Port Health Officer

East Suffolk Council; Lowestoft; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 47,000; Part time

Job summary

A local government council in the UK seeks a part-time Port Health Officer to ensure the safety of imported goods. The successful candidate will conduct checks on products and monitor health conditions aboard ships. Candidates should hold a degree in Environmental Health or a Higher Certificate in Food Control with relevant experience. The role offers flexible working hours and a supportive team environment, with training and development opportunities available.

Benefits

Generous leave entitlement

Local government pension scheme

Flexible working arrangements

Learning and development opportunities

Access to health and wellbeing initiatives

Discounts on various products and services

Qualifications

• Experience in a food and safety field for at least 3 years.
• Must have a degree or equivalent qualification.
• Ability to work on shifts from 6.30am to 10pm.

Responsibilities

• Carry out checks on imported products to ensure safety.
• Monitor health conditions on ships to prevent disease.
• Work collaboratively with the Port Health team.

Skills

Attention to detail

Ability to work under pressure

Good communication skills

Education

Degree in Environmental Health or equivalent Level 6 qualification

Higher Certificate in Food Control

Job description

Port Health Officer

£37,938 - £46,731 per annum

Part Time. 3 days per week / 22 hours per week

Permanent

Closing date: 7 January 2026

Reference: 21648

We currently have exciting opportunities to join the East Suffolk Council's Port Health Team as a Port Health Officer on a part‑time basis working 3 days / 22 hours per week.

Our mission is the protection of public and animal health, carrying out a range of checks to ensure imported goods are safe for all of us in the UK. Find out more via our video of the team and what they do. To become part of our team, you will be passionate, keen to learn and thrive on working in a fast‑paced environment.

Your role

Your role will beto work with our existing Port Health Officers in carrying out various checks on imported products (including not of animal origin, fish and organic items) to ensure they are safe for distribution in the UK. You will also protect international health by monitoring health conditions on board ships in order to prevent disease. You will have the opportunity to work under your own initiative but also with others as part of our friendly team.

What you will need

This is a career graded post, and the responsibilities of the role will be undertaken at a level appropriate to your qualifications, experience, and competence, as laid out in the job description. It will be essential to have either a degree or equivalent Level 6 qualification in Environmental Health, or a Higher Certificate in Food Control with 3 years’ experience in a food and safety field.

This is a part‑time role covering 22 hours a week across 3 days. We are flexible in what this looks like – daytime working hours or joining our shift pattern which covers 6.30am – 10pm Monday to Friday. The shift pattern does attract a 14% shift allowance on top of base salary. Please note that there is no requirement work weekends within this post.

This post sits within a career progression framework that will recognise your qualifications, experience and competency as well as offering potential development opportunities.

For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Steve Dearsley, Operations Team Leader: [e-mail]

Why work for us?

East Suffolk Council is a great place to work and there are lots of benefits our employees can access. To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council, take a look at our video and hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work (YouTube).

Here are some of the main benefits:

• Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 25 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays)
• Local government pension scheme
• Flexible working arrangements
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A wide variety of staff support networks including access to health and wellbeing initiatives and programmes.
• Discounts on mobile phones, computers, holiday and travel, fashion and clothing, health and beauty and many other products and services.

Please see our benefits brochure for further information.

The majority of our teams are working in an agile way, with a mixture of home and office working, depending on individual preferences and service requirements. If you wish to discuss how that might impact your working arrangements if you were successful, please contact the recruiting manager listed below.

Find more information about what we offer in our benefits brochure (pdf).

Please read the job description and person specification before applying for this job.

To find out more

For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Steve Dearsley, Operations Team Leader: [e-mail]

How to apply

To apply, please complete the online application and upload your supporting statement on our website at: https://www.suffolkjobsdirect.org/#en/sites/CX_6001/job/21648

Closing date: 11.30 pm, 7 January 2026.

Interview date: week commencing, 19 January 2026.

East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk.

We hugely value our staff and know that in order for us to remain successful, it is essential for us to recognise talented employees, developing and retaining them within the organisation. We are therefore committed to investing in our staff and providing first‑class support to ensure a positive culture and rewarding careers.