Environmental Health Assistant

Job description

Full time 37 Hours per week - Fixed term for 4 years

Are you passionate about making a difference in public health and safety? We are offering a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious person looking to develop a career in public health and regulatory compliance. You will gain practical experience alongside technical learning, resulting in a degree in Environmental Health and putting you on a pathway to becoming a registered Environmental Health Practitioner.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

We support hybrid working, it’s important to us that working arrangements are designed to enable our employees to excel and within this role you’ll have the opportunity to work in a way that suits your lifestyle. We would expect you to attend the office in Reading at least 3 days a week.

**About the Apprenticeship**:
You'll be enrolled in the Level 6 Integrated Environmental Health Apprenticeship with Weston College, attending training and events both locally and regionally. Through a combination of academic learning and real-world experience, you’ll develop the skills to work across a broad range of environmental health disciplines.

**About the Role**:
You will work alongside staff from teams covering a wide environmental health remit, including Food Safety, health and safety, environmental protection, and private sector housing.

Initially, you will gain an understanding of the broad range of work undertaken by the service. Following completion of our induction process, you will primarily be based in the Food and Safety Team.

**Responsibilities**:

- Carry out food complaint investigations.
- Assist with food inspections.
- Investigate infectious disease notifications and accident reports.
- Inspect special treatments.
- Conduct food sampling.
- Provide help and support to local businesses and consumers.
- Participate in initiatives to improve safety, including collaborative work at Reading Festival.

We offer excellent support, training, and induction. You will have access to our Learning and Development programme and be supported in your career and personal growth with opportunities to learn and develop new skills.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success.

As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
**Work Together as one team -**work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do

**Drive Efficiency -**show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential

**Be Ambitious -**be demanding of our own performance - striving to be even better - and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way

**Make a Difference to Reading -**maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

**Our offer**

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

- Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
- A wide range of flexible working opportunities
- Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
- Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
- On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
- Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
- Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

Closing Date: Sunday 22nd June 2025
Interview Date: W/C 30th June 2025