Senior advisor - Continuous water quality monitoring programme - 31091

Environment Agency; Clyst Honiton; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The Environment Agency is seeking a Senior Advisor to enhance water quality monitoring standards. This role involves developing specifications for equipment and procedures, leading initiatives to ensure regulatory compliance, and managing stakeholder collaborations to improve environmental quality. The position promotes diversity and flexible working arrangements, emphasizing the importance of an inclusive workforce.

Qualifications

• Significant technical and scientific expertise in water quality monitoring.
• Knowledge of international standards and methods for wastewater monitoring.
• Experience developing quality assurance standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead in producing water quality monitoring standards.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders.
• Deliver complex projects within short timeframes.

Skills

Scientific Knowledge

Project Management

Decision Making

Problem Solving

Education

Relevant degree in scientific, technical, or engineering field

Tools

Water monitoring equipment

Job description

Senior Advisor - Continuous Water Quality Monitoring Programme - 31091

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Job Description

The Environment Agency is fully committed to having an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We prioritize diversity, embrace it, and live it, for the benefit of our staff, communities, and environment.

Are you looking to use your technical knowledge to improve and protect our water quality?

Section 82 of the Environment Act 2021 mandates sewerage undertakers to continuously monitor water quality upstream and downstream of storm overflows and wastewater treatment discharges. We are recruiting a senior advisor to support this duty by developing standards for monitoring equipment, installation, calibration, and data handling.

As a successful candidate, you will:

• Lead and develop standards for continuous water quality monitoring.
• Create standards for siting and installing monitoring equipment.
• Develop quality assurance standards for calibration and ongoing monitoring.
• Establish standards for data capture, storage, sharing, and validation.
• Extend the Environment Agency’s MCERTS certification scheme to this application.

You will also have an inclusive incident management objective. Appropriate training will be provided.

Our Monitoring Certification (MCERTS) team offers specialist advice on emissions monitoring for air, water, and land from industrial processes. We manage the Environment Agency’s MCERTS schemes.

The Team

You will work within the Monitoring Certification (MCERTS) team, part of Monitoring and Assessment in the Chief Regulator’s Group. Our dispersed team collaborates with colleagues nationwide, promoting a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture that values everyone. We leverage evidence, expertise, engagement, and innovation to enhance delivery, influence policy, and secure resources.

Experience and Skills Required

Please demonstrate your ability to work effectively with diverse backgrounds and cultures, actively encouraging diversity in your work.

You should have a relevant degree in a scientific, technical, or engineering field, or equivalent experience. Significant technical and scientific expertise in water quality monitoring is essential, including knowledge of:

• Water monitoring equipment
• International standards and methods for wastewater monitoring
• Water quality monitoring networks
• Certification of monitoring equipment

To achieve the role objectives, you will:

• Lead in producing water quality monitoring standards.
• Use specialized knowledge to develop standards.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with external stakeholders such as DEFRA, water companies, consultancies, UKAS, and certification bodies.
• Deliver complex projects within short timeframes.

Contact and Additional Information

The role offers a flexible/hybrid working location with an Environment Agency Office base. Some travel and overnight stays may be required.

Please read the Candidate/Additional Information Pack.

This is a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2026, with potential extension pending funding.

We support flexible working arrangements and are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce. Flexible patterns, including job sharing, are welcome.

For more details, contact [e-mail].

Applications are assessed blindly based on competency questions. Interviews via MS Teams will be scheduled within two weeks of the closing date. If you consent to being on a reserve list, your details will be retained for six months for potential alternative roles.

Contract Length: Up to 8 months.

Competencies

• Scientific Knowledge: Demonstrate scientific expertise in water quality monitoring, providing evidence-based standards.
• Shaping Organizational Approach & Delivery: Show ability to design and support effective operational approaches.
• Decision Making & Problem Solving: Provide examples of making critical decisions under pressure.
• Programme & Project Management: Share experience managing projects, meeting milestones, and ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness.

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and those requiring flexible working arrangements. We offer a Guaranteed Interview Policy for candidates with disabilities.