Environmental health officers are required to improve quality of life of people, ensuring healthy and safe environments to live, work, and play. They work in different areas such as public health, food safety, occupational health, housing and environmental protection. These officers visit kitchens, offices, restaurants, shops, and factories to ensure there are no potential risks for peoples´ health. They develop, implement and enforce health policies for public sector or private companies.

Environmental health officers usually perform many of the following tasks:
• Inspecting kitchens to ensure healthy conditions.
• Arranging licences for shops.
• Monitoring radiation levels.
• Investigating accidents in workplaces.
• Creating reports about inspections.

• Having good written and spoken communication abilities.
• Having good problem solving skills.
• Being self confident.
• Being able to work alone or with a team.
• Having good decision making skills.
• Being able to work under pressure or difficult circumstances.
• Having technical and scientific understanding.
• Being persuasive and tactful.
• Having math skills.
• Being assertive.

Environmental health jobs require specific degrees for this area, such an undergraduate or master´s degree that can be obtained from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health or the Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland. Applicants for these courses need two A levels and five GSCE (A-C/1-3) including a science subject as a minimum.

Graduates from science subjects can have a postgraduate course to enter to this area. It is recommended to have a driving licence for most jobs.