The Environment Agency is an executive non-departmental public body. We work to create better places for people and wildlife, and support sustainable development.

Air quality is a priority for Government and Defra, through the Clean Air Strategy, 2019. This role provides technical leadership, support, guidance and advice when assessing the impacts of pollutants on habitats, notably ammonia and nitrogen dioxide. Due to the sources of these pollutants, the work dovetails with climate-change mitigation and therefore provides the appointee the chance to make a positive difference to protect habitats, human health and contribute to our climate work.

Amongst other things, you will be the lead our work on risk-thresholds for ammonia emissions from agriculture, used in permitting for habitats assessments. 

The role involves working with and advising internal and external partners. Internally, you will work with teams for biodiversity, permitting, process industries and agriculture. 

Externally, you will work with partner bodies including the Joint Nature Conservation Council, other regulatory bodies, Natural England and the Defra ecosystems teams.

The role also provides strategic direction and advice on the habitat/conservation issues related to air emissions from all EA regulated activities, principally intensive farming, waste, and installations. There is potential for field work too, working with some of the best minds in the field of assessing the impacts of ammonia, notably from pig/poultry intensive farms.  

The team

You will be working within the Monitoring & Assessment team within Radioactive Substances and Installations Regulation (RSIR), part of Environment & Business. The team works in four subject-areas, which are: ambient-air quality, emissions monitoring, odour assessment & control, and; noise monitoring & control.

This is a cross-cutting team which provides both leadership and technical support for pollution monitoring and assessment for all industrial sectors. Hence there is ample opportunity to develop within this role.

Experience/skills  - essential  

•    A science degree or equivalent status, e.g. another degree and membership of a relevant professional body;
•    A good understanding of air pollutants and their impacts on habitats;
•    A good understanding of national/international legislation for air quality and conservation (particularly the Habitats Regulations);
•    A thorough understanding of regulation of industrial installations or other permitted activities;
•    Experience of interpreting habitat impact-assessments, especially ammonia/nitrogen dioxide;
•    Working with industry and stakeholder groups and
•    Be able to manage and distil large amounts of technical information.

Experience/skills  - desirable 

•    Using the results of detailed modelling to make regulatory decisions, including liaison with on habitat/conservation issues;
•    A working knowledge of Environmental Permitting and agricultural regulation and
•    Working with other UK regulators, Natural England, trade bodies and Defra to help inform permitting approaches.