Operational Support Grade 3 Team member - 32495

Operational Support Grade 3 Team member - 32495
1
South West
Exeter
DEFRA GRP EXETER STARCROSS, EX6 8PE
Staff Grade 3
Permanent
Operational Support Grade, Science
Full Time
£29,751

04/01/2026, 23:55 hours

Basic Check
We have an opportunity for a Grade 3 team member in the Operational Support team at Monitoring Laboratories’ (ML) Starcross Site, to deliver a centralised distribution of samples for Defra’s air pollution monitoring network.
ML Starcross acts as the central dispatch hub for the transfer of bottles and equipment between external analysis laboratories and Monitoring Field Teams (MFT). You will be required to support the team in delivering this work.
The post will be a permanent contract, 37 hours per week, Mondays to Fridays.
We really do value a diverse workforce. We want to be an organisation that represents modern Britain and all the communities we serve. We want everybody to feel included, fairly treated and duly recognised for the contribution they make.
The post draws upon a diverse range of skills and you will be expected to deliver a wide-ranging workload to specific timescales. You can expect to be involved in the following:
• Working closely with Customer Services teams, Bottle Dispatch, Sample Registration, laboratory teams, Facilities and Support colleagues to achieve shared outcomes.
• Actively promote health, safety and wellbeing. Ensuring provision of safe working practices in line with Environment Agency guidance
• Work with senior team members to deliver team priorities and environmental objectives. Deliver to clearly specified objectives, standards, and service levels.
• To use standard IT packages efficiently to deliver work and able to learn specialised systems as required.
• Promote inclusion by respecting differences in our workforce and work to build a supportive & engaging workplace.
• To work with other supervisors to provide support and supervision to the Ops Support team members.
• Apply knowledge in troubleshooting issues.
• Understanding colleagues and partners requirements. Interprets and communicates the work of the Environment Agency.
Operational Support provides support to ML Starcross, to enable it to carry out analysis efficiently and effectively and in compliance with Health & Safety and quality standards. The team, of 21 staff, fulfil several functions including bottle dispatch, sample registration, general administration, building management and lab support.
Ideally, you will understand working in a laboratory setting and enjoy work in a busy team environment.
You will be able to demonstrate the following:
• Ability to develop and maintain good relationships with internal and external customers.
• Delivery of work by managing workload and resources.
• Working within a team
• Excellent communication and time-management skills are essential.
• Working to tight deadlines and an ability to prioritise workloads.
• Customer focus
• Attention to detail
• Good organisational and IT skills.
• Problem solving skills are preferable.
• Awareness of laboratory quality control procedures is desirable, but not essential.
The non-hybrid role is based at Starcross Laboratory and occasional travel for meetings and training maybe required.
Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties when the need arises. Responding to incidents is an essential part of working for the Environment Agency.  Full training will be available to support you.
We use a competency-based recruitment process based around your experiences and the STAR (Situation, Target, Action and Result) model for structuring answers. Please search online for more detailed information.
Your answers to the capability questions will be used to determine interview selection.
Interviews are scheduled to take place week beginning 19th January 2026.
For any questions relating to this role, please contact: Sacha Kerry. sacha.kerry@environment-agency.gov.uk
Communicates Effectively
Description
Listens and questions to understand and engage. Conveys information and ideas clearly, accurately and persuasively through speech and writing.

Can you share an instance where your communication skills were key to getting a good result?
Achieves Results
Description
Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.

Give a work-based example of when you have had multiple tasks to manage and how you went about this to achieve the objectives of a team.
Manages Self
Description
Has full awareness of own strengths, weaknesses, impact and approach. Effectively organises self and takes personal responsibility for own role in the Environment Agency.

Describe a time when you have rectified an issue without the input of a supervisor/someone more experienced.
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the  Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

This Vacancy is closed to applications.