Ewan Watt
Musselburgh,East Lothian
Summary
A dynamic professional with a proven track record in geospatial data management, this versatile individual excels in overseeing diverse teams, managing multi-million-pound budgets, and executing successful international UAV survey and inspection projects for major energy companies. Proficient in GIS, remote sensing, UAV technologies, and data analysis, they bring extensive experience in environmental data collection, quality control, and innovative data visualization. Their role as the National Forest Inventory Schedule Manager showcased exceptional skills in managing schedules, field contractors, and internal departments, ensuring efficient data collection and processing. With a strong commitment to environmental conservation, regulatory compliance, and safety, they possess a unique skill set poised to drive innovative solutions in geospatial software, data collection, and environmental management roles.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work history
National Forest Inventory Schedule Manager
Forest Research
Edinburgh
2022.03 - Current
- Responsible for managing the national forest inventory for Scotland, England & Wales.
- Oversaw schedules of over 20 different field contractors and sub contractors as well as managing internal departments of over 10 staff involved with data collection, QA and data analysis for the national forest inventory.
- Responsible for data collection, quality and also data processing of environmental/ forestry related data.
- Managed multi million pound budgets and associated expenses involved with the NFI such as equipment, software and resource
- Managed staffing schedules for high numbers of employees, delivering operational efficiency whilst remaining under budget.
- Built, reviewed and maintained data models to meet business requirements.
- Created bespoke reports according to requests, presenting clear, informative data insights.
Geospatial Data Officer
Forest Research
Edinburgh
2021.11 - 2022.06
- Developed suits of high level data visualisation dashboards to present and track the UK's National Forest Inventory progress on a weekly basis.
- Responsible supporting the NFI field work schedule and production and maintenance of the UK woodland map
- Responsible for providing up to date spatial ownership data for the process of contacting land owners to access their land to carry out NFI fieldwork and maintaining spatial ownership layers to allow efficient interrogation of data.
- Responsible for data collection for the NFI and responsible for data quality checks as well as developing data collection methodologies.
- Responsible for developing new data collection techniques using the latest technology available.
- Responsible for efficient data management using GIS data analysis to query the NFI data for other departments within the Civil Service.
- Extracted data from Arc and accurately identified key trends and characteristics, using Python and SQL languages.
- Ensured data integrity, verifying all data was up to date, audited and fit for purpose.
UAV Pilot
Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle PilotCyberhawk Innovations
Edinburgh
2016.01 - 2022.01
- Led international UAV survey & Inspection projects, collaborating with global energy companies like Exxon, BP, SSE, Ventient, and many others, ensuring successful completion of high-profile assignments across diverse global locations and industries.
- Conducted thorough risk assessments for each project, identifying potential hazards and implementing pre-emptive measures to mitigate risks, ensuring the safety of team members, equipment, and surrounding environments.
- Demonstrated expertise in navigating complex regulatory landscapes by staying up-to-date with CAA aviation regulations and ensuring compliance with NOTAMS, guaranteeing adherence to UK Aviation Law throughout all missions.
- Spearheaded mission planning efforts, coordinating with cross-functional teams to develop efficient flight plans tailored to challenging environments, optimizing data collection for clients and ensuring delivery of high-quality results.
- Utilized cutting-edge UAV technology and equipment to capture precise and detailed data, contributing to development of comprehensive survey reports for clients, enhancing decision-making processes for major energy projects.
- Managed access negotiations with landowners, securing necessary permissions for UAV operations, and maintaining positive relationships to facilitate future collaborations.
- Achieved over 200 successful UAV survey and inspection field jobs, accumulating 400+ flight hours as both pilot and payload operator.
- Conducted pre-flight comprehensive checklists, demonstrating meticulous attention to detail and minimizing potential safety issues, upholding high standards of operational safety.
- Exhibited strong organizational skills and mental focus in physically and mentally demanding roles, ensuring seamless coordination of tasks and efficient execution of missions.
Land Surveyor/ Geospatial Data Engineer
Cyberhawk Innovations
Edinburgh
2015.02 - 2022.01
- Led a dynamic two-man team in the field, specializing in survey fieldwork using state-of-the-art Trimble hardware and processing UAV data to generate high-quality deliverables.
- Utilized GPS equipment to establish precise ground control points, ensuring accuracy in data collection for various projects within the energy sector.
- Produced a diverse range of deliverables for major engineering organizations, including BP, SSE, and others, through the application of geospatial techniques. Deliverables encompassed high-resolution UAV outputs such as 3D models, digital elevation models (DEMs), orthomosaics, 3D point clouds, rendered models, LIDAR data, 4K video, panorama's, virtual tours and other digital outputs.
- Managed end-to-end responsibilities for data quality, from data collection in the field to post-mission data processing, ensuring accuracy and reliability of all deliverables.
- Collaborated closely with clients, including participating in pre-mission consultations and post-mission reviews, to understand their specific requirements and ensure the successful fulfillment of project objectives.
- Played a crucial role in defining tendered projects and outputs in collaboration with sales teams, contributing valuable insights to proposal development and project planning.
- Took an active role in training and mentoring junior graduates within the company, sharing expertise in surveying techniques, data processing, and project management, contributing to professional development of team members.
Environmental Manager
Cyberhawk Innovations
Edinburgh
2016.12 - 2021.12
- Responsible for achieving/maintaining Cyberhawk's ISO14001 certification through implementing efficient environmental management systems.
- Responsible for training staff in environmental awareness and making sure environmental KPI's where reported on target
- Responsible for providing specialist environmental expertise on a variety of different engineering projects across the global energy sector.
- Oversaw maintenance of organisation's facilities to guarantee compliance with industry regulations.
- Managed inventory of resources necessary for service provision.
- Increased brand recognition within niche using evidence-based marketing practices.
- Developed and updated internal guidelines.
Education
BSc - Environmental Science & Sustainable Management
University of Edinburgh
Edinburgh 2011 - 2014
Skills
- GIS (Geographic Information Systems)
- Geospatial Software
- Remote Sensing
- GPS
- Land Surveying & Mapping
- UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle)
- UAV Flight Planning Regulations
- Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles
- Operational Management
- Health & Safety/Risk Assessments
- Data Analysis
- Data Management
- Data Visualization
- 3D Modelling / photogrammetry
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Video & image Editing
- Python
- Conservation
- Environmental Management
- Environmental Impact Assessment
- Internal/External Audits (ISO)
- Forestry Management
- Business Development
- Project Management
- Contract Management
- Budget/Financial Management
- Strategic Planning
- Team Leadership
Timeline
National Forest Inventory Schedule Manager
Forest Research
2022.03 - Current
Geospatial Data Officer
Forest Research
2021.11 - 2022.06
Environmental Manager
Cyberhawk Innovations
2016.12 - 2021.12
UAV Pilot
Unmanned Aircraft Vehicle PilotCyberhawk Innovations
2016.01 - 2022.01
Land Surveyor/ Geospatial Data Engineer
Cyberhawk Innovations
2015.02 - 2022.01
BSc - Environmental Science & Sustainable Management
University of Edinburgh
2011 - 2014