Team / Directorate: Team Leader, Environmental Assessment & Advice / Operations
Starting salary: £32,544 rising to £35,377 per annum through annual increments being paid each year (pro rata for part time applicants)
Contract type: Permanent
Work pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week (Part time, annualised hours, compressed hours or term time working considered - discussions at interview stage welcome)
Interview date: 21 May 2025
Post number: 200609
The role
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join our team as an Environmental Data Collection Officer for Mid Wales. You would work as part of the Mid Wales Environmental Assessment and Advice Team. We provide multifunctional advice and monitoring across Mid Wales. You will be confident about working outdoors in different field environments, weather conditions, and sometimes in remote locations, and you will be comfortable working in water to carry out data collection and survey work. This varied role, based in the field, includes:
* Collect routine water quality samples in rivers, lakes and bathing waters.
* Ecological kick-sampling to detect invertebrates and diatoms.
* Terrestrial monitoring support.
* Drive from site to site, including some routes when a 4x4 vehicle is required.
* Use technology to collect data in the field with a hand-held meter and input data on a tablet device.
* Operating equipment such as data sondes and passive sampling equipment in a river.
The data collected by our team are used to report against statutory requirements and are key evidence used by Place Teams in Wales, to inform their decisions and actions in the sustainable management of our natural resources.
As an organisation, we support flexible working. You will be contracted to an NRW office within the place base / location above 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 Stephanie Meadows, stephanie.meadows@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk
Interviews will take place through Microsoft Teams.
Successful external applicants will be subject to a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) check. We aim to make offers of appointment within 4 to 8 weeks of the closing date.
What you will do
Carry out survey work and data collection, in order to help deliver our monitoring programmes as part of the business plan and environmental outcomes.
* Be familiar with current laboratory procedures and data entry requirements, and upload data directly to the laboratory databases.
* Support EAO in scheduling their own and team members sampling on LIMS.
* Provide good quality data via field sampling and undertake initial data quality assurance in the field.
* Help support colleagues in developing and maintaining skills for specific sampling techniques.
* Train and supervise seasonal assistants to deliver annual sampling work.
* Be able to lead a small team of staff in delivering operational sampling e.g. electrofishing Officer in Charge.
* Interpret and implement basic scientific and technical procedures and principles in an integrated way to ensure monitoring activities are carried out to the required standards.
* Provide sampling advice and support to other monitoring staff; test and apply improved sampling techniques/technologies.
* Support investigations, identify concerns and respond to the team/other functions, in line with our own policies, to support positive environmental outcomes.
* Maintain specialist sampling equipment.
* Undertake health and safety duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.
* Be committed to your own development through the effective use of your personal development plan (known as Sgwrs).
* 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:
* Experience of operational sampling and/or monitoring.
* Experience of team working.
* Data and information management experience.
* A current full UK valid licence to drive NRW fleet vehicles (cars and vans).
* Ability to swim and be confident working in water. (Essential)
* Reasonable knowledge of terrestrial ecology, freshwater ecology, water quality, fisheries or earth science.
* IT competencies; MS Office and database experience.
* Essential: Level A1 – Entry level (able to use and understand simple, basic phrases and greetings, no conversational Welsh).
* Desirable: Level B2 – Upper intermediate level (able to discuss work matters).
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.
This role will offer a range of benefits, including:
* 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.
If you think you have what it takes to do this role, but don’t necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the role with you in more detail.
We’re passionate about creating a diverse workforce and positively encourage applications from under-represented communities. We embrace equality of opportunity irrespective of disability, neurodivergence, ethnic origin, colour, nationality, gender expression and gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, culture, or religion. We put the principles of human rights, equality, fairness, dignity and respect at the heart of our values.
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 a 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.
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