Job Description
Do you want to work for an organisation that values difference and includes everyone? Then the Environment Agency is the organisation for you!
At the Environment Agency we work to create a better place for people and wildlife. We are an evidence‑based organisation, monitoring the environment to enable informed decisions.
We are looking for a Field Instrumentation Engineer with an interest in instrumentation and telemetry to undertake the commissioning, maintenance, and development of a wide range of water quality monitoring equipment and associated infrastructure. You will also ensure that all our monitoring systems are installed, commissioned, and operated in accordance with the Agency’s code of practice for health and safety.
The National Water Quality Instrumentation Service provides support to all instrument‑based water quality monitoring activities undertaken across the Agency. We deliver a vital service that underpins the Environment Agency’s regulatory responsibilities, playing a central role in the development and expansion of real‑time water quality monitoring under the 2021 Environment Act. The team also supports a wide range of citizen science and stakeholder partnerships.
Experience / skills required
* Instrumentation
* Relevant field experience
* Knowledgeable of electrical systems for instrumentation, including cabling, wiring methods, control circuits
* Actively forming and maintaining links with customers
* Demonstrated strong problem‑solving skills
* Excellent attention to detail
* Successful delivery of training to others
* Ability to work effectively as part of a team, and forge strong relationships
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must for this role as you’ll be liaising with local, national, and external customers.
* Be self‑driven and determined to succeed.
* Knowledge of water quality instrumentation and data
* Full UK licence
Desirable experience / skills
* Understanding of the Environment Agency’s Water Quality systems, community, and customers.
Contact and additional information
The role will be based at Caversham Lakes, Reading. There will be frequent and sometimes unscheduled travel across the Agency to access remote sites, which requires a full UK driving licence.
We offer a benefits package including annual leave starting at 25 days and an award‑winning Pension Fund.
You will be required to have an incident role or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract an additional payment and full training and alternative working arrangements will be available to support you in your incident role.
For further information please contact frances.houston@environment‑agency.gov.uk.
Face‑to‑face interviews will be held week commencing 05/01/26 & 12/01/26.
Competence 1: Communicates Effectively
Describe how you have communicated a complex technical challenge or initiative to a non‑technical audience to secure support and funding.
Competence 2: Changing and improving
Please provide an example when you have identified and implemented the introduction of new innovative technology and explain how the technology helped deliver an improvement in quality and efficiency.
Competence 3: Achieves Results
Please provide an example of a time you delivered a successful piece of work in the face of considerable challenges or obstacles.
Role specific licence requirements
Full clean UK licence.
Additional considerations
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc.) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.
We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non‑departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Seniority level
* Associate
Employment type
* Full‑time
Job function
* Research, Analyst, and Information Technology
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