Specialist Air Quality Monitoring Advisor

The role
Are you passionate about protecting Wales\’ environment and public health? Join Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and help shape the future of air quality monitoring across the country.
We\’re looking for a skilled and motivated individual to:

• Support the development of NRW\’s approach to air quality monitoring, creating practical guidance and tools that support consistent and effective delivery.
• Provide expert advice and support to NRW teams, applying your technical knowledge and understanding of environmental legislation and regulation.
• Stay ahead of sector developments, identifying emerging trends and assessing their implications for NRW\’s strategy and operations.

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a real impact in a role that combines technical expertise, strategic thinking, and collaboration.
As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the nearest NRW office to your home and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.
Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams
Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.
About us
This exciting role is based within Natural Resources Wales\’ Air Quality and Noise Team, part of the Integrated Evidence Group in the Knowledge and Evidence department. You\’ll report directly to the Team Leader, working alongside passionate specialists who are committed to delivering high-quality evidence and expert advice that shapes environmental policy and practice across Wales.
What you will do

• Support the Lead Advisor Air Quality by leading the development of advice and guidance for air quality monitoring at sites we regulate, to ensure that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) adopts a proportionate and risk-based approach to the provision of statutory advice and regulation in line with the purpose of NRW.
• Provide technical support to staff in Operations for air quality monitoring guidance, commonly used international and national standards in emissions monitoring, and provide technical support and advice to staff in Welsh Government.
• As part of the Air Quality Team provide advice in relation to monitoring emissions to air from regulated sites including common aerial chemical pollutants, examples of process abatement, monitoring strategies, commonly used monitoring techniques and quality assurance schemes employed.
• Advise on specific application in relation to emissions monitoring for intensive farming, bioaerosols, noise, odour and incident response when required.
• Support NRW compliance teams in areas such as Operator Monitoring Assessment and the review of periodic monitoring reports carried out as part of their operating permit requirements or in response to process changes/incidents.
• Be the point of contact within NRW for the monitoring component of air quality with the relevant UK and Welsh Trade Associations, Environment Agency, SEPA and NIEA to share and work together on the development of advice and guidance.
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy , together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills
In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method .
1. Direct experience of monitoring emissions to air from a regulated site, either as a regulator, consultant or operator.
2. Detailed knowledge of the MCERTS scheme including the technical endorsements associated with manual stack emissions monitoring
3. A minimum qualification of MCERTS Level 1 (preferably Level 2) along with the technical endorsements is desirable, this will provide the required practical experience of implementing the monitoring techniques in the field.
4. Knowledge and experience of implementing BS EN 14181:2014 & BS EN 15259:2023 is desirable plus a knowledge of relevant Guidance Notes.
5. A degree in a relevant subject or equivalent knowledge
6. Excellent communication and effective interpersonal skills and be a strong team worker
Welsh Language level requirements
Essential: Level A1 – Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh)
Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.
Benefits
This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.
Please keep reading
We\’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.
We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.
We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards . Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.

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