Sustainability Specialist

Overview and Key Facts

What Do They Do?

A sustainability specialist could...

Overview Listen to this section

Are you passionate about the environment? Do you like developing and implementing new ideas? Do you enjoy talking with people about how humans impact nature? If these things are true about you, then you may be the ideal candidate for a job as a sustainability specialist. Sustainability specialists work in large and small corporations and universities to design and execute energy and resource conservation programs that reduce their employers' impact on the environment. This is a great career for people who enjoy working on teams, are socially responsible, and like to get things done!

Do You Have the Skills and Characteristics of a Sustainability Specialist?

1. Writing: ? Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
2. Speaking: ? Talking to others to convey information effectively.
3. Reading Comprehension: ? Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
4. Active Listening: ? Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
5. Critical Thinking: ? Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

6. Judgment and Decision Making: ? Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
7. Complex Problem Solving: ? Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
8. Monitoring: ? Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
9. Coordination: ? Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
10. Systems Evaluation: ? Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.

Core Tasks

Think about if you'd like the typical tasks a Sustainability Specialist might do:

• Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
• Monitor or track sustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage, waste generation, and recycling.
• Assess or propose sustainability initiatives, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
• Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
• Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
• Create or maintain plans or other documents related to sustainability projects.
• Develop reports or presentations to communicate the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.
• Collect information about waste stream management or green building practices to inform decision makers.
• Research or review regulatory, technical, or market issues related to sustainability.
• Identify or investigate violations of natural resources, waste management, recycling, or other environmental policies.
• Identify or create new sustainability indicators.
• Create marketing or outreach media, such as brochures or Web sites, to communicate sustainability issues, procedures, or objectives.
• Identify or procure needed resources to implement sustainability programs or projects.
• Write grant applications, rebate applications, or project proposals to secure funding for sustainability projects.