Senior advisor - Continuous water quality monitoring programme - 31091

The Environment Agency are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it, and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities, and our environment.

Are you looking to use your technical knowledge to improve and protect our water quality? Section 82 of the Environment Act 2021 places a duty on sewerage undertakers to continuously monitor the quality of the receiving water upstream and downstream of their storm overflow, and from discharges from wastewater treatment works. We are recruiting a senior advisor to support the implementation of this duty. As a successful candidate, you will develop quality assurance standards for monitoring equipment, installation, calibration and ongoing quality assurance. The programme will also include developing quality assurance for data acquisition and handling.

As post holder, you will:

• Lead and develop the standards required for continuous water quality monitoring.
• Produce a standard for the siting and installation of continuous water monitoring equipment.
• Produce a quality assurance standard for the calibration and ongoing quality assurance of continuous water quality monitoring equipment.
• Produce a quality assurance standard for data capture, storage, sharing and validation.
• Extend the Environment Agency’s Monitoring certification scheme (MCERTS) to this application.

You will also have an inclusive incident management objective. We’ll help you find a role to suit your needs. Appropriate training will be given.

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

The team: You will be working in the Monitoring Certification (MCERTS) team, part of Monitoring and Assessment within the Chief Regulator’s Group. We are a dispersed team, working with a range of colleagues across the country, and part of the Environment and Business (E&B) Directorate. In E&B we promote a positive, inclusive, and supportive culture where everyone feels valued. We use evidence, expertise, engagement, and innovation to enhance and support delivery, influence policy, legislation, and secure resources.

Experience/skills Required: In your capability-based answers please demonstrate your ability to work effectively with people from different backgrounds and cultures, actively encouraging others to consider diversity issues in their work. You will have a relevant degree in a scientific, technical or engineering subject, or equivalent experience. You will have significant technical and scientific experience of continuous water quality monitoring, including detailed knowledge of:

• Water monitoring equipment
• International standards and methods for monitoring of wastewater
• Water quality monitoring networks
• Certification of equipment applicable to this area of work

To achieve the role objectives, you will:

• Lead on producing continuous water quality monitoring standards.
• Use specialised technical and scientific knowledge to produce standards.
• Interact widely, developing and maintaining effective relationships with external stakeholders, such as DEFRA, water companies, consultancies, UKAS and certification bodies.
• Be able to deliver a complex project in a short period of time.

Contact and additional information: You’ll have an Environment Agency Office base location; the working location will be flexible/hybrid. We use smart tools to stay connected. Some travel and overnights may be required.

This contract is fixed term until 31 March 2026. It may potentially be extended pending funding. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce, and can discuss flexible working patterns at the interview stage.

For further details about the role, please contact rupert.standring@environment-agency.gov.uk; Applications are “blind” assessed using your answers to the competency questions. Interviews will be via MS Teams within two weeks of the closing date. If you consent to being on a reserve list, we’ll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.

Length of contract: Up to 8 months.

Competence 1: Scientific Knowledge - Applies scientific knowledge and experience relating to continuous water quality monitoring to provide sound, science-based evidence and standards to our internal and external customers.

Competence 2: Shapes organisational approach & delivery - Designs, implements and supports an approach to translate it into cost-effective operational activity, delivering outcomes for people and the environment.

Competence 3: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems - Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.

Competence 4: Programme and Project Management - Selects, plans and manages contractors, programmes or events to achieve a set of Environment Agency objectives cost-effectively.

If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.

We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls.