Environmental Protection Officer / Environmental Health Officer – Essex (6-month contract)

Buckingham Futures; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority client in Essex is seeking an experienced Environmental Protection Officer to join their Environmental Health team. The role involves reviewing planning applications, managing statutory nuisances, and ensuring sustainable development. The ideal candidate possesses a degree in Environmental Health and relevant experience in environmental legislation and consultation. This is a great opportunity to make a significant impact on public health and environmental safety.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in planning consultations and environmental protection.
• Strong working knowledge of environmental legislation and planning frameworks.
• Ability to manage caseloads while meeting deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Review and respond to planning applications addressing environmental health concerns.
• Investigate and respond to statutory nuisance complaints.
• Prepare and attend court or committee proceedings as required.

Skills

Environmental legislation understanding

Report writing

Stakeholder engagement

Environmental data analysis

Planning consultation

Education

Degree in Environmental Health or related field

Job description

Overview

Buckingham Futures is recruiting on behalf of a local authority client in Essex for an experienced Environmental Protection Officer / Environmental Health Officer to join their Environmental Health team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in ensuring that development across the district is sustainable and that environmental risks to public health are properly managed.

The successful candidate will bring expertise in reviewing technical planning documents, advising on environmental issues, and managing statutory nuisances and pollution control in a public sector setting.

Key Responsibilities

Planning and Development Control

• Review and respond to planning applications, focusing on environmental health concerns such as noise, air quality, land contamination, odour, and lighting.
• Assess technical reports, including environmental impact assessments, noise surveys, and air quality modelling.
• Provide clear, robust recommendations to planning officers, including planning conditions and mitigation strategies.
• Offer pre-application advice to developers and consultants to support environmentally sound planning decisions.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of environmental planning policies and local plans.

Environmental Protection Duties

• Investigate and respond to statutory nuisance complaints (noise, odour, smoke, light, dust, etc.).
• Undertake enforcement under relevant environmental protection legislation where appropriate.
• Respond to pollution incidents and complaints from both commercial and domestic sources.
• Assess and manage potentially contaminated land sites in line with Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act.
• Assist with the implementation of air quality strategies and monitor local environmental quality indicators.
• Prepare professional reports, enforcement notices, witness statements, and attend court or committee proceedings as required.

Requirements

• Degree in Environmental Health, Environmental Science, or a related field.
• Proven experience in planning consultations and environmental protection within a regulatory context.
• Strong working knowledge of environmental legislation, planning frameworks, and technical guidance (e.g., BS4142, IAQM).
• Ability to analyse complex environmental data and translate findings into practical recommendations.
• Excellent report writing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Proactive, organised, and able to manage caseloads independently while meeting statutory deadlines.

How to Apply

To register your interest, please email Yones at [e-mail] with your expected hourly or daily rate. Alternatively, you can call us directly on 020 8125 4321 to discuss this opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you.