Meg Watters

Radiological Science Advisor for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

Meg works in emergency preparedness and response, helping to understand the UK’s ability to recover following a Chemical, Biological, Radiological or Nuclear (CBRN) incident. Her role role identifies where investment in science and technology can strengthen national readiness, as recovery planning can affect how quickly communities return to normal life.

At a glance

  • Emergency preparedness and response
  • Supports UK CBRN recovery planning
  • Government, academic and industry collaboration
An illustration of Meg's career path showing the steps she took that led to her current career: From A Levels and a BSC to a PhD, leading to her position as a Radiological Science Advisor.

A typical day looks like ...

Every day is about connecting expertise to improve how the UK prepares for and responds to CBRN incidents.

A typical day involves working with people across government organisations, academia and industry to explore the latest developments in science and technology and understand how they can support UK CBRN recovery efforts.

Meg also works with policy colleagues to help ensure government systems are ready to support recovery in the case of a CBRN event.

My favourite thing about my role is ...

Meg using a pipette in a lab

One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is working with a broad range of people from academia, government and industry, all bringing different expertise to solve complex challenges.

I also get to see cool science and technologies, like robots, from national and international institutions. I particularly enjoy working in the civil service because I think it’s important to work in a role with a positive societal impact.

Get your foot in the door, take opportunities as they come, and let your career grow from there.

My advice to students interested in a future in the nuclear sector...

Don’t worry too much about the specific role you want to end up in. The nuclear sector offers many different opportunities and careers can take a range of paths.

I have met people who have worked happily in the same role for years, but also people who have jumped around when they find something else interesting. Getting your foot in the door and accepting as many opportunities as possible will lead to an interesting and fruitful career in the sector.