29647 - Senior Assistant Scientist - Microbiology and Molecular Biology

Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone?

Then the Environment Agency is the organisation for you.

We are fully committed to having an inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We don’t just talk about diversity; we seek it, embrace it and live it, for the benefit of our staff, our communities and our environment.

We recognise people with protected characteristics may experience difficulties in the job market. We are fully committed to being an inclusive, equal-opportunities employer, with a diverse workforce, attracting applications from under-represented groups, including Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic people, people with a disability, with gender diverse identities and varying socio-economic backgrounds.

The Environment Agency’s Monitoring Laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC17025 and include 3 sites across the country – Leeds, Brampton and Starcross. This role is based at the Monitoring Laboratories’ Starcross site, specialises in freshwater, saline and effluent analysis, delivering core analytical work in parallel with investigational/project work for the Environment Agency and for other government and commercial customers.

• support the analytical work of less experienced staff
• play a key role in the training and development of the team, ensuring that work is carried out to defined quality standards
• support senior staff by providing feedback to shape the team’s development
• enjoy working as part of a team to deliver organisational goals
• be comfortable working in a busy lab environment, delivering at pace and communicating effectively within a team.
• assist with the maintenance of our internal quality-systems, including maintaining documentation, monitor Bias/RSD performance of our methods and carry out non-conforming-work investigations in line with our ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation.
• actively promote health, safety and wellbeing ensuring provision of safe working practices in line with Environment Agency guidance.

The team

You will be part of the Monitoring Laboratories that provide analytical services to the Environment Agency (EA) and external customers. Based at Starcross, the team comprises 22 staff and is responsible for a wide range of analytical methods that are essential in supporting the Environment Agency’s aims and objectives.

This position is laboratory-based and travel is not required. There would be opportunities to volunteer for work related conferences or outcome days.

Experience/skills required

• have experience of standard microbiological and/or molecular biological techniques
• be able to demonstrate your ability to work cooperatively with team members to achieve results.
• be an effective communicator, able to provide training and constructive feedback.

You will also need to demonstrate the key capabilities as defined in the job profile.

You will be able to demonstrate your commitment to continuous professional development, for example by being, working towards, or willing to work towards becoming, a Registered Scientist with the Institute of Science and Technology (or similar).