions
Here we are talking about an environmental specialist as a career opportunity. After reading this article, you will find answers to some of the general questions regarding environmental specialists.
What are the jobs that an environmental specialist fulfills?
And we will also see that what are the job opportunities present in this particular domain?
At last, we will see some essential interview questions ending with the conclusion.
Who is an Environmental specialist?
An environmental specialist is a job profile where a person looks out for measures to improve the ecological condition by using the best resources. That also helps people around for getting their health
better. By protecting the environment, there will be an instant good effect on the flora and fauna of that region. This is one of the most excellent means through which an environmentalist helps the mother earth and other living creatures on the planet. This is an exciting and high-paying job profile. An environmental specialist also looks at the impact of various activities on earth and evaluates activities harming the environment. They didn’t only identify the cause of harm. They also came up with solutions. In the industrial world, companies hire them to integrate their pollution controlling schemes following the permissible limits set by the government. The environmental specialist plays a critical role in this Corporate world.
Jobs of environmental specialists?
- An ecological specialist evaluates the fields regarding any hazardous location and material.
- Develop some techniques to avoid the dangerous use of materials to get cleaner waste out of It.
- Also, work as a quality assurance of environmental aspects such as water, soil, air, or food.
- And work on additional factors that can have gone through pollution’s ill effect and cure it.
- Produces schemes and programs to make aware people of the ill effects of a particular activity that is causing danger to the environment.
And many other duties are fulfilled by an environmental specialist.
Education qualification for the Job of an environmental specialist.
To become an environmental specialist, one needs to have a bachelor of environmental science. This is the minimum qualification for an environmental specialist. Many times companies also demand experienced Bachelors for this particular Job.
Now let’s look at some of the essential and repetitive questions asked in interviews.
Questions
Question 1. What are the rules and regulations you are aware of that the government implements to protect the environment? Give a small introduction about each?
Answer. Clean Air Act: It regulates air emission from mobile or stationary objects. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) establishes National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), and this law allows the EPA to do so. This is done to reduce the number of unwanted particles in the air. Which will help to clean and balance the ecological interrelationships. Clean Water Act. Earlier, this law was known as the “Federal Water Pollution Control Act” after 1972
amendment made, and the name was changed to the Clean Water Act. This law helps the EPA to provide the wastewater standard for the industries. Due to this, enterprises now have to set up water treatment plants so their wastewater can come to the recommended pollutant level, and then it is released to the described location. For discharging wastewater to any river stream or other surface water body. The industries or individuals require to gather a permit before doing so. Otherwise, this action will be treated as unlawful and can be punished for the activity. There are many such rules and regulations imposed by the government for better pollution control.
Question 2. What do you consider being the most critical environmental issue humans currently experience?
Answer. I think it is Global Warming that is severely affecting the earth’s environment. We all have to work together in the same direction to reduce all types of activities that increase Global Warming. Global warming is becoming a more severe problem as the workers pass. Many government agencies, NGOs, and other groups or individuals who work tirelessly to make people aware of each citizen could help to reduce its effects. This is to be sure that pollution should be decreased as soon as possible. This can be achieved by increasing the use of bicycles, electric vehicles, and renewable energy sources. We should reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
Question 3. What inspires you to be an environmental specialist?
Answer. There are various reasons which hauled me into this job profile.
- My interest is in nature, the environment, and animals. I want to see a clear sky, I want to inhale the clean air, and I want to make The future generation also do so.
- The rising scope in this field also strengthens my personal thoughts to choose this as a job profile.
Question.4 In which field have you worked as an environmental specialist?
Answer. I have pretty good experience with this job profile. The last company in which I was working as a field job profile in which I have exposure to pollution-related to harmful soil chemicals that reduces soil quality index, and I have learned how to improve it.
Question 5. How can you analyze the content of contaminated water?
Answer. There are many different tests available that are approved by EPA.
