Overview

We are seeking an Intelligence Research Officer to join the National Environmental Crime Unit (NECU) in a dynamic part of the business. The Environment Agency’s ambition is to be an intelligence-led organisation and environmental crime is a strategic priority.

This role provides an exciting opportunity to support investigations, prioritise and drive forward interventions to remove unlawful operators from the waste regimes. You will help deliver our response by pro-actively developing and accessing intelligence from a range of sources to inform decision making and provide actionable intelligence products for our customers. We welcome flexible working patterns including job share; please include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You may be required to have an incident role and be available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident, which may attract additional payment and full training. Travel to Birmingham and Sheffield offices may be required on occasion; location is flexible with a mix of home and office working.

Notes: future recruitment will be taken from the reserve list. You will need to be comfortable working in a dispersed team. Security vetting checks (SC and NPPV3) will be required. Interviews are expected in September 2025 via Microsoft Teams.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce and to reflecting the communities we serve.

Team and role context

NECU supports the Environment Agency’s enforcement community across 14 geographical areas and national services, tackling around 40,000 suspected and alleged offences each year. You will be part of our Intelligence & Partnerships department, working with intelligence professionals to provide intelligence products and assessments to support colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Pro-actively develop and access intelligence from a range of sources to inform decision making
• Produce actionable intelligence products for customers
• Support investigations and help prioritise and drive interventions to remove unlawful operators from the waste regimes
• Respond to incidents as part of an incident role or provide business continuity support as required

Experience/skills Required

You’ll need to collect and evaluate data and information from a wide variety of sources to produce or inform intelligence products and prepare and deliver research summaries. You must have experience interrogating IT systems and databases, with enthusiasm and curiosity for finding information.

• Good communication skills with the ability to listen and transmit information effectively
• Ability to represent the Environment Agency professionally with partners
• Ability to use initiative and adapt approach as needed
• Skills in using standard IT packages; ability to retrieve information accurately
• Good teamwork and an inclusive approach
• Ability to juggle administrative activities to support colleagues and customers

Competences and interview questions

Competence 1 — Achieves Results: Tell us about a time when you undertook work requiring you to alternate between several activities in a short space of time and how you delivered.

Competence 2 — Data and Information Management: Tell us about gathering detailed information from various sources to inform a decision and how you approached it.

Competence 3 — Builds and Sustains Relationships: Tell us about establishing rapport with an important customer or partner and how you developed the relationship.

Note on Civil Service status and continuous service: If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service, and you would not be a Crown Servant if appointed. See the original text for details on continuous service and redundancy, and consult your HR team if unsure.

Other information

• We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support disabled applicants.
• The Environment Agency is a Non-Departmental Public Body and uses Central Government frameworks for recruitment.

If you are interested in the role, please contact the vacancy managers for an informal discussion: pete.booth@environment-agency.gov.uk or sam.morrison@environment-agency.gov.uk.