Biodiversity Officer G4 - 8527

We look forward to welcoming an experienced ecologist, specialising in UK conservation and river ecology into our team at Sentinel House.
Biodiversity Officers screen applications we receive, for hydropower, planning permission, land drainage consents, flood alleviation schemes, routine maintenance works, flood risk schemes, water resources abstraction. We then provide advice on legal duties, identify risk and promote opportunities to protect and restore protected habitats, species and designated sites, while also ensuring no deterioration in ecological status, hydro-morphology and favourable status of Sites of Specials Scientific Interest under the Water Framework Directive.

We support the Environment Agency response to major incidents, particularly mitigating impact, gathering evidence and supporting enforcement action where protected species, habitats or sites are at risk or where environmental damage of hydro-morphological harm has occurred.
We assess the environment, make evidence-based management decisions and influence stakeholders as we discharge our statutory duties under key environmental legislation and the Water Framework Directive. Communication, building and sustaining relationships, influencing and direct project management skills are important qualities in the role.

We engage with partners and customers to promote sustainable catchment management using an ecosystems services approach and lead on biosecurity, particularly in the water environment.

You'll join an experienced team of ecologists who integrate fisheries, biodiversity and geomorphology expertise, based out of our office near Lichfield.

Our focus is supporting, regulating and influencing internal and partners to protect and restore water bodies, designated sites, fish populations, river processes and protected species while delivering our Water Framework Directive priorities and ensuring compliance with environmental legislation.
Our supportive team strong support personal development and we embrace diversity.
Closing; 2nd September at 23:55

The successful candidate will have a solid working knowledge in UK river corridor ecology and conservation.
You will need to be an effective team worker, communicator, influencer and collaborator. You will communicate legal duties, scientific evidence environmental risks and opportunities clearly and concisely. You will have a track record building relationships and achieving buy-in from unwilling stakeholders.

You plan and manage your time and team tasks efficiently and are comfortable adapting to changing priorities.
You will have detailed knowledge and practical expertise in conservation and UK river corridor ecology, the species and habitats we protect and the legal duties we discharge or regulate. You will understand how our activities and those of our customers interact with the environment, the potential constraints and have a good focus on supporting our customers to undertake their activities sustainably, mitigate detrimental impact and promote restoration of water bodies and river corridors.

Phil Wormald Fisheries, Biodiversity and Geomorphology Team Leader
Staffordshire Warwickshire and West Midlands
philip.wormald@environment-agency.gov.uk
Sentinel House, 9 Wellington Crescent,
Fradley Park, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 8RR
The health, safety and well-being of our staff is of the highest importance. The duties of this role include; driving, work in or near water, lone working and traversing uneven ground on river banks and flood risk management assets. There are genuine occupational requirements of mobility in the countryside and on river banks, to be a competent swimmer and hold a full driving licence valid in the UK.
Staff at the Environment Agency are expected to undertake a secondary role to support our Incident Management.
The Environment Agency is proud to be a Top 100 Stonewall Employer.

How have you applied your technical knowledge and practical experience of UK river corridor conservation and ecology and understanding of business, to protect our native biodiversity?

What experience and techniques have you used to influence others and persuade them to support approaches which achieve your objectives? How did you address conflicting objectives and barriers to progress to achieve buy-in from reluctant stakeholders?

What experience and techniques have you used to influence others and persuade them to support approaches which achieve your objectives? How did you address conflicting objectives and barriers to progress to achieve buy-in from reluctant stakeholders?

Our teams support each other particularly during an environmental incident.
Describe a time when you have achieved a result where you could not have delivered success alone.

Driving license.