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Job description

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency NIEA is an Executive Agency. The NIEA has three Divisions Water Regulation and Enforcement Division, Waste and Industrial Pollution Regulation and Enforcement Division and Natural Environment Division. The Higher Scientific Officer will report directly to a Senior Scientific Officer (SScO) within the laboratory. Please see employer website for full job details & person specification.

Responsibilities

• Duties Specific to Trace Metals Team: Sample preparation and analysis for Total and Dissolved Metals in a range of matrices in line with documented analytical procedures;
• Operation of ICP-OES, ICP-MS, IC-ICP-MS & CVAFS analytical instrumentation and routine system maintenance;
• Duties Specific to Inorganic Chemistry Team: Sample analysis for methods including Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Dissolved Oxygen, Ammonia, Chloride, Chemical & Biochemical Oxygen Demands, Chlorophyll-a, , pH, Conductivity, Colour, Anionic Surfactants
• Operation of Continuous Flow and Discrete Autoanalysers, Robotic BOD Analyser, Spectrophotometers and Titrators.
• Duties Specific to the Trace Organics Team: Sample preparation and analysis for a wide range of organic substances;
• Operation/management of a wide range of GCMS and LCMS instrumentation, automated sample preparation systems;
• Duties Specific to the Quality Team: Maintenance of the ISO17025 Quality Management System; Carry out management system and technical internal audits; Coordination of contract review process (AMAP);
• Coordination and review of outcomes of external proficiency schemes and calibration schedules; Liaison with UKAS auditors both during the annual audit and in the clearance of audit findings;
• Providing advice and support to all staff within the QMS and to senior Management in relation to the ISO 17025:2017 and the QMS.
• Duties Common to the HScO Grade in the Water Chemistry Analytical Services Group: Management of a small team of staff, primarily at the scientific officer grade, involved in one of the above work areas:
• Plan, allocate, manage and monitor the workload of staff;
• Management of laboratory resources, capital and consumable to include preparation and evaluating capital equipment purchases, i.e. assessing requirements, obtaining quotes, tender evaluation.
• Ensuring analytical data and procedures meet the quality requirements of ISO/IEC 17025, UKAS accreditation and are capable of satisfying the needs of National Policy, Legislation and International Agreements;
• Performance of advanced analytical duties and management of programmes of method development and validation;
• Achieving agreed objectives as set out in the associated Business Plans and ensuring analytical data is reported to end user teams within target turnaround times;
• Participation and management of external proficiency schemes to ensure quality assurance of data; Participation in internal and external audits;
• Managing Health and Safety Policy within the team to ensure a safe working environment; Responsibility for the completion of Risk Assessments and COSHH Assessments as required;
• Provision of scientific advice and support to senior staff; Undertaking line management duties in accordance with the NICS performance management framework and sickness absence policy;
• Preparing Investigatory and Statements of Witness Reports; Acting as an Expert Witness in Court when required; Liaison with End User Teams, Field staff, staff from across the NIEA, other Government Departments and Environmental Regulators;
• Ensure Professional and Technical knowledge remains up to date through attendance at appropriate lectures, seminars and training courses. Act as Duty Scientist on an on-call rota basis.
• Flexibility required with regards to working hours as the laboratories are extremely busy in the afternoon once samples are received.
• Overtime to include weekend work; May be required to participate in a weekend screening rota within the organics team; Travel on official duty in accordance with business needs.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Applicants must, by the closing date for applications, have: 1(a) A degree or equivalent qualification in Chemistry or in a subject where the study of chemistry is a major component.
• 'Major component’ is defined as: At least 50% of the course covers core chemistry modules such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical or analytical chemistry modules.
• Candidates must provide documentary evidence of their qualifications in their application. The onus is on the applicant to clearly illustrate that their HND/Degree meets the ‘major component’ criteria.
• All applicants should list all modules studied during degree (including those with no chemistry content) & also briefly set out details of each of relevant core modules detailed above, show they add up to at least 50% of total number modules studied.
• AND 1(b) At least 3 years’ relevant practical experience in the last 8 years working in an analytical chemistry laboratory. Experience may be gained in academic postgraduate research, voluntary or work related fields.
• OR 2(a) A HND or equivalent qualification in Chemistry or in a subject where the study of Chemistry is a major component.
• 'Major component’ is defined as: At least 50% of the course covers core chemistry modules such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical or analytical chemistry modules.
• Candidates must provide documentary evidence of their qualifications in their application. The onus is on the applicant to clearly illustrate that their HND/Degree meets the ‘major component’ criteria.
• All applicants should list all of the modules studied during the degree (including those with no chemistry content).
• And also briefly set out details of each of the relevant core modules detailed above and show that they add up to at least 50% of the total number of modules studied.
• AND 2(b) At least 5 years’ relevant practical experience in the last 8 years working in an analytical chemistry laboratory. Experience may be gained in academic postgraduate research, voluntary or work related fields.
• OR 3(a) At least four GCE/GCSE ‘O’ Levels, grades A-C, in separate subjects which must include English Language, Mathematics and at least one Science subject (Chemistry, Biology, Physics).
• Relevant or equivalent qualifications: give the type of qualification and date awarded (the date awarded is the date on which you were notified of your result by the official awarding body).
• If you believe your qualification is equivalent to the one required, the onus is on you to provide the panel with details of modules studied etc so that a well-informed decision can be made.
• AND 3(b) At least 7 years’ practical experience in the last 8 years working in an analytical chemistry laboratory. Experience may be gained in academic postgraduate research, voluntary or work related fields.

Further Information

Location: NIEA Headquarters. In addition applicants should be aware that after an eligibility sift, should it be necessary to shortlist candidates to go forward to interview, the following shortlisting criteria will be used: 1. The Panel will carry out an objective evaluation of the depth and breadth of information provided by candidates in response to eligibility criterion 1b, 2b or 3b. NICS Application form only, Vacancy closing date Friday 29th May at 12 noon. Applications from Protestants, young people (people under the age of 35), people with a disability and people from minority ethnic communities are particularly welcomed for this post. The Northern Ireland Civil Service is an Equal Opportunities Employer. All applications for employment are considered strictly on the basis of merit.