Groundwater and Contaminated Land Technical Specialist - 19656

1
South East
West Malling
Orchard House
Staff Grade 5
Fixed Term
Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Part Time Term Time, Compressed Hours
Operational Delivery
£36,389 Pro-rata
Groundwater supplies the majority of drinking water in Kent and South London, is vital for springs, rivers and wetlands across the area and is essential for industry and agriculture. We need an experienced person to play a principal role in protecting our vulnerable groundwater resource. You’ll become a senior member in a busy team delivering specialist technical advice, regulation and guidance on hydrogeological and land contamination matters.

Work will include commenting on planning consultations and provision of advice and regulation on remediation at contaminated sites across the South East, where development is fast paced and often high profile. Additionally, your expert knowledge will enable environmental permitting across a wide range of areas including water and sewage discharges, landfills and waste sites. Your role will protect and improve groundwater quality by designing and implementing strategies for our most sensitive groundwater areas. We work closely with the public, business, agriculture, water companies and industry to achieve this. You will support the staff that lead on water company work such as drought plans, and groundwater investigations and improvement schemes.

The team assist the Environment Agency’s response to pollution and flooding incidents, and you will have opportunities to train in an incident role.
The Groundwater and Contaminated Land Team regulate and protect the heavily utilised groundwater resource in the Kent and South London, whilst also implementing strategies to improve groundwater quality.

You'll join a team specialising in land contamination, landfill engineering, groundwater protection, and hydrogeology. Our technical advice is indispensable to other Environment Agency teams and external partners such as water companies and Local Authorities when making decisions regarding building and infrastructure developments, incident management, and permitting.
• You must be qualified to degree level in a relevant discipline such as geology/hydrogeology/geochemistry or land quality.
• Extensive relevant experience and/or a post graduate qualification is essential.
• You'll be an excellent communicator with well-developed time management/data management/ interpersonal skills, who can present convincing verbal/written arguments to a wide range of audiences, with the ability to turn technical detail into a compelling case.
• You’ll be able to produce and effectively interpret data to develop evidence and solve complex technical issues.
• You should be able to work well as part of a team and across different departments, but also work independently with responsibility for a patch and key work portfolios within Kent and South London.
• You’ll have good computer skills with the ability to use GIS/MS Office/Outlook/MS Teams.
• We will support you to work towards Chartered status.
• Full UK Driving Licence required.
The team is based in our area office Orchard House, Addington (near West Malling Kent) although flexible office/home working patterns are acceptable. We are currently predominately working from home, with a gradual return to the office.

Training on Environment Agency systems will be included as part of the role, and IT equipment provided.

We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce reflecting the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including part-time working, job shares, compressed hours and term time working contracts, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

Interviews will be held mid/end November 2021.

For further details please contact Emma Duckett at emma.duckett@environment-agency.gov.uk or Priya Sharma at Priya.sharma@environment-agency.gov.uk

07/11/2021, 23:55 hours

Basic Check
Up to 1 year
Scientific Knowledge
What do you think the main issues are in managing groundwater quality and land contamination in the South-East?

Your example needs to demonstrate the competency set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):

Applies scientific knowledge (various disciplines, depending on team role) to provide sound, science-based evidence to our internal and external customers.
Influences and Persuades Others
Tell us about a time when you have successfully affected, shaped or transformed the opinions of others, which led to a subsequent change in their behaviours and actions. How did you structure your engagement? What was the outcome?

Your example needs to demonstrate the competency set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):

Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.
Achieves Results
Please give us an example of when you have successfully engaged and worked with others to successfully deliver a piece of work in the face of considerable challenges or obstacles. How did you take responsibility to deliver expected outcomes on time?

Your example needs to demonstrate the competency set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):

Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results
Health Safety & Wellbeing
Please provide an example of where you have considered and managed Health and safety risks of your own and others in a potentially challenging situation.

Your example needs to demonstrate the competency set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):

Making sure your own behaviour reduces risks to the health and safety of yourself and others.
Full UK Driving License
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.

This Vacancy is closed to applications.