Environmental Assessment Officer – Freshwater Ecology

The role

We are seeking a keen and enthusiastic Freshwater Ecologist to join our Environmental Assessment and Advice team in North West Wales. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the protection and improvement of freshwater environments in a country renowned for its natural beauty and ecological importance.

This is a varied role that blends laboratory analysis, desk-based assessment and fieldwork. The fieldwork will primarily be in North West Wales. You will play a key part in analysing freshwater ecological samples, alongside undertaking field surveys across a range of sites. Your work will directly support evidence-based decision-making and environmental protection.

You will have an aptitude for, and bring experience of, analysing freshwater ecological samples in the laboratory. You will also be confident working in the field, as well as being familiar with interpreting environmental data, producing clear and accurate reports.

We are looking for someone who is not only technically capable and comfortable reprioritising work on occasions as the need arises (such as for incidents) but also proactive and passionate about freshwater environments. This is a great opportunity to work within a supportive team and use your freshwater ecological expertise to improve the health of our rivers and lakes.

Driving is essential to this role as it requires fieldwork in remote areas not serviced by public transport. You must hold a full and current UK driving licence.

You must be able to swim and be confident working in water.

As an organisation we support flexible working. You will be contracted to the NRW office at the above location and a suitable hybrid working pattern will be agreed on appointment. Any regular face to face meetings or training will be planned in advance.

To make an informal enquiry about this role, please contact Claire Liversage at [email protected]

Interviews will be face to face (details of location will be shared in advance)

What you will do

• Undertake ad hoc and routine system administration, data quality assurance, analysis and reporting.
• Provide specialist, monitoring technical advice and guidance to internal and external customers, from a range of sources; helping ensure that decisions are based on sound technical judgement, in line with current legislation and best practice.
• Produce technical reports analysing and interpreting national and local datasets for operational work, public enquiries, court appeals etc.
• Help ensure that NRW’s monitoring data is collected and stored to the quality standards prescribed by European and UK legislation and by NRW policy.
• Assist Senior EAO and TL in planning, scheduling and tracking the annual survey and monitoring programmes, with regards to sampling activities.
• Advise on specialist non-routine monitoring/survey work and the analysis of data including input on delivery of operational measures.
• Contribute to delivery of survey and monitoring programmes.
• Guide, advise and support internal and external customers, ensuring decisions are made on sound technical data and information.
• Help resolve local issues by providing scientific and technical advice/interpretation of monitoring data.
• Assist in the development, implementation of new monitoring and reporting methods, including collaboration with partner organisations at a local level.
• Respond to requests for information relating to monitoring data, within specified deadlines.
• Maintain and procure specialist sampling equipment.
• Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post
• Be committed to Natural Resources Wales Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy, together with an understanding of how it operates within the responsibilities of the post
• Be committed to your own development the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
• Required to take part in incident response activities.
• Any other reasonable duties requested commensurate with the grade of this role.

Your qualifications, experience, knowledge and skills

In your application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate the following skills and experience using the STAR method.

1. Expertise in freshwater ecology and knowledge of relevant legislation
2. Practical experience of analysing freshwater ecological samples, and field-based monitoring and surveying methods for macrophytes and river habitats
3. Good analytical and organisational skills including experience of data management systems, knowledge of data handling and GIS
4. Excellent communication skills including interpreting and reporting on environmental data
5. Ability to swim and be confident working in water.
6. A current valid full UK driving licence to drive NRW fleet vehicles (cars and vans)

Welsh Language level requirements

• Essential: Level A1 – Entry level
• Desirable: B2 – Upper intermediate level.

Welsh language levels

Please note if you do not meet the A1 requirement i.e., ability to understand basic phrases and ability to pronounce Welsh names correctly, then NRW offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Additional Information

Successful applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. Appointments are normally made within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.

Benefits

This role will offer a range of benefits, including:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme offering employer contributions of 28.97% (successful internal staff will remain in their current pension scheme)
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 33 days
• generous leave entitlements for all your life needs
• commitment to professional development
• health and wellbeing benefits and support
• weekly wellbeing hour to use as you choose

See full details for all the employee benefits you will receive.

Please keep reading

We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We are committed to equal opportunities, and we guarantee interviews for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We want to attract and retain talented and highly skilled staff, so we make sure that our pay scales remain competitive. We advertise the full pay scale on our job descriptions. Appointed candidates start at the first point of the pay scale and annual increments are paid each year.

We want our staff to grow professionally and personally. From leadership development to access to further and higher education courses, our staff have opportunities to expand their knowledge on variety of topics, stay current in their field and continue to learn as their career progresses.

We are a Bilingual organisation which complies with the Welsh Language Standards. Welsh language skills are considered an asset to NRW, and we encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills.