Graduate Air Quality Consultant - January 2026 start Manchester, United Kingdom

Buro Happold group.; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental consulting firm in Manchester is seeking a Graduate Air Quality Consultant to join their team starting in January 2026. The ideal candidate will contribute to air quality assessments and mitigation strategies, ensuring compliance with regulations. Key qualifications include a degree in Environmental Science or related field and understanding air pollution science. The role offers an excellent opportunity to collaborate with diverse teams and engage in impactful projects in a hybrid working environment.

Benefits

Graduate learning and chartership support

Flexible working hours

Inclusive work environment

Qualifications

• Graduated in a relevant discipline such as Environmental Science, Chemistry, or Geography.
• Excellent understanding of air quality and pollution control.
• Familiarity with GIS software and analysis.

Responsibilities

• Provide air quality input for projects during feasibility and design stages.
• Ensure compliance with international air quality standards.
• Conduct technical modeling and data analysis.

Skills

Understanding of air pollution science

GIS expertise (QGIS/ArcGIS)

Strong communication skills

Ability to meet deadlines

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science or related field

Tools

Bespoke air quality software

Job description

The following content displays a map of the jobs location - Manchester

Graduate Air Quality Consultant - January 2026 start

Job Reference burohappold/TP/655/1741

Number of Positions:

1

Contract Type:

Permanent

Competitive

Working Hours:

37.5

Location:

Manchester

Closing Date:

04/01/2026

Job Category:

Early Careers

Business Unit:

UK+

Graduate Air Quality Consultant - January 2026 start

We are looking for a Graduate to join our Air Quality team in our Manchester office. With a world class reputation, our creativity and our people have delivered positive change to clients, the environment, and communities alike. If you want to be part of something bigger, this is your chance.

This role is within Buro Happold’s Air Quality team, which is part of Buro Happold’s Environmental Consulting Discipline.

Buro Happold is currently looking to recruit a Graduate Air Quality Consultant to join the air quality team based in the Manchester office. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with good professional and/or academic experience to join a growing air quality team.

As a Graduate Air Quality Consultant, you will work closely with stakeholders, both internal and external, to ensure air quality is a primary consideration throughout development design, providing design advice and undertaking robust impact assessments;

• Ensure the impact of projects on air quality are minimised by influencing project design through specialist consulting advice. Using bespoke assessment technique to inform design recommendations and identity mitigation solutions
• Typical deliverables include; Concept and detailed masterplan reports, air quality assessments (typically a planning requirement for major applications), dispersion modelling, site suitability assessments, indoor air quality assessments, on site monitoring and regular monitoring reports, odour assessments and air quality positive statements
• There is opportunity to network within the company, and externally, to increase the exposure and awareness of the air quality team, improve the wider companies understanding of the importance of air quality and build connections with key disciplines

What will I do?

• Provide specialist air quality input to projects at the feasibility, masterplan design, planning and post-planning stages;
• Review and interpret the latest international air quality policies and industry updates to ensure compliance and support informed decision-making globally;
• Working closely with key stakeholders, both internal and external, to ensure project are designed in an Air Quality Positive manner and are suitable for the proposed use;
• Technical environmental modelling using bespoke air quality software;
• Communicate and liaise effectively with colleagues, project design teams, clients and local authorities;
• Analysis of modelled and monitored air quality data, as well as road traffic data and energy system information to assess air quality impact of high-profile projects;
• Thinking creatively and logically in order to deliver projects successfully, providing the maximum value to clients whilst ensuring that the health of people and ecological sites is safeguarded;
• Technical report writing for contribution to environmental impact assessments and standalone reports;
• Composing air quality plans and strategies including indoor air quality plans and low emission strategies for developments;
• Compiling geographic data, analysing mapped information, and utilising site data in a range of GIS applications;
• Plan, manage and carry out on-site air quality monitoring.

We would like to hear from you ifyou have graduated in any of the below degrees:

• Academic experience to bachelors’ level or equivalent in a relevant discipline such as Environmental Science, Environmental Technology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography, Meteorology etc and/or relevant work experience;

Key requirements:

• Excellent understanding of the science of air pollution, including its key sources, measures for reducing it and likely future trends;
• Experience and understanding of GIS (notably QGIS and/or ArcGIS);
• Ability to work to tight deadlines and adapt to changing needs of multiple projects;
• Excellent written and spoken communication skills;
• Passionate about environmental issues and a sense of responsibility for solving air quality issues;
• Interesting in international urban regeneration, town and urban planning, development;
• Positive attitude and an ability to collaborate effectively in a team.

Graduates at Buro Happold

When you join Buro Happold you are embedded into an exciting network of engineers and consultants, that supports your career development. We have a Graduate Connect learning programme that targets specific learning and supports your journey to chartership as well as our Young Employee's Forum that links all our young talent in terms of knowledge sharing, learning and very importantly socialising.

We place great importance on a having a safe and inclusive environment and will seek to make any arrangements that may be required to enable all who work with us to thrive. We have flexible working hours and hybrid working, and welcome applications from all backgrounds and walks of life. If you have any questions about how this could apply to your specific circumstances, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.

Check out what our YEF Global team thought of their 2024 Global Meet

Please note that we are unable to offer visa sponsorship now or in the future for this graduate role, so candidates must have right to work in the UK upon application. We encourage you to explore early careers opportunities in our other regions where you may already hold full work rights, such as the EU, India, UAE, KSA, and others. If no suitable roles are currently open, we recommend creating an account on our careers page and setting up a job alert to stay informed as new opportunities become available.

We typically complete shortlisting after the role has closed. Therefore, you can expect to hear from us with 2-4 weeks of the job closing on our website. Should you wish to contact us to find out more information or to get an update, please contact [e-mail]

Please note that this role is for an immediate start, we anticipate the successful candidate starting with the team in late January/early February 2026.

Please ensure that you have already completed your academic studies and are able to work out of the Manchester office in-person if you apply for this position. We work on a hybrid basis, but you must be close enough to attend the office 2-days per week, perhaps a bit more frequently in the first 6-month period.

All of our Autumn 2026 start roles are currently live for applications, so if you’re still studying, please check these roles out on our careers site.

A place for everyone

Buro Happold values an individual's flexible approaches to working patterns as an important part of how you work and achieve balance. We welcome applications from those who are seeking flexibility in their careers.

Our exceptional portfolio of projects is the result of the diversity of thought, identities, backgrounds, and experiences that shape us. Appreciating each other’s differences is key, we want employees to feel they don’t have to mask elements of their identity to thrive.

We are working to change the lack of representation of marginalised groups in the built environment. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who feels they are underrepresented in the industry. We have much to learn from one another.Embracing differences allows us to develop the most innovative and elegant solutions.

Please let us know if there are any adjustments we could make to the application process to make it easier and more comfortable for you. Contact [e-mail] so we can work with you to support you throughout your application.