GROUNDWATER AND CONTAMINATED LAND ENVIRONMENT OFFICER - 31384

Groundwater and Contaminated Land Environment Officer - 31384
Number of jobs available
2
Region
South East
City/Town
West Malling
Building/Site

DEFRA GRP EA ORCHARD HOUSE, ME19 5SH

Grade
Staff Grade 4
Post Type
Permanent
Role Type
Environment & Sustainability, Operational Delivery
Working Pattern
Full Time
Salary Minimum
£33,000
Closing Date:
20/07/2025, 23:55 hours
Job description attachment 1
Job Profile - 31384.pdf – 65KB Opens in a new window
Candidate pack
Candidate Pack - 31384.docx – 2041KB Opens in a new window
Converted File Candidate Pack - 31384.docx.pdf – 718KB Opens in a new window
Security checks level
Basic Check
Job description
We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please clearly include any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
Kent has a variety of geological, groundwater interests and pressures. Groundwater is vital for maintaining the health of rivers, wetlands being essential for industrial and agricultural sectors.

Groundwater also serves over 70% of Kent’s private water supply for over 5 Water Companies in the area. We support the appropriate regulation and management of this precious resource in a variety of ways including, but not limited to:

• Responding to planning consultations from local authorities.
• Providing technical advice to customers on sites affected by land contamination.
• Working with our National Permitting Service to determine Environmental Permits and consents.
• Providing technical advice on compliance activities to internal regulatory teams, including waste, installations and water regulation.
• Supporting management of Kent’s Groundwater Quality networks and assessing the resulting data.
• Providing groundwater quality specific advice to various internal, external customers and stakeholders, especially other teams within the area.
• Supporting the team’s technical specialists in progressing groundwater quality projects.

By doing the above, you will play a critical role in safeguarding the quality of our groundwater, ensuring improvements are achieved.
Other key requirements for this role include good IT skills, data handling, analysis, time management. Membership of a relevant professional body/chartered status, is desirable.
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role making yourself available to respond to incidents/provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment, full training, and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role.
The team
The Team covers the whole of Kent, South London and East Sussex (KSLES). Its members are dispersed across our offices in KSLES. We work with a variety of other teams across the Environment Agency and external customers/partners through written communication, in person and virtual meetings, and site visits.
The team has a supportive culture despite being dispersed. We prioritise the personal and professional development of team members, including supporting membership to two relevant professional bodies.
Experience/skills required

Holding a degree in fields i.e. Hydrogeology, Geology, Earth Science/Environmental Science, and/or relevant work experience in the environmental/geotechnical sector, being able to demonstrate experience and/or awareness of:

• Groundwater quality, land contamination issues, including source-pathway-receptor principles.
• The ability to create, review, communicate 3D hydrogeological concepts based upon written information and maps/plans.
• The ability to solve problems making risk-based decisions based on complex/incomplete information.
• Understanding of key environmental legislation and guidance (i.e. Environmental Permitting Regulations/Environmental Protection Act/Water Framework Directive, Land Contamination Risk Management).
• Understanding of the planning regime, including the role of local authorities, the Environment Agency, and other relevant regulatory bodies.
• The ability to use technical knowledge to present clear and reasoned justification for decisions.
• Excellent written, verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate with a variety of customers.
• The ability to work as part of a team to achieve common goals.

Contact and additional information
The role will be based in Kent and interviews are planned for August 2025. The interviews may use different capabilities and questions to the application form and there will be a technical assessment.
For further details please contact Rebecca Buhrmann at Rebecca.buhrmann@environment-agency.gov.uk.
The office location is ideally Addington. Other Kent offices including Tonbridge and Canterbury are also considered. We offer hybrid working with a mix of office and home working where appropriate. You will be required to travel within Kent and South London on a regular basis, including a minimum of 1 day a week for in office team meetings. Travel to other EA locations will be required on occasion for meetings and training.
A full UK driving licence is essential.
Competence 1
Data and Information Management
Description
Please note we do not assess CVs. It is your answers given to the questions below that will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. We encourage you to refer to the candidate pack for a link to our “EA capability dictionary” You may find it helpful to research the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach when formulating your response.
Please provide an example of a time you have demonstrated the competency in the question set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):
Please tell us about a time when you have had to manage information to support the work of others. How did you ensure the correctness of this information whilst meeting organisational and/or legislative requirements?
Competence 2
Scientific Knowledge
Description
Please note we do not assess CVs. It is your answers given to the questions below that will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. We encourage you to refer to the candidate pack for a link to our “EA capability dictionary” You may find it helpful to research the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach when formulating your response.
Please provide an example of a time you have demonstrated the competency in the question set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):
Describe a situation where you had to apply your scientific knowledge to design and implement an environmental programme or project. What were the objectives, methods and outcomes? How did you ensure the quality and reliability of the data collected? What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Competence 3
Focuses on Customers and Partners
Description
Please note we do not assess CVs. It is your answers given to the questions below that will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. We encourage you to refer to the candidate pack for a link to our “EA capability dictionary” You may find it helpful to research the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach when formulating your response.
Please provide an example of a time you have demonstrated the competency in the question set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):
Please tell us about a time you have delivered a successful outcome by working with and balancing the needs other teams and team members.
Competence 4
Manages Self
Description
Please note we do not assess CVs. It is your answers given to the questions below that will be used for interview selection so ensure you draw out your skills and experience in your response. We encourage you to refer to the candidate pack for a link to our “EA capability dictionary” You may find it helpful to research the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach when formulating your response.
Please provide an example of a time you have demonstrated the competency in the question set out below (the answer you provide will be assessed as part of your application):
Please describe a time when you have had to manage multiple workstreams, with competing deadlines and priorities. What were the challenges you faced and how did you overcome these?
Role specific license requirements
Full UK Driving Licence