Overview

Hydrogeologist Officer (Groundwater and Contaminated Land) - 31672

The EA’s Kent, South London and East Sussex Groundwater and Contaminated Land team are looking for a qualified and experienced Hydrogeologist Officer to join their lively and dedicated team.

Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone? The EA is committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve, so we welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds.

Responsibilities

• Responding to planning consultations from local authorities.
• Providing technical advice to customers on sites affected by land contamination.
• Working with our National Permitting Service to determine Environmental Permits and consents.
• Providing groundwater quality specific advice to various internal and external customers and stakeholders, especially other teams within the area.
• Supporting the team’s technical specialists in progressing groundwater quality projects.

By doing the above, you will play a critical role in safeguarding the quality of our groundwater and ensuring that improvements are achieved.

Location and working pattern

Office location is ideally Addington. Other Kent offices including Tonbridge and Canterbury are also considered. We offer hybrid working with a mix of office and home working where appropriate.

Essential requirements

• Have the right to work in the UK.
• Provide a verifiable employment history.
• Have a valid UK driver’s licence.
• Full UK Driving Licence.
• Please note this role does NOT qualify for skilled worker sponsorship.

Interviews will take place face to face at our West Malling Office consisting of a technical assessment exercise and a capability interview. The technical assessment exercise will need to be passed before proceeding to the capability interview. Interview dates to be confirmed. For further details please contact Rebecca Buhrmann at Rebecca.buhrmann@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Team and environment

The team covers the whole of Kent, South London and East Sussex (KSLES). We are dispersed across our offices in KSLES and work with a variety of other teams across the Environment Agency, external customers and partners through written communication, in person, virtual meetings, and site visits. We prioritise personal and professional development, including supporting membership to two relevant professional bodies.

Experience/skills Required

You will hold a degree in fields such as Hydrogeology, Geological Science, Earth Science and/or have relevant work experience. You will be able to demonstrate experience and/or awareness of:

• Groundwater quality and land contamination issues.
• The ability to solve problems and make risk-based decisions based on complex or incomplete information.
• Understanding of key environmental legislation and guidance.
• Understanding of the planning regime, including the role of local authorities, the Environment Agency, and other relevant regulatory bodies.
• The ability to use technical knowledge to present a clear and reasoned justification for decisions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate with a variety of customers.
• The ability to work as part of a team to achieve common goals.
• IT and data handling skills.

Membership of a relevant professional body, or chartered status, is desirable.

Additional information

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role, making yourself available to respond to incidents/business continuity support during incidents. You will be required to travel within Kent and South London on a regular basis, including a minimum of 1 day a week for in office team meetings. Travel to other EA locations will be required on occasion for meetings and training.

Role specifics - Seniority level: Associate; Employment type: Full-time; Job function: Research, Analyst, and Information Technology.

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. See the full policy in the original job description for details.

Equality, diversity and inclusion 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.

External recruitment 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 information about becoming a supplier through the Crown Commercial Service, please visit the GOV.UK page linked in the original description.