Specialist - Chemical Hazard Evaluation - 30921

Environment Agency; Shrewsbury; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The Environment Agency is seeking a Specialist in Chemical Hazard Evaluation to assess the environmental risks of chemicals under UK regulations. This role involves evaluating scientific data, ensuring compliance with REACH and CLP, and contributing to the development of environmental guidelines. Ideal candidates will have a relevant scientific degree and experience in risk assessment.

Qualifications

• At least two years of applied experience assessing environmental effects of chemicals.
• Ability to analyze complex scientific and numerical data.
• Experience in environmental hazard and risk assessment.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate reliability of ecotoxicity information and safety assessments.
• Summarize and present environmental effects studies.
• Contribute to priority setting and identify areas for further research.

Skills

Scientific Knowledge

Data Analysis

Communication

Organizational Skills

Education

First degree in a scientific discipline

Job description

Specialist - Chemical Hazard Evaluation - 30921

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Job Description

“Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone? Then the Environment Agency is the organisation for you! We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share.”

We are recruiting a regulatory scientist to assess the environmental hazard and risk of industrial and consumer chemicals under the UK REACH and CLP Regulations.

Working in a team of science specialists in our Chemicals Assessment Unit (CAU), you will:

• Evaluate the reliability and relevance of ecotoxicity and environmental fate information and safety assessments in chemical dossiers and reports prepared by companies or other regulatory authorities to identify key regulatory endpoints;
• Summarise and present endpoints from environmental effects studies, fate data, and modelled estimates;
• Describe study test methods, highlighting data limitations and uncertainty;
• Use data to conclude on appropriate environmental classifications under CLP and whether UK REACH registration standard information requirements are met;
• Provide quality assurance review and alternative interpretations (where necessary);
• Contribute to priority setting and identify areas of further research;
• Inform test guideline development and support our work implementing animal replacement methods;
• Work to defined timescales to deliver outputs on time and within resource;
• Build relationships and consult with colleagues in other teams and government bodies.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be asked 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 will be available to support you with your incident role.

The team

The Chemicals Assessment Unit is in the Research part of the Chief Scientist’s Group. We are a dispersed team with hub office locations.

The team provides scientific support to HSE and UK Government on environmental matters relating to the UK REACH, CLP Regulations, and POPs Convention. We assess the environmental hazards and exposure of industrial and consumer chemicals, propose action to manage identified risks, and work closely with global partners and other regulatory authorities.

Experience/skills Required

You must have at least a first degree in a scientific discipline relevant to the assessment of environmental hazards and risks of chemicals, such as chemistry, biology, or environmental science. You will have at least two years of applied experience assessing the environmental effects and/or fate of chemicals and their risk assessment, possibly in a regulated industry sector, either at a national or international level.

You will need to analyse complex scientific and numerical data to identify key information to inform conclusions and be confident following standard guidance.

The role requires excellent writing, communication, and organisational skills to ensure deadlines are met.

In your answers to the competency questions, please demonstrate your relevant experience of environmental hazard and risk assessment of chemicals, including any specific examples of how you have applied such knowledge in the context of the REACH and CLP regulations.

Contact and additional information

You will have an office base location, but the working location is flexible/hybrid. You will need to be confident in your ability to work remotely and collaborate effectively. Some travel and overnight stays may be required.

Please read the Candidate / Additional Information Pack which includes more information on how to answer competency questions.

Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions. If the number of applications is high, an initial sift using competence 1 will be conducted. Feedback is generally not available at sift stage.

Interviews are expected to be held during July via MS Teams, which may include a technical exercise using data.

Please contact [e-mail] for further information.

Competencies

1. Scientific Knowledge: Applies scientific knowledge (various disciplines, depending on team role) to provide sound, science-based evidence to our internal and external customers. Describe how you have applied your scientific expertise relevant to environmental hazard or risk assessment of chemicals, including the depth and type of your knowledge.
2. Data and Information Management: Collects, analyses, interprets, records, manages, develops, and shares data, material, or information appropriately for various purposes. Describe an example of analysing and interpreting complex environmental hazard data for a chemical considering data reliability and relevance, sharing findings to enable decision-making.
3. Takes Decisions and Solves Problems: Finds and delivers optimal solutions by analysing all information, developing alternatives, and making sound, timely decisions. Describe a significant work experience where you encountered an important problem, your thought process, and the outcome.

Note: The Environment Agency is not part of HM Civil Service; therefore, successful applicants will not have civil service status. Please review the full details in the original job posting for more information.