Jack discusses his time at MKO and what his typical day as an LVIA Specialist looks like. Jack graduated with a Masters in Environmental Leadership from the University of Galway and joined MKO in 2021.
Can you describe your role as an LVIA Specialist at MKO?
I am a Landscape and Visual Assessment (LVIA) Specialist within the Landscape and Visual Team, a specialised team within the larger MKO Environmental Team. My main responsibilities include conducting LVIAs (both as standalone reports and as part of preparing Environmental Impact Assessment Reports (EIAR)), GIS mapping and analysis, and project management. I specialise in preparing LVIAs, feasibility studies and design inputs for large-scale renewable energy projects, including wind and solar farms, and various other projects, such as habitat restoration and housing schemes. My day-to-day includes site work: visiting scenic areas to capture imagery and visiting potential sites to assess any impacts likely to occur, mapping through GIS, and compiling reports on the impact assessments I conduct.
How would you describe the culture at MKO?
In my opinion, the culture is the best part of MKO! The culture is fantastic, and everyone is very friendly and helpful. In the office, you feel supported and part of a team, and there’s focus placed on the skills you want to develop, while outside the office, there are loads of social events and lots of fun.
What do you enjoy most about your role at MKO?
The people I work with!
What do you think future graduates would want to know about MKO?
What was important to me when finding a job as a graduate was working somewhere with a vast array of expertise and knowledge in various areas so that I could benefit from this, learn new skills and develop my career flexibly. At MKO, you learn a lot, and the company has been outstanding in providing me with the opportunity to grow my career in this way.
What advice would you give potential applicants to the graduate programme?
Be open-minded to the range of potential roles and career paths available. If you’re willing to work on different types of projects and in various roles, you will learn a lot, and there are a wide variety of ways you can progress your career.
