Environmental Awareness Officer

THE ROLE

Laois County Council is inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the above competition to undertake the role of temporary Environmental Awareness Officer (Assistant Scientist). The successful applicant will be initially assigned to the Environment Section of Laois County Council. However, at the discretion of the Chief Executive, the successful applicant may be reassigned to other services in the future. The purpose of this post is to assist the Council in achieving its key climate action and environmental objective through education, awareness, promoting conservation and sustainability and enhancing the public’s enjoyment of the environment. This will include the promotion of good environmental management practice in homes, schools, communities and commercial/industrial sectors. In addition the post will entail responsibilities for waste permit/licensing responsibilities.

THE POSITION

The temporary Environmental Awareness Officer (Assistant Scientist) will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team within Climate Action, Community and Environment Department of Laois County Council.

The role requires a clear knowledge and understanding of local authority services and its key stakeholders and relationships, local government structures and its democratic role and mandate, current local government issues, future trends and strategic direction of the sector.

The temporary Environmental Awareness Officer (Assistant Scientist) shall operate under the direction of and report to the Senior Executive Engineer / Administrative Officer and must undertake those duties as assigned to them by their Supervisor. The temporary Environmental Awareness Officer (Assistant Scientist) shall also report to the Director of Service of the section to which they are assigned or any other person designated by the Director of Service.

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE POST

CHARACTER 

Candidates must be of good character. 

HEALTH

Candidates shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service. For the purpose of satisfying the requirements as to health, it will be necessary for successful candidates, before they are appointed, to undergo at their own expense a medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner to be nominated by the Local Authority. On taking up appointment the expense of the medical examination will be refunded to candidates.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education, training, experience, etc.

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the office –

• Hold an honours Degree (Level 8 in the National Framework of Qualifications) in science; 

• have at least two years satisfactory scientific experience; and

• possess a high standard of technical training and experience.

The following would be desirable: 

• Hold a SOLAS Safe Pass qualification

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POST

Candidates will demonstrate through their application form and at the interview that he/she has:

• Good knowledge of environmental policies, regional environmental plans including waste management, litter management and environmental action plans, pollution prevention, conservation, climate change, and protection of amenities.
• Knowledge of waste permitting/licensing procedures etc.
• An awareness of climate adaptation and mitigation in the context of local authority functions
• Excellent communication skills, interpersonal, presentation, organisational, report writing, analytical and IT skills, with a proven ability to work to tight deadlines.
• Capacity to foster a positive working relationship with colleagues/external stakeholders/private sector/voluntary/community in relation to environmental education initiatives.
• A high degree of self-motivation, initiative and judgement.
• Possess project/budget management skills and demonstrated experience in this area. 
• Possess experience in managing/facilitating working groups. 
• Possess excellent report writing skills. 
• People Management Skills
• Problem solving skills

DUTIES

The duties of the post of temporary Environmental Awareness Officer (Assistant Scientist) include, but are not limited to:

• Promote Laois County Council’s environmental policies and Regional Environmental plans including waste management, litter management and environmental action plans, pollution prevention, conservation, climate change and protection of amenities. 

• Work as part of the Council’s Community and Climate team and as part of the Council generally in the development of relevant policies and plans for the protection of the county’s environment including climate change. 

• Researching, developing and delivering education programmes and resources on a variety of topics for schools, community/other groups as required. 

• Sourcing and providing complementary workshops to assist schools and Tidy Towns groups with their ongoing activities.

• To act as Tidy Towns Facilitator to promote and support involvement in Tidy Towns in County Laois by providing workshops, events and activities to encourage active participation.

• Liaise with Eastern Midlands Waste Management Office and Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCCAE) for updates and this informs themes of more localised campaigns to complement and support national activities and campaigns. 

• Liaise with other public sector organisations, the private sector and voluntary/community groups in relation to environmental education initiatives and securing the delivery of activities at local level. 

• Dissemination of information on the environment in a variety of communication formats including press releases, social media and reports, as required.

• Active promotion of the Laois County Council’s Environmental Services activities through public information sessions, leaflets, newsletters, website, social media or other avenues as appropriate. 

• General promotional work including publicity briefings and information seminars/workshops as well as attending at national events held locally e.g. National Ploughing Championships etc.

• Promote the involvement of schools in environmental awareness programmes through regular direct contact with teachers and students by providing seminars, workshops, network events and mentoring appointments.

• Engage schools in environmental awareness programmes, including the co-ordination and implementation of the Green Schools Award Scheme and other complementary environmental education activities.

• Managing Environmental Awareness budget and additional environmental resources and grant schemes.

• Liaison with other public sector organizations, the private sector and voluntary/community groups in relation to environmental education.

• Dealing with the media, including the writing of speeches, press releases, radio interviews and radio advertising campaigns etc.

• Provision of information and advice to all stakeholders in relation to Energy Conservation and Climate change matters in association with the Midland Energy Agency and associated partners.

• Represent Laois County Council on cross sectoral committees and working groups in all areas of Environmental Awareness at a local, regional and national level as required.

• Promotion of good practice and dissemination of information on protection of natural waters, and river basin catchment management.

• Promotion of good practice and dissemination of information on other aspects of the environment such as pollution control, heritage issues, planning and conservation and the promotion of sustainable energy structures, technologies and practices.

• Engage with relevant Government Departments to explore funding opportunities and implement grant schemes in accordance of relevant scheme protocol.

• Working with the Eastern Midlands Regional Waste Management Office on a variety of projects and / or sustainable waste management initiatives.

• Identifying and progressing shared service project opportunities with other local authority partners.

• Any additional duties as may be assigned from time to time.

THE PRINCIPAL TERMS & CONDITIONS 

• PARTICULARS:

Laois County Council reserves the rights to, at any time, assign an employee to any premises in use by the Council now or in the future.

• PROBATION:

Where a person who is not already a permanent employee of a local authority is appointed, the following provisions shall apply:

• There shall be a period after appointment takes effect, during which such a person shall hold the position on probation;
• Such period shall be ten months’ but the Chief Executive may, at his/her discretion, extend such period;
• Such a person shall cease to hold the position at the end of the period of probation, unless during this period the Chief Executive has certified that the service is satisfactory;
• There will be ongoing assessments during the probationary period. Employment may be terminated by either party during probation or at the end of the probationary period on one week’s notice.

• SALARY:

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the office shall pay to the local authority any fees or other monies (other than their inclusive salary) payable to or received by them by virtue of their office or in respect of services which they are required by or under any enactment to perform. 

The salary scale for the post of Environmental Awareness Officer (Assistant Scientist) is: €46,802 - €72,609 (LSI2) - Circular EL 03/2025 refers.

In accordance with EL 02/2011 persons who are not serving local authority employees must be placed on the minimum of the scale. Where a person being appointed is a serving local authority employee normal starting pay rules will apply. The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with government policy.

• WORKING HOURS:

The standard working week will be 35 hours. The role may require flexible working hours and may occasionally include evening and weekend work for which overtime will not be paid but time-off-in-lieu will be available.

• ANNUAL LEAVE: 

30 days per annum.

6. RESIDENCE

The holder of the position shall reside in the district in which his/her duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof.

• EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The Council shall work to promote a culture of equality and to develop equality and recruitment policies and procedures to ensure that all candidates are selected on merit. The Council shall endeavour to ensure that the selection process does not provide unjustifiable advantage or disadvantage to any particular candidate or group of candidates. The recruitment and selection process shall embrace genuine equality of opportunity, and this will be integral to the process by which appointments are made.

• RECRUITMENT

Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competitive interview.

• Shortlisting Process

The local authority may decide, by reason of the number of persons seeking admission to a competition, to carry out a shortlisting procedure. The number of persons to be invited, in these circumstances, to interview, shall be determined by the local authority from time to time having regard to the likely number of vacancies to be filled. The local authority may at its discretion, decide that such shortlisting will be based on qualifications, relevant experience and information submitted on the application form.In that regard, candidates should ensure they provide detailed and accurate information in completing the form. Alternatively, the local authority may at its discretion decide to shortlist by way of preliminary interview.

• Competitive Interview

Selection of candidates for appointment shall be by means of a competitive interview. The competitive interview shall be conducted by or on behalf of the local authority. The Council is committed to a process of selection on merit, based on fair and open competition. The criteria for judging suitability and ranking will be related directly to the qualification, attributes and skills required to undertake the duties and responsibilities to the standard required in the post.

c)Panels

Following completion of interviews, panels may formed, the duration of which is at the discretion of the Council. While a panel remains in force, offers of temporary or permanent employment may be made subject to confirmation of qualifications and satisfying clauses in relation to health, character, or other requirements of the particular post. Persons to whom an offer of employment is made must take up duty within 1 month from the date of offer, or such extended period as the Council may agree, otherwise, the Council may decide not to appoint them.

d) References/Documentary Evidence

Each candidate may be required to submit as references the names and addresses of two responsible persons to whom he/she is well known but not related. Candidates may be required to submit documentary evidence to the local authority in support of their application.

• COMMENCEMENT The local authority shall require a person to whom an appointment is offered to take up such appointment within a period of not more than one month and is he/she fails to take up the appointment within such period or such period or such longer period as the local authority in its absolute discretion may determine, the local authority shall not appoint him/her.

• RETIREMENT

The Single Public Service Pension Scheme (“Single Scheme”) as provided by the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 commenced with effect from 1st January 2013. The act introduces new pension and retirement provisions for new entrants to the public service appointed on or after 1st January 2013. Pension age set initially at 66 years; this will rise in step with statutory changes in the SPC age to 67 years in 2021 and 68 years in 2028. The compulsory retirement age of 70 applies. Otherwise the retirement age of the relevant Scheme applies. It should be noted that candidates who are in receipt of a Public Service Pension and are rehired in any paid capacity by a Public Service Body may be liable to have their pension abated. Prior to appointment successful candidates will be obliged to complete a Declaration in relation to previous Public Pensionable Employment.

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