33017 - Senior Assistant Scientist

Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone? Then the Environment Agency is the organisation for you.

We're 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're 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 – Brampton, Leeds and Starcross. This role is based at our Starcross site, which specialises in freshwater, saline and effluent analysis, delivering core analytical work in parallel with investigational/project work for the EA and other government and commercial customers.

The Molecular and Microbiology team is based at the Monitoring Laboratories’ Starcross site. The team delivers core analytical work in parallel with investigational/project work for the Environment Agency and for other government and commercial customers.

In this role, you will:

Actively promote health, safety and wellbeing ensuring provision of safe working practices in line with Environment Agency guidance.
Support the analytical work of less experienced staff.
Play a key role in the training and development of the team and 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 and delivering at pace.


Be prepared to be flexible in your work area to reflect changing priorities within the team.
The team


You will be part of the Microbiology and Molecular Biology team, which comprises approximately 24 staff and is responsible for a wide range of analytical methods that are essential in supporting the Environment Agency’s aims and objectives.

Experience/skills required


You must:

Have some experience of microbiological and/or molecular techniques and 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.
Be able to demonstrate the key capabilities as defined in the Job Profile.

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).