Maxine - Geo-Environmental Engineer

Who are you, and what is your job title and organisation?

My name is Maxine Pwele. I am a Geo-Environmental Engineer in the Technology Team at VHE Construction plc.  VHE’s head office is in Sheffield and we work on projects nationwide (England, Scotland, Wales).

VHE Construction plc, part of the Renew Holdings group, is a brownfield remediation contractor with extensive experience in contaminated land remediation, earthworks and infrastructure works. VHE Technology specialises in chemical, geotechnical, environmental and waste, providing key technical advice and solutions for prospective and live jobs.

What does your job involve?

As a Geo-Environmental Engineer, I am involved in every project stage: tender bid, live project, post-works monitoring and/or reporting and research and development. My onsite responsibilities during my placement year were environmental monitoring, chemical and geotechnical sampling and overseeing onsite testing. Since graduating, alongside my previous roles, I now lead site investigations, manage and oversee technical operations on several live projects and am involved in tender work.

How did you find your role, and why did you decide to apply?

I first did this role as a placement student between my second and final undergraduate year. I applied for the placement as I always enjoyed working outside and so was focussed on site-based roles. Despite national lockdown, I worked on 15 different earthworks and gasworks remediation jobs, spanning the country from Glasgow to Essex.

I returned as a graduate as this is a great career where I use my knowledge and skills from university on a daily basis in new and challenging ways.

How does your role enable you to have a positive impact on the world by supporting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals?

SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Brownfield sites are most commonly found in urban, developed areas which are hubs for industrial activities. Furthermore, urban areas are in high demand for developers.

SDG12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The primary aim of our work is to remediate soils so they can be reused on their original site, promoting a circular waste economy. We assess soils to minimise the volume of material that ends up in landfill, prioritising sustainable waste options like treatment or recycling.

What do you enjoy about your role?

The job is highly varied, includes travel and there are so many opportunities for personal and professional development. In all my time at VHE I am yet to work on a project that has been the same in terms of the nature of the contamination, the remediation technique or the regulations we are working to.

I also enjoy that I use my Geography and Geology studies in my work. It's gratifying to use my skills and continually develop them.

This is a role where I feel I can make a real difference in the current environment by promoting and enabling the development of brownfield land, thus protecting the UK’s ever-shrinking greenfield land.

What’s the most challenging part of your role?

The most challenging part of the role is that every project is different. However this is what I enjoy and it keeps me motivated at work.

The site hours and travel can be long. I know this has made me a more diligent and dedicated individual and site work is where you learn the most.

What skills/experience are useful in your current role?

The key skills for this role are:

• Data handling and management; particularly large data sets
• Good time management
• Problem-solving/showing initiative
• Strong oral and written communication
• Personable
• Resilient

An ideal candidate for this role is:

• Interested in Sustainability
• Adaptable
• Ambitious, proactive
• Curious, keen to learn
• Enjoys being challenged

Fieldwork/onsite experience is good as site work is a large proportion of the role. Construction experience can be useful but is not essential. A scientific mindset and analytical approach are also important.

What advice would you give to students who are considering a positive impact career?

Go for it! Your passion and drive is what makes you the right person for the job. There are roles which may not have “Sustainability” in the title but they can be just as influential, if not more so, in making real-life, positive environmental change.