Natalia is an Environmental Scientist (Renewables). Natalia studied a Bsc Earth and Ocean Science and a Masters in Environmental Leadership at the University of Galway and joined MKO in 2023.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Environmental Science?
I have always had a keen interest in the environment and climate change. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about environmental matters such as environmental protection, renewable energy, geology and ecology and a career in environmental science includes a great blend of all of these. There is also a lot of continuous learning involved in environmental science, whether this be through new legislation coming out or new renewable energy technologies which keeps the job exciting and never boring.
Can you describe your typical day as an Environmental Scientist?
Every day is very different but usually, when I am in the office I begin my day by looking through my emails and seeing if there is anything I need to action. I look through my calendar to see if I have any meetings that day that I need to prepare for to make sure I am set up for the day. A lot of my day is taken up by the day-to-day management of wind farm projects, which includes liaising with various subcontractors and ecologists as well as report writing. I nearly always have a QGIS workspace open for a project in case I need to do any mapping work or look at desktop constraints for a site. I often write chapters for Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIARs) so a large part of my day could be dedicated to this. If one of my projects is almost ready to submit, we focus heavily on finalising the EIAR by making sure all the various teams have their EIAR chapters ready, as well as coordinating the printing of the EIAR and compiling all the various appendices and figures. It’s always really rewarding to see a project get submitted as a lot of work gets put into it, with so many people working together to get the EIAR completed.
What types of projects are you currently working on?
I work on the environmental renewables team so most of my projects are wind farms. My current set of wind farm projects includes some new proposed wind farms as well as existing wind farms which are up for lifetime extension.
How would you describe the culture at MKO?
The culture at MKO is great and one of the reasons why I love working here! Everyone is so friendly and helpful. There is always a great atmosphere around the office and I have made lots of friends since starting working at MKO. There’s always a social event planned, whether this be a pottery class after work, kayaking, run club or a night out. There’s something for everyone to come along to and have fun. This allows everyone to get to know one another as a lot of people you wouldn’t see every day due to fieldwork or if they work from home.
What do you enjoy most about your role at MKO?
Despite most of my projects being wind farms, what I enjoy most about my role is how different every project is. I like that we get to collaborate with lots of people on a project, both internally and externally as we often work with subcontractors. It’s great to learn from others and work together to get through a project and get it through to the submission stage. I also like how I get to do fieldwork as part of my role, it’s great to get outside and out of the office. It often requires that we travel outside of Galway to parts of the country I would have never otherwise visited.
What advice do you have for someone aspiring to pursue a career as an environmental scientist with MKO?
I advise anyone aspiring to pursue a career in environmental science in MKO to come along to any events such as the open days at universities or the MKO meet and greet breakfast organised as part of the graduate campaign. It helps to meet people and chat with people to see if you think the job is for you. A genuine interest in environmental matters and ecology is also important, as well as liking being outdoors for days when we are out in the field.
What are the most important skills required for your role?
I think the most important skills required for my role are organisation and multitasking. We work on multiple projects so you need to be able to keep track of where each project is at and be able to multitask. Equally communication and teamwork are vital as we collaborate with so many different people and teams so strong communication with everyone is important so that everyone is in the loop.
In terms of technical skills, GIS skills are important as well as knowledge of the Irish planning system. You also need a driver’s license to get to site visits as we usually go to very remote places where you need to drive to.
How does MKO support your professional development in environmental science?
There is a great support system here at MKO for growing your career with a great focus on guidance, training and knowledge sharing to aid professional development. I regularly have catch-up meetings with my manager to discuss my career progression. In these meetings, we set goals and milestones related to the development of my career and there is great support in helping me achieve these goals. Every Thursday there is a company-wide knowledge share organised on various environmental/ecological topics where you can learn something new.
