Overview

This is an exciting opportunity to join a front-line operational area team in the fight to tackle environmental crime. In this Environmental Crime Officer (ECO) role, you will focus on investigating and disrupting waste crime using the 4P approach and will also support colleagues in taking enforcement action in response to other environmental offences. This is an interesting and varied role that may involve working with operators of illegal waste sites to bring them into compliance or to disrupt Organised Crime Groups operating in the waste sector. You will be involved in challenging conversations with sometimes confrontational individuals, requiring you to adapt your communication style. Waste crime is borderless, so those in our operational roles need to be agile.

Responsibilities

• You will focus on investigating and disrupting waste crime using the 4P approach but will also support colleagues in taking enforcement action in response to other environmental offences.
• You will work with subject matter specialists and partner agencies to achieve this. This is an interesting and varied role.
• You will be working with others, gathering intelligence and evidence and preparing case files for court.
• You may be working with an operator of an illegal waste site, bringing them into compliance one day, and disrupting an Organised Crime Group operating in the waste sector the next day.
• You will be involved in challenging conversations with sometimes confrontational individuals, requiring you to adapt your communication style. Waste crime is borderless, so those in our operational roles need to be agile.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience/skills Required: Your background will be in environmental regulation, intelligence-led enforcement or investigation. Experience of working in collaboration with Partner Organisations such as the police, councils or other government agencies is highly relevant. You will have experience of using intelligence products to identify potential lines of enquiry and find disruption opportunities.
• Essential: A full UK drivers license is required. The role is dependent on obtaining Non-Police Personnel Vetting Level 2 (NPPV2).
• Desirable: Understanding and experience of working within an intelligence-led environment, communicating with legal professionals, colleagues and partner enforcement agencies.
• The ideal candidate would have knowledge of legislation governing criminal investigations, such as the Environmental Permitting Regulations, the Environmental Protection Act, the Police and Criminal Evidence Act, the Criminal Procedures and Investigations Act and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act.

Contact and Additional Information

This is a hybrid role. You will be required to work in the field, from a contractual Environment Agency base office (and others) as well as being able to work from home. Everyone who joins us is required to undertake training and participate in incident response duties when needed. Further information on incident response is in the candidate pack.

Face-to-face interviews are likely to be held the week beginning 6 October 2025. We do not assess CVs; your answers to the competency questions will be used for interview selection. Interested candidates can learn more about the role by contacting thameswastecrime@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Competences

• Influences and Persuades Others – Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way to win people over and gain agreement.
• Illegal Activity Detection and Enforcement – Uses intelligence to detect suspected illegal activities and carries out enforcement actions where detected.
• Achieves Results – Sets and delivers high work standards, prioritises and organises tasks to achieve timely results.

Role-specific requirements

• Full UK driving license

Other information – The Environment Agency is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and welcomes flexible working patterns, including job share. We also guarantee an interview for disabled applicants whose applications meet the minimum criteria. For more information about supplier frameworks, see government guidance on Crown Commercial Service.

Seniority level

• Associate

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Management and Manufacturing