Number of jobs available: 1
Region: London, South East
City/Town: Reading
Building/Site: DEFRA GRP EA KINGS MEADOW HOUSE, RG1 8DQ
Grade: Staff Grade 4
Post Type: Permanent
Role Type: Operational Delivery
Working Pattern: Full Time, Part Time
Salary Minimum: £34,320
Closing Date: 12/03/2026, 23:55 hours
Job description attachment 1
ER04 Job Family Role Profile Environment & Regulation, Grade 4
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack – 32844.docx – 2043KB
Converted File Candidate Pack – 32844.docx.pdf – 720KB
Security checks level: Basic Check
Job description
This is an exciting opportunity for a geoscientist with skills in data management, groundwater quality and land contamination management to work in Thames area.
Customers include internal teams, water companies, industry, developers and local authorities.
In this role you will provide quality technical advice on behalf of the team, relating to land and water quality, WINEP (Water Industry Investment Delivery and Planning); WFD, permitting and planning work relating to groundwater quality and land contamination.
You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment and full training. Alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.
The team
The Groundwater and Contaminated Land Team protects groundwater in an area where people and wildlife are heavily reliant on this resource. Our work includes advice to internal and external customers supporting environmental permitting across a range of activities. We respond to planning consultations and give technical and regulatory advice on land contamination. We are currently a mostly dispersed and remote team that connect frequently using Microsoft Teams.
Experience/skills required
We are seeking someone who wants a career in groundwater protection and who is versatile, self-motivated and can quickly contribute to the work of our busy team.
Desirable skills:
Hold an undergraduate degree in a relevant geoscience discipline such as geology, earth sciences or geochemistry
Have knowledge of land and groundwater contamination issues and of how groundwater resources are managed and regulated
Be a great communicator with an ability to present clear, well-reasoned arguments based on your understanding of a range of environmental issues
Have good IT skills and be able to use of a range of computer systems including GIS and MS Office
Have experience of undertaking hydrogeological risk assessments and understand how to apply their outputs
Demonstrate a good knowledge of relevant environmental legislation
Be supported to undertake a role in the Environment Agency’s wider response to pollution and flooding incidents
Contact and additional information
Role location is flexible but occasional travel to the Reading and Wallingford Office will be required. To discuss this role, please contact: Pratiksha.Pandey@environment-agency.gov.uk or Jenny.Thomas@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Your answers to the capability questions will be used to establish interview selection. Using the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action Result) can help when formulating your answers.
Interviews are likely to be scheduled in early-mid April and will be held virtually.
If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.
Competence 1: Achieves Results
Description
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
Question: Please give an example of when you had to re-evaluate your priorities in order to complete an unexpected piece of work.
Competence 2: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description
Description: Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions
Question: Please describe a time when you have used multiple datasets to solve an environmental problem.
Competence 3: Scientific Knowledge
Description
Description: Applies scientific knowledge (various disciplines, depending on team role) to provide sound, science-based evidence to our internal and external customers.
Question: Describe an occasion when you have worked with or developed a conceptualisation that you used to make a scientific, evidence-based decision.
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.
