Scientist, Research Scientist, Environmental Compliance

DEFRA GRP EA OLYMPIA HOUSE LABORATORY, LS12 6DD

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.

The Environment Agency’s Monitoring Laboratories are accredited to ISO/IEC
17025 and include three sites across the country – Leeds, Brampton and Starcross. This position is based at the Leeds laboratory, which analyses a variety of environmental samples from fresh water to contaminated land samples. You will be directly contributing to the Environment Agency’s core responsibilities while working with a team carrying out analysis.

This role has a Monday‑to‑Friday work pattern. All EA employees are expected to participate in incident response and will receive relevant training and support to identify an appropriate role which suits their personal circumstances.

• Work within and support a team in delivering a high‑quality analytical service to defined time, cost and quality targets.
• Improve existing methods and, together with technical specialists, develop new ones when required.
• Analyse samples using a variety of extraction techniques and state‑of‑the‑art instrumentation.
• Interpret scientific data and provide technical service to both internal and external customers.
• Identify root causes and rectify technical issues using your knowledge and problem‑solving skills.
• Ensure Health and Safety procedures are adhered to at all times for yourself and your team.
• Train, support and develop less experienced members of the team.
• Ensure all work meets the high‑quality standards expected of an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory and encourage a culture of continuous improvement.

• Minimum 5 years’ experience in an analytical laboratory focused on Organic Chemistry with strong knowledge of analytical techniques.
• Proven experience and understanding with GC‑MS and LC‑MS.
• Strong communication skills to collaborate effectively with your team across departments/sites.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines, prioritise workloads and maintain strict quality standards.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving skills, ideally in a laboratory setting.
• Ability to demonstrate technical knowledge that enables you to supervise, train and mentor others, with evidence of successfully sharing this knowledge.
• Experience of working within quality standards, such as a UKAS accredited laboratory to ISO 17025 or equivalent.

• Educated to at least degree level or equivalent in a relevant subject.
• Knowledge and/or experience of LC‑QTOF.

You will have access to a Local Government Pension scheme as well as a host of other benefits.

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. We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

For more information about our work, please visit our website: