Agriculture Regulatory Inspection Officer - Cumbria & Lancashire - 32908

CompanyEnvironment Agency

LocationPenrith, England, United Kingdom

Posted At1/20/2026

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Occupation Type

Inspectors of standards and regulations

Occupation Code Skill LevelMedium Skilled

Sponsorship EligibilityIneligible for Sponsorship

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Description

a full UK driving licence
IT skills (e.g. Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel), be comfortable using an iPad and a laptop on a daily basis, and be capable of inputting inspection findings into databases
a willingness to undertake enforcement action where necessary

Job Description

Do you have a good knowledge of agriculture in England and want to improve our natural environment? Would you like to be at the forefront of agricultural change? This is an exciting opportunity as we are recruiting to our Cumbria & Lancashire Area to undertake regulatory inspections of farms focussing on priority catchments in Cumbria & Lancashire.

Agricultural practices can cause significant and chronic pollution to our precious water environment. These can be caused by leaks of slurry and silage effluent, and other materials, stored and spread on farms.

We are looking for dynamic individuals, including new graduates, with experience and understanding of UK agriculture, to work with farmers to help increase their levels of compliance with existing environmental regulations. This will contribute to safeguarding and improving the future environment.

The Environment Agency values a diverse workforce and welcomes applications from all sections of the community who wish to join a workforce which embraces difference and welcomes everyone.

In this role you will:

carry out targeted farm inspections

engage with farmers to influence them to change their practice, which may involve difficult conversations

collect data and produce reports on findings

be willing to undertake regulatory enforcement action when needed, including prosecutions and the serving of notices

Many are transferrable skills and training will be provided.

Responding to incidents is a central part of what we do. You will be required to have an incident role and make yourself available to respond to incidents or provide business continuity support during an incident. This may attract additional payment and full training and workplace adjustments will be available to support you with your incident role.

The team

As a member of the local agricultural regulation team, you will carry out targeted farm inspections in the catchments to help improve farmer behaviours with respect to their local environment. You will be part of a dispersed operational team that is integral to delivering real environmental improvements.

Experience/skills Required

The following skills are desirable:

experience of working with farmers on UK farms, the UK agriculture sector or regulation of a similar sector

an understanding of the complexities and challenges of working UK farms

excellent communication and influencing skills

an ability to have challenging conversations

You must have:

a full UK driving licence
IT skills (e.g. Microsoft Office, including Word and Excel), be comfortable using an iPad and a laptop on a daily basis, and be capable of inputting inspection findings into databases
a willingness to undertake enforcement action where necessary

Contact and additional information

This is a hybrid role based at our offices or depots in Cumbria & Lancashire, working at least 40% of the time away from home. You will be required to hold a full driving licence and be willing to travel extensively across the area. Further information can be found in the candidate pack.

Vehicle transport will be provided to allow site inspections.

If you are appointed, you will have to undergo vetting - we will conduct open-source checks including publicly availability barred lists.

This role is not eligible for a skilled worker visa.

For enquires please contact Natalie.walsh@environment-agency.gov.uk

Interviews will be hosted in February 2026.

Competence 1

Achieves Results

Description

Giving an example of how you have delivered change on a farm or other site, describe how you prioritised your workload and how you met the final deadline.

What was the work and timelines you were working to?
Did you experience any setbacks and if so, what effect did this have?
What was the outcome?

We recommend the “STAR” approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result).

For further information please see the guidance here EA Capability Dictionary (calameo.com) [https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b]

Competence 2

Influences and Persuades Others

Description

Give an example of a time when you have had to bring a farmer, landowner or other customer around to your way of thinking.

What was the situation and what did you do?
What were the main challenges and how did you overcome these?
What was the outcome?
What did you learn and is there anything you would do differently if a similar situation arose in the future?

We recommend the “STAR” approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result).

For further information please see the guidance here EA Capability Dictionary (calameo.com) [https://en.calameo.com/read/004433680aab41adf893b]

Competence 3

Legislative Knowledge

Description

The Farming Rules for Water (2018) are regulations about the prevention of diffuse pollution from farms.

Describe the key challenges farmers have with complying with these regulations.

What do you know about the farming rules for water?
Why are they important?
What challenges to farmers face that mean compliance is difficult?
What would you do to help improve farm compliance with these regulations?

We recommend the “STAR” approach when assessing these examples (i.e. what was the Situation; what was the Task you were required to do; what Actions did you take; what was the Result). Please refer to the candidate pack attached to read the capability dictionary and further information.

Role specific license requirements

UK Driving licence

If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible

for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.

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, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.

We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls . Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/become-a-crown-commercial-service-supplier/becoming-a-supplier-through-the-crown-commercial-service-what-you-need-to-know for more information.

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the Civil Service Careers website. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.