Pollutants in drinking water are substances which should not be present in the water. The substance can be foreign particles that should not be present even in traces. We can find the number of different pollutants through various scientific approaches depending upon the contaminants. As the nature of other pollutants is different. There are many tests given by the EPA to find the pollutants.
- Ion Chromatography: used to detect the presence of inorganic ions like nitrate, nitrite, etc.
- Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS): used to find the presence of regulated metal contaminants.
- Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES):
- inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analyzed by GC, GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, HPLC, etc.
Besides all these tests, there is a test available for those contaminated which are unknown characteristics and
low concentrations in water, emerging contaminants can be analyzed by high-resolution accurate mass
(HARAM) Orbitrap-based mass spectrometry coupled with either GC or HPLC.
The above-given questions are more related to the technicalities of the Job. Now let us look upon some other
types of interview questions.
Question 6. How do you deal with conflicts in an organization between two workers, especially when one of them
Is your senior and the other is your friend?
Answer: This is asked to quantify your leadership qualities and look upon your decision-making skills. The answer may sound like, “This is for sure that matters should be resolved as the bitterness among the workers, whether they are at a different position or at the same, leads to lesser productivity. Hence the matter should be neutralized as soon
as possible. I will be gathering information about their confrontation. In most cases, it is a clash between egos. None of them will step back and would say sorry, so this type of matter should be solved after the clash is over, which means at that particular time with the help of other workers, they should be separated then slowly they will get back to senses from anger, and then the guilty one should be asked to take the necessary step to remove the bitterness among them” I think this might work properly.
Question 7. What will you do if a senior officer says you do not mention that the level of contaminants is higher than permissible limits in your report?
Answer. I am supposed to provide a real-time situation of the level of contaminants. It is my duty that any problem going in the company or organization I should bring it to the higher officials that are concerned authority to be responsible for it. So I will do what will be correct. I will give an accurate report. Further, if I am
forced not to do so, either I will tell the senior to his senior or leave the Job. Because these are beyond my morals, and I can’t lie to myself.
Question 8. What details should be there in a field inspection report?
Answer. As environmental specialists this is our duty to prepare field reports regarding any activity that is harming the environment in any aspect. Hence the information must include the following things.
- The notice must contain the level of contaminants present in water that is going discharged after the use.
- Also consists of the air quality check that is being expelled through chimneys.
- The company’s solid waste management aspect.
- Availability of proper toilets for the workers.
- Use of plastic and other environmentally harmful substances.
Things to Ponder
- The answer given to the questions is only for giving you an idea. You need to frame your own solution with your own experience. You will elaborate your own answers more fluently in the interview besides other answers. Before going to the discussion, pay heed to the following points. You will find the following tips very useful.
- Many times the interviewer deliberately asks hard questions to test your thinking capabilities. If you know the answer, then give it fluently. If you don’t know the answer, simply say, “sorry, I don’t know the answer” I will let you know just after the interview as soon as possible, or I will give a follow-up mail.
- Prepare well for the interview. It will be a crucial stage for the selection process. Practice some common questions like your self-introduction, favorite topic, subject, or other related to your academics, and prepare it as professionally as possible. You can practice in front of a mirror to check your facial expressions.
- If you have done any major project in your college, this is your great weapon to help you crack the interview. Prepare a well-elaborated explanation of your project. Nothing should be left while describing the project. Prepare it before going to the discussion. You should have a deep knowledge of project-related subjects.
Conclusion
An environmental specialist is a responsible job; companies hire them to maintain their environmental policies within the permissible limits of local government, which saves them from any extra fine by
the government. Keep a keen eye on the amendments and formation of environmental laws.
The jobs of Environmental specialists are increasing day by day as the governments are focusing more on pollution-related problems, and governments are about zero-tolerance policies regarding those individuals or companies found guilty of polluting the environment.
Never try to fool the interviewer by giving misinformation, which will directly lead you towards your rejection. If you don’t know any crucial information, precisely you can say that “this is the approx. value as I do not remember the true value. I will inform you as I will confirm it” this will show your honesty and positively impact you.
