34568 - Water Quality Specialist
| Posting date: | 05 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £43,198 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 23 June 2026 |
| Location: | Wallingford |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 5 days per week |
| Company: | Environment Agency |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 34568 |
Summary
We’re looking for an enthusiastic and motivated individual with good planning, communication and data handling skills to help plan and deliver multi-functional environmental benefits, with the primary focus being Water Quality.
The successful candidate will work on a variety of aspects of strategic water planning to understand the risks, find solutions and work with those who can effect change. They will review, challenge and advise stakeholder plans and permissions, and ensure they comply with environmental regulations. They will also be required to understand, analyse and translate a variety of data/information into evidence that can be used to inform and influence decisions by technical and non-technical audiences.
This post is a water quality technical role working both with water companies and internal teams to reduce impacts from sewage discharges. Knowledge and experience of the following would be advantageous:
• Water company price review and asset management plans
• Knowledge of sewage treatment works and sewerage network processes and operation including Urban Pollution Management processes and standards
• Awareness of measures to protect the water quality of drinking water supplies from diffuse pollution sources
• Responding to water quality permit consultations and determination of waste water continuous and intermittent discharge permit limits
• Water industry wastewater management
• Environmental legislation relevant to sewage discharges and water quality
• Supporting local and national working groups and projects
• Advising and facilitating resolution of complex or contentious issues
• Responding to planning and development consultations
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to take on an incident role and be available to respond or support business continuity. This may include additional pay, with full training and flexible working arrangements provided.
The team
You will join the Integrated Environment Planning team, made up of specialists in water resources, water quality and catchment planning, working across the Thames Area.
We’re a friendly and supportive team of experienced advisors central to environmental decision making. We work with internal and external partners to collate, analyse and share data, providing evidence to inform Area priorities and deliver actions that maximise benefits for people and the environment.
Experience/skills required
Ideally qualified to degree level, preferably in an environmental discipline and/or have experience in the following areas:-
Essential:
• A good understanding of our business and environmental activities and have strong IT skills
• Have the ability to demonstrate specialist technical leadership and mentoring
• Water quality data analysis/research and/or modelling tools and techniques, and their outputs, to support proportionate, evidence-based inferences/proposals from information
• Experience of gathering, maintaining, quality-assuring and presenting data/information to inform and influence decisions
• Experience of translating guidance and instructions into delivery
• Ability to work under own initiative, and as part of a larger, cross-functional team, prioritising and delivering work to relevant standards and deadlines
• Good organisational skills/discipline and the ability to plan, track, deliver and evaluate own work
• Communicating effectively with a wide range of customers
The successful candidate will work on a variety of aspects of strategic water planning to understand the risks, find solutions and work with those who can effect change. They will review, challenge and advise stakeholder plans and permissions, and ensure they comply with environmental regulations. They will also be required to understand, analyse and translate a variety of data/information into evidence that can be used to inform and influence decisions by technical and non-technical audiences.
This post is a water quality technical role working both with water companies and internal teams to reduce impacts from sewage discharges. Knowledge and experience of the following would be advantageous:
• Water company price review and asset management plans
• Knowledge of sewage treatment works and sewerage network processes and operation including Urban Pollution Management processes and standards
• Awareness of measures to protect the water quality of drinking water supplies from diffuse pollution sources
• Responding to water quality permit consultations and determination of waste water continuous and intermittent discharge permit limits
• Water industry wastewater management
• Environmental legislation relevant to sewage discharges and water quality
• Supporting local and national working groups and projects
• Advising and facilitating resolution of complex or contentious issues
• Responding to planning and development consultations
Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to take on an incident role and be available to respond or support business continuity. This may include additional pay, with full training and flexible working arrangements provided.
The team
You will join the Integrated Environment Planning team, made up of specialists in water resources, water quality and catchment planning, working across the Thames Area.
We’re a friendly and supportive team of experienced advisors central to environmental decision making. We work with internal and external partners to collate, analyse and share data, providing evidence to inform Area priorities and deliver actions that maximise benefits for people and the environment.
Experience/skills required
Ideally qualified to degree level, preferably in an environmental discipline and/or have experience in the following areas:-
Essential:
• A good understanding of our business and environmental activities and have strong IT skills
• Have the ability to demonstrate specialist technical leadership and mentoring
• Water quality data analysis/research and/or modelling tools and techniques, and their outputs, to support proportionate, evidence-based inferences/proposals from information
• Experience of gathering, maintaining, quality-assuring and presenting data/information to inform and influence decisions
• Experience of translating guidance and instructions into delivery
• Ability to work under own initiative, and as part of a larger, cross-functional team, prioritising and delivering work to relevant standards and deadlines
• Good organisational skills/discipline and the ability to plan, track, deliver and evaluate own work
• Communicating effectively with a wide range of customers