About the role

With approximately 70% of Kent and South London relying on groundwater for their water supply, the work of the Groundwater and Contaminated Land team is vital. Delivering specialist technical advice and guidance on hydro-geological and land contamination matters, they protect the groundwater from potential pollution. Their technical advice is also indispensable to other Environment Agency teams in making decisions regarding building and infrastructure developments, incident management, and permitting.

Dealing with planning consultations, providing expert knowledge to support environmental permits, and protecting and improving groundwater quality, our team work closely with members of the public, business, agriculture, water companies and industry. As one of our Technical Officers, it’ll be down to you to assess technical information such as site investigation data, soil and groundwater remediation verification reports, and groundwater risk assessments. You'll also respond to customer enquiries and information requests, and work closely with partner agencies and local authorities. The team also support The Environment Agency’s response to pollution and flooding incidents, so you will have the opportunity to train in an incident role, too. Your technical advice and guidance across a range of matters will contribute to maintaining the groundwater’s quality, as you assess potential risks and regulate how they are managed. We will also support you to work towards Chartered status.

About you

You must hold a degree in Geosciences such as Geology, Hydro-geology, Geochemistry or Land Quality, along with a Postgraduate degree and/or some experience of dealing with groundwater pollution. You’re a brilliant communicator, able to adapt your approach when working with technical and non-technical people alike, and are able to produce and effectively interpret data to develop evidence and solve complex technical issues. You can put across your arguments to a wide audience, and you’re able to work with others to solve complex issues. As well as working as part of a team, you’ll also need to be able to work independently, taking responsibility for a patch within Kent and South London. Great time and data management skills are key, and you’ll also need to know your way around software like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and MS Office. A full UK driving license is also vital.

About us

The Environmental Agency operates at the place where environmental change has its greatest impact on people’s lives. We work to create better places for people and wildlife, and support sustainable development. We are responsible for reducing the risk of flooding; making sure there is enough water for people and wildlife; protecting and improving air, land and water quality, and applying environmental standards within which industry can operate.

Contact details: Chris di Marco at christopher.dimarco@environment-agency.gov.uk or by telephone on 0208 474 7194.

Closing date for this role is October 7th 2018 23:55 BST.