Meet Ethan Mulholland. Ten months ago, he landed his first job out of uni, and it’s probably not what you’d expect for an environmental science grad. As a Graduate Environmental Advisor at Mawsons, Ethan spends his days flying drones and mapping land disturbance across quarry sites in Victoria and New South Wales.
If you picture environmental careers, you might think of charities, national parks, or government departments. Quarries? Probably not. But Ethan’s experience might just change your mind.
What the Job Involves
Ethan studied Environmental Science and Management at the University of Newcastle. When a graduate role opened up back home, he jumped at the chance. Now, ten months in, here’s what his week actually looks like:
- Environmental inspections
- Drone surveying
- Land disturbance mapping
- On-site work directly with operations teams
It’s a mix of field work and technical tasks, spread across different sites. Definitely not a typical desk job.
The Environmental Side Isn’t an Afterthought
One of Ethan’s biggest surprises? Realising that the teams running these sites genuinely care about the environment, it’s not just a box to tick.
“The quarry staff are actually supportive and proactive when it comes to environmental management. They don’t just want to do the bare minimum in terms of compliance; they want to do the right thing and are open to suggestions and improvements.”
Instead of seeing compliance as an afterthought, Ethan describes a real partnership: site teams and environmental advisors working side by side to solve problems. It’s a side of the industry that doesn’t get talked about enough.
Support to Succeed
What keeps Ethan excited at work? Two things: real chances to grow, and colleagues who are happy to share what they know.
“The support that Mawsons provides for professional development… training courses and keep developing my skills, which I find really valuable early on in my career.”
Having that kind of support early on makes all the difference, setting you up to learn and grow every step of the way.
Getting In
If any of this sounds like your kind of thing, Ethan’s advice is:
- Study environmental science if that’s the direction you’re leaning.
- Look beyond the obvious environmental employers. Heavy industry hires for this too, not just charities and government agencies.
- Once you’re in, stay curious. Most of the real learning happens on site, not in a lecture hall.
- Put yourself forward for experience wherever you can get it.
Where This Could Take You
Environmental science careers don’t only exist in conservation charities or government departments. Sometimes they’re on a quarry site, drone controller in hand, ten months into someone’s first job out of uni.
So if you’re wondering where an environmental science degree might lead, don’t count out employers that don’t have “environment” in their name. The jobs and the impact are real. And as Ethan’s story shows, you’ll find genuine support and a chance to make a difference in places you might never have expected. Heavy industry needs people who care, and they’re ready to help you grow.
Explore career opportunities at Mawsons and find out what your own journey could look like.
