Description
Environment Agency
Waste Scientist
Salary Minimum: £34,320
Post Type: Permanent
Grade: Staff Grade 4
Location: Leeds
Job ID: 34143
If you’re an analytical scientist with a passion for the natural environment this is an exciting opportunity for you. We’re looking for an enthusiastic, motivated and experienced scientist to come join us in our Monitoring Laboratory based in Leeds. You’ll be responsible for supervising a small team carrying out on site waste sampling in the field and analysis of the waste samples back in the laboratory.
We really do value a diverse workforce. We want to be an organisation that represents modern Britain and all the communities we serve. We want everybody to feel included, fairly treated and duly recognised for the contribution they make.
Your main duties will include:-
Work as part of a team, motivate and develop staff to provide a world class service.
Act as a technical lead within your department, responsible for ensuring samples are collected following strict procedures to provide high quality data.
Use your knowledge and problem-solving skills to make sound decisions in the field to ensure samples are taken properly and all team members are kept safe.
Promote health, safety and wellbeing ensuring the provision of safe working practices in line with Environment Agency guidance.
Clearly communicate with customers, other team members and management to provide situational updates.
Continually develop your knowledge of sampling procedures and classification of waste in order to meet the objectives of each case.
Provide laboratory analysis of the samples collected in the field to provide high quality data for the Environment Agency.
The Team:
You’ll be working within a small team alongside approximately 65 other Analytical staff and 10 Customer Services colleagues. We provide analytical services to the Environment Agency and external customers which includes the analysis of environmental samples from across England and around the coastline and provide a bespoke Forensic Waste Service. If you’d like to know a bit more about our work please take a look at our website.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency/about
Experience/Skills Required:
Through experience to date you will ideally be able to demonstrate the following:
Working in an analytical laboratory to UKAS standard, with an in-depth knowledge of analytical techniques and instrumentation in the field of environmental analysis, preferably within the waste industry.
Experience of sampling within the waste industry or landfill sites and understand the challenges of field-based working.
Supervision of a technical or scientific team, including the development and training of others.
Excellent communication skills are essential with the ability to convey complex information.
Ability to problem solve and work within tight timescales and to strict quality criteria.
Experience/knowledge of WM3, waste classification - guidance on the classification of waste would be an advantage.
Experience of analysis used to classify waste samples.
Ideally you will be educated to at least degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject.
Full, clean, UK driving licence
Contact and Additional Information:
You’ll be welcomed into the team and given all the training and support you need to succeed in your new role.
We support flexible working hours and practices to help you strike a good balance between your work and personal life. You’ll have access to a Local Government Pension scheme as well as a host of other employee benefits.
You will be based at the Leeds Laboratory but will be required to go out sampling and stay away from home a few nights per month.
Our Leeds laboratory is well served by public transport links; we have secure bike pods and free staff parking on site as well as a brand-new staff canteen.
If you have any questions, please contact the hiring manager: Toni.Webster@environment-agency.gov.uk.
Closing date: 12 April 2026.
