About the job

Job summary

Make a difference in protecting public health by becoming a Drinking Water Inspector. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (the DWI) is seeking a talented individual with skills and/or experience in materials testing to join its team of Inspectors ensuring high quality water supplies across England and Wales.

The DWI is the regulator of drinking water quality in England and Wales. It operates on the behalf of the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and Welsh ministers.

Job description

Drinking Water Inspectors are involved in a wide range of tasks covering all functions from source to tap. In this specialist role, we are seeking an individual with expertise in materials testing, in particular for materials in contact with drinking water. You will ideally have knowledge of BS6920 protocols and EN 12873 and 15768 methods and the regulation 31 and WRAS requirements. Laboratory experience, particularly a knowledge of QC and accreditation requirements and experience in interpreting GCMS results would be an advantage.

Inspectors must decide whether or not there has been, or is likely to be, a breach of the regulations and if so, whether enforcement action is necessary to safeguard drinking water quality. Inspectors may be involved with interviewing staff, contractors or consumers; conducting site audits to assess treatment and monitoring processes or storage facilities; and in certain circumstances may be required to attend court and give interviews to the media. 

Inspectors work in teams under the direction of a Principal Inspector, however, there is a high degree of autonomy of decision making. Inspectors are responsible for managing the day to day relationship between the Inspectorate and one or more of the regulated water companies. Inspectors are also required to give authoritative advice to resolve disputes such as consumer water quality complaints or disagreements between the parties involved with the regulation or operation of a private water supply.  Whilst this role is primarily seeking an individual who has specialist knowledge of materials in contact with drinking water to work in the regulation 31 team, it is expected that the successful applicant will develop their skills to support the Inspectorate in its wider duties.

Person specification

On an interpersonal level, you should have an enquiring mind and be motivated and dedicated to improving the approach by companies in producing a wholesome product and protecting public health. It is preferable that you should have a good honour’s degree or equivalent qualification in a subject related to water supply, water quality or other relevant subject and that this is supported by postgraduate experience in the water industry or related field.

You should have attained, be working towards or willing to work towards chartership of your professional body.

You will have good IT skills and be well organised. As travelling is an integral part of the job, often to areas not served by public transport, you should have a valid driving licence, although it may be possible to adjust this requirement for those who have difficulty meeting it because of a disability. Media training and project management skills would be advantageous.

DWI is committed to a programme of continuous professional development.

If you would like to be involved in a role that can make a difference to public health and you have the abilities outlined above we would like to hear from you.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,649 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete:

• A name-blind (anonymous) CV with details of your full job history, experience and qualifications
• 1 x Behaviour Statement (250 word max)
• Personal Statement. Please use the Personal Statement (750 word max) to set out your reasons for applying for the role of an Inspector – Materials in contact with drinking water - Regulation 31. Please detail your experience and explain how your current skills are transferrable.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Interview

If successful at application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on behaviours, strengths and a written exercise. The written exercise needs no prior preparation and is used to measure an applicant's experience in the water industry.

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Interviews to be held remotely by MS Teams.

Location 

As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).

Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to
change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.

The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an
organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations. Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.

The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.

Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD

Salary

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles 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 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Childcare Vouchers

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

NSV

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: 

Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. 

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional. 

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.