Environmental Science Officer (HNS)

Are you passionate about protecting public health and the environment?, A member of the MCA's Counter Pollution and Salvage team, the Government body responsible for responding to marine pollution and salvage incidents on behalf of the MCA as the UK Competent Authority.
As the role holder, it will be your responsibility to concert with other counter pollution officers, to ensure that the Agency is fulfilling its role as the government body responsible for responding to counter pollution incidents inside the UK Exclusive Economic Zone (UK EEZ).
In addition, you will ensure that adequate scientific, technical and environmental support is available to meet the Marine Pollution Prevention, Preparedness and Response regulatory requirement.
You will support the assessment, monitoring and where appropriate respond to both actual and potentially polluting incidents at sea, and support response organisations on the shoreline.
Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:
+ Develop and maintain a high level of proficiency in Hazardous and Noxious Substances (HNS) policy, regulation and contingency planning and response.
+ As a Subject Matter Expert (SME) provide direct MCA support to Local Authorities (LAs) at Operational Response Centres during shoreline pollution incident response; representing the Agency in LA operational centres when directed.
+ Delivery of accurate and timely operational, scientific, technical and environmental advice to incident response personnel on all aspects of oil, HNS and other forms of potential and actual pollution, seeking and arranging additional specialist advice where necessary.
+ Forge, facilitate and maintain working links with Other Government Departments, (OGDs)/Agencies/Non Government Departments (NGOs) and other appropriate stakeholders with respect to research and best practice in maritime and environmental planning, environmental impact assessment and response, and spill modelling in relation to HNS.
For further information about the role and responsibilities, please see the attached role profile., This role will be based in the Southampton HQ. MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work.
The expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your working time based at your principal workplace or out on official business. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.
There will be a requirement for occasional travel on official duty (UK and overseas), including overnight stays at short notice.
Medical
Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a physical medical for this role, please see the attached document.
Please refer to the special features section on the role profile for further information.
About Operational Delivery Profession (ODP)

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Working Together
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Delivering at Pace, + Working with emergency response planning, plans and management, preferably in the maritime sector.
+ Environmental impact and monitoring of oil and HNS in the marine and coastal environment, including trajectory and fate modelling, and familiarity with GIS and remote sensing systems.
+ Response strategies and techniques to deal with HNS in the marine and coastal environment.
+ Understanding of EU and UK environmental regulation wrt maritime pollution and its consequences.
+ Ability to work in operational situations, often fast moving and requiring dealing with multiple issues both in parallel and in quick succession.
Your Personal Statement will be limited to a maximum of 1250 words.
It is essential when submitting your Personal Statement that you provide as much detail as possible, and utilise the full word count given, against the essential criteria outlined above, as this will be used in conjunction with your CV to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process.
Sift and Interview Dates:
The sift is due to take place between 4th – 6th December 2024.
Interviews/assessments are likely to be held between 16th – 18th December 2024.
This interview will be conducted via face to face at our Southampton office. Further details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:
+ An interview.
+ A presentation.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.
Working Pattern
This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.
Reasonable Adjustments
As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes., Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks., + UK nationals
+ nationals of the Republic of Ireland
+ nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
+ nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
+ individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
+ Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
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Can you deliver in a fast paced, operational environment?, To be successful in this role, you will need a First Degree or equivalent in marine chemistry or other related subjects. If a degree is not held, extensive appropriate relevant occupational experience would be considered.
You will have experience of working with emergency response planning, plans and management, preferably in the maritime sector. In addition, you will have working knowledge of response strategies and techniques to deal with HNS in the marine and coastal environment.
Environmental impact and monitoring of oil and HNS in the marine and coastal environment, including trajectory and fate modelling, and familiarity with GIS and remote sensing systems is something you have knowledge of.
You will have an understanding of EU and UK environmental regulation wrt maritime pollution and its consequences and the ability to work in operational situations, often fast moving and requiring dealing with multiple issues both in parallel and in quick succession., A full UK Driving Licence & A passport valid for international travel is required for this role., First Degree or equivalent in marine chemistry or other related subjects. If a degree not held, extensive appropriate relevant occupational experience would be considered.

Do you want a challenging role where you will be in the forefront of making a difference to the safety and protection of the sea and shoreline?
If so, we are looking for a Environmental Science Officer (HNS) to join us at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and we'd love to hear from you!
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government’s maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.
Safer lives. Safer Ships. Cleaner Seas.
Our vision is to be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers and our planet at the heart of everything we do.
We are committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams.
We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at MCA.
This culture of inclusion is underpinned by our staff networks groups covering, Women’s, LGBTQI+, Race, Carers, Mental Wellbeing and volunteer Respect Ambassadors.