Number of jobs available: 1
Region: National
City/Town: Various
Building/Site: Various
Grade: Staff Grade 6
Post Type: Fixed Term
Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time, Part Time/Job Share, Compressed Hours
Role Type: Engineering, Science
Salary Minimum: £50,409 Pro-rata
Job description
We are the Environment Agency. Reducing the impacts of a changing climate on people and wildlife is at the heart of everything we do. To help us achieve this, we have committed to bringing the latest science and best practice into flood hydrology at the Environment Agency via our 6-year, £7million Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme (FHIP). This role is for a senior specialist in hydrology to help deliver FHIP and shape the future of operational flood hydrology.
This is an opportunity for you to be involved in changing the way we do flood hydrology. You will use your specialist hydrological knowledge to support the delivery of FHIP projects, which include the creation of a framework for benchmarking hydrological models and scoping the next generation of models used by the EA in operational flood hydrology to enable us to better understand environmental change, uncertainty, and integration of flood sources.
Responsibilities include:
- Developing project scopes for strategically important projects and advising on project direction;
- Working in collaboration with others from across the hydrological community to maximise benefits from any improvements;
- Ensuring commissioned work is appropriate, proportionate and of a sufficient quality;
- Supporting improvements to flood hydrology approaches;
- Providing hydrological expertise and leadership both within the EA and externally.
You will constructively challenge the status quo to influence peers and management within the EA.
You will be committed to diversity in hydrology and have a passion for developing the next generation of hydrologists.
As a senior technical specialist, you will represent the EA externally. You will keep up with developments in hydrological science and communicate these internally.
The team
The Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme team is a thriving team of hydrologists, project and programme managers dedicated to the delivery of a strategic programme of initiatives to bring the latest science and best practice into flood hydrology within the Environment Agency. We are a dispersed team and form part of Evidence and Risk (E&R), a national team of 160 that provides expert analysis and advice to manage flood risk and improve resilience across England.
Experience/skills required
Essential:
- thorough understanding and application of building, calibrating and using hydrological models for extreme flood estimation;
- thorough knowledge of hydrological processes, how models simulate them and model limitations;
- ability to foster partnership working between diverse groups and create change;
- experience working with hydrometric data and an understanding of data limitations;
- able to build relationships and communicate hydrological concepts to non-technical audiences;
- commitment to technical quality;
- qualifications relevant to hydrology at an advanced level (MSc, PhD);
- understanding of extreme value analysis;
- good mathematical ability with capability to appraise novel hydrological methods.
Desirable:
- passion for self-development and coaching others.
Please ensure your post history is clear about when you have held hydrology roles, what type of problems you worked on, and methods used.
Contact and additional information
If you have any questions, please contact Anita Asadullah: anita.asadullah@environment-agency.gov.uk, 07780 057266
We offer a fantastic benefits package including flexible working, 27 days annual leave, and an award-winning Pension Fund.
Applications from those wanting full, shared or part-time working arrangements are welcome. Some travel will be required, but as a dispersed team you will mostly work from home or from one of our offices across England.
We value a diverse workforce and welcome applications from all sections of the community who wish to join an organisation which values everyone.
This is a temporary fixed-term role for 2 years; we are open to secondments but you will need to obtain permission from your employer before applying.
Interviews will be undertaken remotely on 5, 6 February 2024.
Job description attachment 1
Job Profile – 28349.docx – 56KB
Converted File Job Profile – 28349.docx.pdf – 66KB
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack – 28349.docx – 2038KB
Converted File Candidate Pack – 28349.docx.pdf – 548KB
Closing Date: 21/01/2024, 23:55 hours
Level of security checks required: Basic Check
Length of contract: Up to 2 years
Competence 1: Scientific Knowledge
Description
PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept CV’s. Answers to these competency questions will be used for interview selection so please draw out your skills and experience in your response. Using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) can help when formulating your answers.
As part of this job, you will be required to review and appraise novel or non-standard methods in flood hydrology. We’re interested in finding out about your ability to do that. Please tell us about how you have used your scientific understanding of flood hydrology to produce sound, science-based evidence to date.
Competence 2: Embraces Change
Description
As part of the Flood Hydrology Improvements Programme you will need to deliver change within operational flood hydrology. Please tell us about a time you identified an improvement and sought to make a change. How did you go about it and what were the challenges?
Competence 3: Numerical Modelling and Forecasting
Description
Please tell us how you have used or developed models for practical use to forecast flood risk, whether long-term patterns or immediate flood forecasts. What were the main benefits and limitations of basing decisions on model outputs?
Competence 4: Engages others
Description
This role will require working with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Tell us about a time when you have undertaken effective engagement with stakeholders and how you approached it. What was the outcome?
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.
