Location
Preston

Hours
Full Time - Permanent

Salary
£28,859 rising to £34,320 after approximately 18 months

About the Role
As an Environment Officer – Land & Water, you'll join one of our frontline regulatory teams, working with businesses, farmers, landowners, and communities to protect and improve the local environment.

You will regulate activities that affect both water quality and quantity, including:
- Water companies to ensure discharges and operations don’t harm people or the environment.
- Farms and agricultural premises of all sizes, including sites with intensive pig and poultry production.
- Abstraction licences for those taking water from rivers or groundwater for crop irrigation, cooling systems or drinking supply.

You’ll carry out inspections, ensure compliance with environmental permits, and when needed, take enforcement action. In serious cases, this could include preparing evidence for prosecution and giving evidence in court.

This is a role where you will see tangible results from your work, whether it’s preventing pollution, improving a watercourse or protecting precious ecosystems.

You’ll also:
- Engage directly with customers, communities, and operators.
- Travel frequently, sometimes at short notice, to inspect sites and respond to issues.
- Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Environment Agency.
- Get involved in incident response, including out-of-hours working when required (full training provided and additional payments may apply).

All Environment Officers have a designated incident role. You’ll be trained and supported to take part in our national incident response framework, which may involve occasional out-of-hours work. Full training and additional payments apply.

Your Development Journey
You’ll join at EOA grade and follow a structured development programme leading to promotion to EOB grade. This typically takes around 18 months.

Your training will include:
- Residential sessions (3–5 days at a time, for at least 3 weeks overall).
- On-the-job learning.
- Support to build your technical knowledge, regulatory understanding, and personal effectiveness.

We’ll provide all the tools, training, and PPE you need to stay safe and succeed in your role.

What We Offer You
A starting salary of £28,859 rising to £34,320 after approximately 18 months.
Generous pension scheme of up to 19%.
25 days holiday + 8 bank holidays, plus 2 additional paid days for environmental volunteering.
Flexible working options considered.
Overtime opportunities for incident and standby work.
Full training, equipment, and support for your safety and success.
A culture that supports career progression, diversity, and inclusion.

Experience
Customer service experience – you’ll be working with the public and regulated operators.
Experience in a scientific or regulatory environment is beneficial but not essential as full training will be provided.

About you
A passion for environmental protection and the resilience to work in a challenging but highly rewarding field.
Ability to engage effectively with customers, communities, and colleagues.
Willingness to travel frequently, sometimes at short notice.
Preparedness to participate in incident response, including occasional out-of-hours work.
Strong commitment to health and safety and personal development.

Qualifications
A full UK driving licence (DVLA check will be conducted if invited to interview).
GCSE (Grade A–C or equivalent) in a science-related subject OR equivalent practical experience.