Public health careers

Job opportunities in public health are varied. You could be working as a smoking cessation advisor in the NHS or a director of public health in our local authority.

Many healthcare professionals start their careers in healthcare and then specialise in public health later in their career. For example, nurses and midwives can train to become health visitors school and nurses.

Public health | Health Careers

Roles in public health

Director of public health

Directors of public health hold some of the most pivotal strategic and leadership positions.

Director of public health | Health Careers

Environmental health professional

Environmental health professionals are at the forefront of public health, as every aspect of environmental health is designed to improve the public’s health and wellbeing. 

Environmental health professional | Health Careers

Health trainer

Health trainers offer practical support to their clients to change their behaviour and achieve their own health goals.

Health trainer | Health Careers

Health visitor

Health visitors are specialist community public health nurses, (SCPHN) registered midwives or nurses.

Health visitor | Health Careers

Occupational health nurse

Occupational health nurses advise working people and organisations of the impact of work on health and wellbeing.  

Occupational health nurse | Health Careers

Public health academic

Public health academics influence and guide policy-makers in tackling public health challenges, professional practice and research.

Public health academic | Health Careers

Public health consultants and specialists

Public health specialists and consultants help people and communities maximise their potential for a healthy, happy and productive life, so they can live healthier for longer. 

Public health consultants and specialists | Health Careers

Public health knowledge and intelligence professional

Public health knowledge and intelligence professionals help to provide information that's essential both for identifying issues that have a negative effect on people’s health, and for planning to deal with those issues.

Public health knowledge and intelligence professional | Health Careers

Public health manager

Public health managers make a vital contribution to supporting the health of the public.

Public health manager | Health Careers

Public health nurse

Public health nurses are qualified and registered nurses or midwives who have then chosen to gain experience or undertake training to specialise in areas such as health protection or sexual health. 

Public health nurse | Health Careers

Public health practitioner

Public health practitioners can have a huge influence on the health and wellbeing of individuals, groups, communities and populations. 

Public health practitioner | Health Careers

School nurse

School nurses are specialist community public health nurses (SCPHN) who work with school-aged children and young people and their families to improve health and wellbeing outcomes and reduce inequalities and vulnerabilities.

School nurse | Health Careers