Job description
As a Water Advisor, you will become the specialist within the North Sea Canal Area Environment Service. In a sector that is constantly changing, you maintain an overview. You translate new guidelines, studies, and standards into clear, integrated advice that truly makes an impact on our living environment.
This is what you will do as a Water Advisor
As a Water Advisor, you are the substantive specialist on this theme within the North Sea Canal Area Environment Service. The water sector is in constant flux: guidelines change, new studies are constantly appearing, and the RIVM is working on new standards. You maintain an overview, connect all relevant developments, and translate them into comprehensive, carefully substantiated advice.
You play an important role in advising on diverse water-related challenges. You contribute to improving water quality and support colleagues in the water chain regarding indirect discharges and water quality for a healthy living environment. You assist colleagues in considering risks such as subsidence, flooding, and drought. You also address current issues such as water usage by data centers, developments in the Port of Amsterdam, and the broader challenges surrounding climate adaptation. With your expertise, you bring coherence to these complex themes and ensure that choices are well-founded and future-proof.
This is what you are going to do:
- You advise permit issuers and supervisors on projects and companies. To this end, you examine substantive investigations from all angles, focusing particularly on water aspects.
- You assess Avoidance and Reduction Programs (VRPs) and eMJVs for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) of the highest-risk (BRZO) companies, including Schiphol, Tata Steel, and the Port of Amsterdam.
- You maintain contacts with specialized advisors at external stakeholders, such as water specialists at water boards and municipalities.
- You also provide (external) environmental advice during preliminary consultations for projects, permits, and (spatial) policy issues, including in the context of environmental plans.
- Furthermore, together with other advisors, you ensure a continuous knowledge of water within the organization, focusing on a consistent and pragmatic approach in practical implementation.
- You play an active role in the regional (knowledge) network focused on legal and policy developments within the Water theme.
You will work here
In the North Sea Canal area, everything comes together: (heavy) industry, high mobility and complex infrastructure, a challenging housing shortage, and vulnerable nature. As the Environmental Service, we stand for a sustainable, safe, and healthy living environment. We achieve this by strict permitting, rigorous supervision, and enforcement where necessary. We do this for 8 municipalities and 3 provinces. We are a practical organization that proposes solutions—backed by expertise.
In the Environment & Sustainability Expertise team, around 60 passionate consultants pool their knowledge and experience. Together, they form a powerful mix of broad basic knowledge and specialist expertise in the fields of air, odor, noise, external safety, construction, water, nature, sustainability and energy conservation, waste, raw materials (flows), and circularity.
We make a difference every day with our substantive expertise. We make an essential contribution to licensing, supervision, and enforcement within our area of ​​operation, working closely with our legal specialists. Additionally, we actively contribute to policy development for our clients – municipalities and provinces – and share our knowledge in external networks. In this way, we build a healthy, safe, and sustainable living environment together.
This is you
- Completed higher professional or university education in a natural science field such as environmental science, water management, water technology, ecology, chemical engineering, etc.
- Several years of experience in an advisory role, preferably within the government
- In-depth knowledge of legislation and regulations concerning water and nature
- Working in an administratively sensitive environment within a societal context seems interesting to you.
- You are skilled with GIS and Excel
- Good communication skills
- An eye for quality and timeliness
If you do not fully meet all the requirements but would still like to specialize in the theme of water, we cordially invite you to apply anyway. We are happy to think along with you; together we will explore the possibilities and look for a suitable tailor-made solution.
This is what you get
- A salary between €3,792 and €6,214, depending on your experience (scale 10-11 provincial collective labour agreement, based on 36 hours).
- An individual choice budget of over 22.37% that you use how and when it suits you (for example, for extra vacation days, a 13th month salary, or a tax benefit on the purchase of a bicycle).
- Hybrid working. We ensure that you can do your work well, wherever you want to work. Includes laptop, desk, and office chair.
- Good work-life balance, with the possibility to work 4×9 hours.
- 100% reimbursement of travel expenses if you travel by public transport to our office next to Zaandam station.
- Prospect of permanent employment after 1 year.
- A well-arranged pension at the ABP.
- 4 weeks of vacation, with the option to purchase up to 8 additional weeks from the IKB.
- A personal development budget of €6,000 per five years, which you can use as you wish.
Apply and come work on the future!
The vacancy is being advertised both internally and externally simultaneously. You can apply until March 29, 2026. We look forward to hearing from you!
Would you like more information about the position first? Then please contact Rhodante Ahlers at 0641651774 or Rhodante.Ahlers@odnzkg.nl .
Self-employed professionals and freelancers are not eligible for this position – unless you are looking for permanent employment, in which case we would be happy to discuss the possibilities with you.
Recruitment agencies contacting us regarding this vacancy are not appreciated.
