Environmental Advisor Student Placement

Job Summary

The Planning Inspectorate is a government agency of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. We handle planning appeals, national infrastructure planning applications, examinations of local plans and other specialist casework across England.

Our job is to help meet future infrastructure needs and underpin further economic growth through sustainable development across a number of sectors, particularly energy and transport. We support communities and where they live by implementing the government’s aims of sustainable development through shaping positive local planning.

You will be working for a government agency at the forefront of environmental planning in the UK. Our projects are of national significance including wind and solar farms, pipelines, nuclear power, transport schemes, and many more. This is your chance to be involved in shaping landscapes and communities in England using sustainable and environmentally conscious methods.

• Review planning and appeal documents to prepare screening and review reports.
• Upload and manage GIS data for major projects, identifying consultees for consultation.
• Monitor the team inbox, log new cases, and respond to queries.
• Contribute to scoping opinions and transboundary assessments, providing feedback on environmental impacts.

• Build collaborative relationships across teams, the Inspectorate, and with stakeholders.
• Share ideas to improve processes and enhance performance.
• Act on feedback, take responsibility for self-development, and model organisational values.
• Ensure compliance with data management, health, safety, and organisational policies.

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. Internal rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

This role is being advertised at £23,751 Apprentice AO Grade.

Standard working week is 37 hours, flexible working hours policy available.

This role is contractually based at our office in Bristol, 10-minute walk from Temple Meads train station. We recognise and value the mutual benefits of hybrid working and have a flexible approach to in person attendance, which can vary dependent on the requirements of individual business units - the details of which can be discussed with candidates if invited to attend an interview.

• Sandwich year placement student on any environmental-related course such as environmental science, environmental management, ecology, or geography.
• High attention to detail with motivation to work in environment planning.
• Good time management and ability to manage own workload and prioritise conflicting priorities to deliver to agreed timescales.
• Ability to analyse large volumes of information (written and numeric).
• A high standard of written and oral skills.
• IT literate with ability to work effectively across the Microsoft suite of applications.

• Experience of working in an administrative capacity in an operational delivery or customer service environment.
• Basic knowledge of the Town and Country Planning Act (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017 and/or The Infrastructure Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations 2017.

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service
• Working Together

Alongside your salary of £23,751, Planning Inspectorate contributes £6,880 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Flexible working options, including flexi-time, compressed hours and home working if suitable for the role.
• A working culture which encourages inclusion and diversity.
• 25 days annual leave increasing by 1 day per year up to 30 days after 5 years, plus 1 privilege day to mark the King’s birthday. In addition to the normal bank holidays.
• Generous family-friendly policies.
• Fast and modern IT kit…