Fish Farm Technical Officer - 32329

The National Coarse Fish Rearing Unit in Calverton, Nottinghamshire, are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual to join the hard working and high achieving national team.

The role is extremely varied in nature and includes tasks such as aquaculture and induced spawning, fish husbandry including early rearing of fry, water quality monitoring, feeding of livestock, maintenance of equipment, machinery and buildings, driving various vehicles, and operating a wide range of machinery and systems. The role also involves working outdoors in all weather conditions and regular physical tasks.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a high performing and professional team who are dedicated to producing healthy, fit for purpose coarse fish for national stocking requirements, which contribute to the Environment Agency’s vision of creating a better place for people and wildlife.

We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it, and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities, and our environment. As an organisation we strive to reflect the communities we serve and continue to develop diversity throughout our workforce. We welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, or religion.

The team at the National Coarse Fish Rearing Unit, Calverton, work closely with fisheries teams throughout the country and are responsible for supplying quality coarse fish for the stocking needs of the Environment Agency. Annual production reaches approximately 500,000 fish across 9 different species, all of which are stocked throughout England by the Environment Agency as part of our statutory responsibilities. Stocking purposes include post pollution/habitat improvement stockings, creation of new fisheries and angling opportunities.

• Proven knowledge, ability and experience in the following:
• Relevant qualifications in aquaculture and fish/animal husbandry.
• Significant practical experience in aquaculture and fish/animal husbandry.
• Operation of a wide range of machinery including tractors and 4x4 vehicles etc.
• Safe use of hand tools including powered types.
• Construction skills such as pipe work, joinery, laying concrete and general building skills.
• A full UK driving licence.
• Ability to work with standard “office” packages such as Excel, Power point and Word to a basic skill level.
• Working in a year-round outdoor environment.
• Regular weekend and out of hours working.

You will be based at The National Coarse Fish Rearing Unit in Calverton, Nottingham. Please note due to the nature of this role, hybrid home working is not a possibility.

Interviews will be held Mid-January 2026 Face to Face at The National Coarse Fish Rearing Unit in Calverton, Nottingham. NG14 6FZ.

For further details please contact Richard Pitman. Richard.pitman@environment-agency.gov.uk

Everyone that joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties when the need to respond arises, having an incident role is an essential part of working for the Environment Agency and is an active way to support communities and prevent harm to the environment. Further information on incident response can be found within your candidate pack.

Please explain, with an example, how you ensure you deliver high standards of work and a continued drive to meet targets.


Please note your answer will be used for shortlisting purposes. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering this question. Please refer to candidate pack guidance on how to answer these questions.

This role involves working closely within a small team. Can you describe a time where you have worked effectively as part of a team to achieve a shared goal. Why was it successful?


Please note your answer will be used for shortlisting purposes. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering this question. Please refer to candidate pack guidance on how to answer these questions.

This role involves working in outdoor environments where conditions can sometimes be unpredictable or challenging. Can you describe a time when you had to reassess a situation due to changing conditions or unforeseen hazards and complications. What was the hazard identified, what actions did you take, and what was the outcome?

Please note your answer will be used for shortlisting purposes. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering this question. Please refer to candidate pack guidance on how to answer these questions.

When working in aquaculture, swift thinking and the ability to solve problems is essential. Can you describe a situation where you had to solve a problem to maintain operational effectiveness. How did you approach the situation and why was your solution successful?

Please note your answer will be used for shortlisting purposes. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering this question. Please refer to candidate pack guidance on how to answer these questions.

Full UK Driving Licence