Job Description

We are looking for a laboratory technical officer to lead on the maintenance and calibration of water quality monitoring instrumentation. Working as part of a busy, small team you will ensure that high quality practices and procedures are adhered to whilst calibrating and maintaining instruments. You will also assist the team leader in providing technical support and mentoring to members of the team. You will proactively ensure that the Agency\'s water quality monitoring capability is always available and collects data that is of evidential quality.

Your roles will include:
- Improving and innovating the ways in which NWQIS laboratory works, making sure they are as efficient as possible, whilst still complying with strict quality procedures.
- Organize tasks and workload between yourself and peers to encourage collaborative working.
- Improve and maintain professional relationships between customers/stakeholders and suppliers.
- Confidently train and advise customers in the field on how to use/understand water quality monitoring instrumentation.
- Train new starters and peers on how to maintain and calibrate water quality monitoring equipment.
- Actively control the quality of the laboratory output
- Excellent organisational skills
- The ability to solve problems
- Ability to communicate effectively with external and internal customers
- Able to work unsupervised

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required 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 and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.

The team

The National Water Quality Instrumentation Service (NWQIS) provides support to all instrument-based water quality monitoring activities undertaken across the Agency.
We deliver a vital service that underpins the Environment Agency\'s regulatory responsibilities, and we are playing a central role in the development and expansion of real time water quality monitoring in relation our responsibilities under the 2021 Environment Act. The team also supports a wide range of citizen science and stakeholder partnerships.

Experience/skills required

Ideally you will have a degree in a relevant discipline with a sound knowledge of instrumentation technology. You will also have previous experience in training people/colleagues and the ability to convey scientific and technical principles to a broad range of customers. Other key requirements for this job include: - water quality knowledge, enthusiasm, excellent communication skills, the ability to transfer knowledge and to mentor others. Proficiency in managing databases and quality control documents, word, excel and PowerPoint would be advantageous.

Contact and additional information

The role will be based at Caversham Lakes Depot, Reading, Berkshire. There will be occasional travel to locations nationally and therefore a driving license would be an advantage.
For further details please contact - Frances Houston, National Water quality Instrumentations Instrumentation Service Team Leader on frances.houston@environment-agency.gov.uk

Please note that your answers to the capability questions will be blind assessed and used for shortlisting purposes. You may find researching the STAR technique (Situation, Task, Action, Result) useful when answering the questions. Please demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the role in your answers.

Job description attachment 1

Job description attachment 2

Candidate pack

Closing Date:

25/08/2023, 23:55 hours

Level of security checks required

Basic Check

Competence 1

Communicates Effectively

Description

You will need to liaise closely with the team, partner organisations, and other expert external parties and be capable of giving clear, concise instruction, and be able to interpret and share complex information in an easily digestible manner.
Please provide examples of this competency.

Competence 2

Takes Decisions and Solves Problems

Description

Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.

Give an example of a complex technical problem you have had to solve detailing the steps you took to identify and solve the problem

Competence 3

Develops People

Description

Able to demonstrate experience in developing and coaching individuals using a variety of methods, including direct instruction, coaching and feedback.

Give an example of when you have helped someone else to improve their skills and knowledge.

Competence 4

Achieves Results

Description

The successful candidate will need to produce high-quality and accurate work within set deadlines.

Give an example of a time you have delivered a piece of work you are proud of within a short timescale. What obstacles and challenges did you have to overcome?

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 . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit for more information.

Environment Agency