Technical Officer - Groundwater & Contaminated Land

About Us

The Environment Agency has a broad and varied remit to protect and enhance the environment, with a goal to create a cleaner, safer and healthier environment for people and wildlife. Water is at the heart of all we do, drinking, washing, recreation, industry and health, our environment and economy depend on this precious resource. Clean and available water is essential and as water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, we need to do more to ensure we protect it.

Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly is an amazing place to live and work. We have a spectacular coastline, stunning countryside, dynamic towns and cities, and diverse wildlife. Whilst making a huge contribution to our economy prosperity, we have a broad range of industrial, agricultural and tourism businesses that can affect our groundwater resources. We need your knowledge and experience to help us protect the water environment now and for future generations.

What’s in it for you:

You’ll benefit from a culture that embraces difference and is inclusive where you’ll feel supported and trusted to do the right thing. We’ll invest in you and allow you to grow and shape your career. What’s more, you’ll have access to our great benefits package including:

• A salary up to £34,320.
• A generous pension scheme of 19%.
• Overtime opportunities through standby and incident pay.
• 25 days holiday + 8 bank holidays for full-time employees.
• Two additional days for paid environmental outcomes giving you the opportunity to take part in community activities.
• Great career opportunities.
• Maternity, paternity, and adoption leave scheme.

Options for flexible and/or part-time working may be considered on a case-by-case basis

Your role:

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic geoscientist to join our Groundwater & Contaminated Land Team. You will be responsible for:

• Protecting and enhancing the groundwater environment across the varied geology of Devon and Cornwall.
• Providing technical advice on groundwater abstraction licensing, pollution incidents, mining and the development of contaminated land.
• Turning hydrogeological information into easily understood and compelling arguments.

You will become part of a team of technical specialists who work together on groundwater resource and quality issues. We provide hydrogeological advice to a broad range of internal and external customers to mitigate risks to groundwater. We will support your continuing development through training and membership of professional bodies (e.g. GeolSoc).

What will you do:

• Provide hydrogeological advice on pumping tests and groundwater abstraction proposals.
• Evaluate risk assessments undertaken to clean up historic contaminated land and groundwater pollution incidents.
• Assess permit applications for discharges to ground from a wide range of sectors including industry, agriculture, mining, and private sewage effluent.
• Contribute to our groundwater level and chemical quality monitoring networks.
• Use groundwater models to help evaluate strategic groundwater management.
• Help to classify and report on the status of groundwater resources and groundwater quality across Devon and Cornwall.

This role will be located in our office in Exeter. You will work with colleagues across Devon and Cornwall. Office attendance, occasional external meetings, training and site visits will be required on a business need basis.

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. Full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you with your incident role. This may attract and additional payment.

What you’ll need:

Essential

• Degree in a relevant environmental discipline (e.g., Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Geography, Engineering, Geosciences, Environmental Science etc.).
• Good knowledge of groundwater protection issues and relevant environmental legislation.
• Proficiency in producing, analysing and presenting a range of environment data to develop evidence and solve technical issues.
• Good organisational skills/discipline and the ability to plan, track, deliver and evaluate work, meeting relevant standards and timescales.

Desirable

• Professional hydrogeological experience in a water resources or groundwater quality setting.

Additional information

To learn more about these roles from those already in them, gain insight into the recruitment process, and have the chance to ask your questions, join us for our candidate call on:

Wednesday 8th October 2025 at 15.10pm - 16.10pm

This will be held on Microsoft Teams and is open to all applicants. You do not need to have submitted an application to join the call, just click the apply button for further information.

This role must be undertaken from within the UK and does NOT qualify for sponsorship. Visit the Government website and search for visas and immigration to seek professional advice regarding options for obtaining the right to work in the UK.

As an organisation, we strive to reflect the communities we serve, to achieve this we welcome applications from all backgrounds regardless of race, sexual orientation, and religion.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance on our careers site for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Join us, and together, let's tackle the challenges of a changing climate and build a more sustainable future. Apply now and embark on a rewarding and fulfilling career journey with the Environment Agency.

Please note: Candidates selected for interview will be notified by email at least five days in advance. Please check both your inbox and junk mail folders to ensure you don’t miss our message. A reserve list will be held, and you may be offered other roles in other locations including temporary roles, which may be similarly aligned to this role.

Closing date for applications: 20th October 2025
Interview Dates: Week commencing 10th November and week commencing 17th November 2025