Senior Technical Officer (Contaminated Land) in Liverpool

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Public Protection Service in Sefton, following the creation of an additional post in the Pollution Control Team. Public Protection is a busy and vibrant department undertaking statutory and regulatory functions across Environmental Health, Trading Standards and Licensing. We are currently recruiting for a Senior Technical Officer specialising in Contaminated land within the Pollution Control Team.

You will help identify, inspect, and secure the remediation of contaminated land, acting as a technical consultee for Environmental Health and working closely with the Planning Service on applications where land contamination is a material consideration. You will also contribute to the review, development and implementation of the Council’s Contaminated Land Strategy.

Requirements for the Role

• Specialist expertise/experience in contaminated land, with the qualifications necessary to work confidently within this technical field.
• In depth knowledge and practical experience of contaminated land assessment, including enforcement and legal processes relevant to contaminated land.
• Experience of acting as a technical consultee to Planning, assessing planning applications involving contaminated land, including review of Phase 1 Preliminary Risk Assessments and Phase 2 Site Investigations, Remediation Strategies, and Verification Reports linked to planning conditions.
• Experience of discussing site proposals with planners, consultants and developers to secure appropriate site investigation and remediation.
• Experience of undertaking work under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including site prioritisation, detailed site inspection and where necessary, enforcement action.
• Experience in developing and implementing Contaminated Land Strategies (lead or supporting role desirable).
• Experience of responding to environmental searches and dealing with related queries from consultants, solicitors, Councillors and the public.
• Strong teamworking skills and the ability to work effectively across disciplines and partner organisations.
• Competence using IT packages such as MS Word and Excel to manage information and produce reports.
• Ability to interpret complex technical reports and data relating to contaminated land, supporting the Council’s statutory responsibilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information clearly.

What We’re Looking For

• A suitably qualified Senior Technical Officer (e.g. degree in environmental science, environmental management, geology or a related discipline, or equivalent; postgraduate qualification (MSc or equivalent) in contaminated land or a related field desirable, together with relevant professional experience).
• Strong understanding of land contamination provisions in legislation and planning procedures.
• Strong IT skills, excellent communication, and confidence in interpreting complex technical data.
• Experience using GIS and mapping systems (e.g. MapInfo or equivalent) to analyse, interpret and manage contaminated land data would be advantageous.
• A full, valid driving licence.

Equal Opportunities

Sefton Council strives to ensure that our workforce is inclusive and representative of our communities. A diverse workforce is important to us, our staff bring with them a wide range of experiences, views, ideas, and innovations, and we are committed to providing an environment that recognises, respects, and values everybody’s identity, where individual differences are strengths and where everyone can thrive and maximise their potential. We are always open to learning and growing as an organisation, and we welcome new ideas and initiatives that promote equality, diversity and inclusion. We are an Equal Opportunities Employer; all candidates will receive equal treatment. Our decision to appoint will be based upon whether an individual’s skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities make them the most suitable candidate for the role. If you are currently in care or have previously been in care, we provide a guaranteed interview scheme for care experienced people if you meet the essential requirements for the role. Please note that all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for these jobs (as given in the Person Specification) and who want to apply under the Disability Confident Scheme will be invited to interview.