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 so having the ability to manage intelligence professionally and in line with current guidance is essential to ensuring threat, risk and harm is appropriately assessed and managed. Environmental crime is a strategic priority, attracting high profile attention from the public, media, national and international stakeholders. This role provides an exciting opportunity to support investigations and help prioritise and drive forward interventions to remove unlawful operators from the waste regimes. You will help deliver our response to it 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 are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for our vacancies, including job share, so please clearly include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application. Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. 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 and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

Any future recruitment will be taken from the reserve list. The team NECU supports the Environment Agency’s enforcement community which is spread across 14 geographical areas and a number of national services – tackling around 40,000 suspected and alleged offences each year. We help to protect and improve the environment by regulating industry, ensuring compliance, and eliminating illegal activities including Organised Crime Groups. You will be part of our Intelligence & Partnerships department, working with intelligence professionals, providing intelligence products and assessments to support colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Pro-actively developing and accessing intelligence from a range of sources to inform decision making and provide actionable intelligence products for customers.
• Support investigations and help prioritise and drive forward interventions to remove unlawful operators from the waste regimes.
• Collect and evaluate data and information from a wide variety of sources to produce or inform intelligence products; prepare and deliver research summaries; interrogate IT systems and databases.
• Communicate findings clearly; represent the Environment Agency professionally with partners; work flexibly between tasks and administrative activities to support colleagues and customers.

Qualifications and Experience

• Experience in collecting and evaluating data from diverse sources to produce intelligence products; ability to interrogate IT systems and databases; enthusiasm and curiosity for finding information.
• Good communication skills with the ability to listen to others and transmit information effectively.
• Ability to represent the Environment Agency professionally with a variety of partners; works well in a team and supports an inclusive environment.
• Skills in using standard IT packages; ability to retrieve information accurately.
• Ability to use own initiative and adapt approach as needed; capable of juggling multiple tasks and administrative activities.

Security and Eligibility

• Security vetting checks (SC and NPPV3) will be required.
• The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; continuous service eligibility may differ for Civil Service applicants. If unsure, contact your HR Team.

Location and Hours

Location is flexible with a mix of home and office working; travel to Birmingham and Sheffield offices may be required on occasions. Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams and are expected in September 2025.

How to Apply and Additional Information

We welcome applications from groups under-represented across our workforce and are committed to diversity and inclusion. We have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support applicants with disabilities.

For an informal discussion please contact vacancy managers pete.booth@environment-agency.gov.uk or sam.morrison@environment-agency.gov.uk

Seniority level

• Associate

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Research, Analyst, and Information Technology