FAQs
Q: How can I find out about vacancies at
SEPA?
A: We advertise all our vacancies on our website.
Q: What is SEPA’s recruitment process?
A:
Every vacancy is different, but below is a general description
of what you can expect from SEPA’s recruitment and selection
process.
Following the closing date the recruitment panel will review all
applications based on the essential and desirable criteria in the
job summary. We will contact all candidates with the outcome of
their application: you should expect to hear from us within 2–3
weeks although for some vacancies shortlisting may take longer for
some vacancies.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to attend a panel-based
interview, which may include a presentation that you will be
asked to prepare in advance. Some posts may also involve role
relevant tests. You will be given a week’s notice of the interview
and selection process and told about any preparation that you need
to do.
Following interview all candidates will be informed of the
outcome of their application and offered feedback. The recruiting
manager will indicate the timescales for this at interview.
Q: Do you offer traineeships?
A: We do
occassionally offer trainee posts where suitably qualified people
can train to become Environment Protection Officers. Any current
such opportunities are advertised on our website.
Q: What qualifications do I need to join
SEPA?
A: That depends on the job you are applying for: qualifications are
required for most roles in SEPA. The job summary and person
specification for the post will clearly set out the required
qualifications, skills and
experience.
Q: How fit do I need to be to join SEPA?
A: You must be able to give regular and effective service. You will
be asked to complete a health questionnaire as part of our
pre-employment checking process.
Q: How much will I be paid?
A: The job summary indicates the grade of the post and the salary
scale. All new employees are appointed at the base of the
scale.
Q: Is the salary negotiable?
A: All appointments will be made at the base of the salary scale
indicated in the job summary.
Q: When do I get paid?
A: All staff are paid on or around the 27th of every month. Payment
is made by electronic transfer directly into your bank account.
Q: Do you offer flexible working hours?
A: Yes, All employees are entitled to apply for flexible working
arrangements such as reduced hours, compressed hours etc. Some
roles aren't as flexible as others, but we'll always aim to make
sure your working life is well balanced with your life outside the
work place.
Q: Does SEPA employ any staff on short term
basis?
A: There are some seasonal opportunities in our Science &
Strategy Directorate. These are predominantly for Technical
Assistants to help out by taking samples. All opportunities are
advertised on our website.
We occasionally bring in agency workers to help take forward
specific projects short periods. These workers are obtained through
recruitment agencies with whom we have a pre-existing contract.
Such workers remain employed by the recruitment agency and are not
SEPA employees. Agency workers must also undergo security clearance
procedures.
Q: How long does the recruitment process take from
application to appointment?
A: Generally the recruitment process is completed within three
months but there are several factors which can affect the
timescales. For example, if an exceptionally high number of
applications are received, the shortlisting process may take
longer. Also, the timescales for completing pre-employment checks
can vary from candidate to candidate.
Q: Does SEPA run a graduate scheme?
A: No. We do occassionally offer trainee posts but most roles will
require experience.
Q: What does equal opportunities mean to the
agency?
A: SEPA is committed to equal opportunities. We treat everyone
fairly and with respect regardless of their sex, marital
status, age, race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, disability,
religion or belief, working pattern, gender identity, caring
responsibility or trade union membership.
We believe that our workforce should be as diverse as the
environment we protect. Our roles call for a variety of skills and
for people from all kinds of backgrounds with different life
experiences. We offer employment and training to people solely on
the basis of their skills, aptitudes and attitude.
Q: What training and development opportunities do you
offer?
A: We are committed to training and developing our staff in line
with the needs of the organisation. We operate a Performance and
Development Review (PDR) scheme where employees meet regularly with
their line manager to discuss their performance and development
needs. Employees are allocated objectives, which link back to our
Annual operating plan, as part of the PDR process. Employees are
responsible for updating their own Personal Development Plan which
should reflect their objectives and the PDR discussion they have
had with their line manager. All promotion in SEPA is based on fair
and open competition.
Q: Is the online application process
secure?
A: Yes, all registration, application and candidate account pages
are accessed through a secure connection.
Q: Where do I find out more information on the types of
roles I might be suited to?
A: The job summary of each role provides full details of the type
of duties undertaken in that post. You may also wish to refer to
the person specification within the job summary, which provides the
essential and desirable criteria you should have in order to
be considered a suitable candidate.
Further information is also available on the Roles section of
this website.
Does SEPA offer work placements or
experience?
A: Unfortunately, for Health and Safety reasons, we cannot offer
work placements or experience to people under the age of 16. We
regularly receives requests from members of the public and students
volunteering for work experience. Due to the specialist nature of
the work we undertake, we can only consider requests received
through an academic institution or a recognised job centre (running
a government recognised scheme) with whom we have an ongoing
relationship.
Q: Does SEPA accept CV applications?
A: No, applications are only accepted on the standard SEPA
application form. Any candidate submitting a CV will be asked to
submit a completed application form before the closing date
for that post. CVs submitted with application forms will be not be
considered.
Q: Is location negotiable?
A: No. All
possible locations are included in the job summary.
Q: Does SEPA accept applications received after the
closing date?
A: No, in order to maintain a fair recruitment process. Unless
stated otherwise all posts will close at midnight on the closing
date. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure their
application is received before the closing date.
Q: Does SEPA provide feedback to
applicants?
A: Due to the high number of applications received for each post it
is not possible to provide feedback to candidates who have been
unsuccessful in gaining an interview. During our shortlisting
process our recruiting managers use the essential and desirable
criteria in the job summary to identify the candidates whose
experience most closely matches the criteria. If you have not been
selected for interview it is likely to be because you do not meet
the criteria on the job summary or because the recruitment panel
felt other candidates’ experience more closely matched the job
requirements. Should you wish to receive feedback following an
interview please contact Human Resources at hr@sepa.org.uk who will be happy to
arrange this for you.
Q: I applied for a post but haven’t heard if I’ve been
selected for interview…
A: This could be because the recruitment panel has not completed
the shortlisting process. It is SEPA policy to inform all
candidates of the outcome to their application. Please check that
you have provided the correct email address when you registered and
submitted your application.
Q: I need to rearrange my interview
date…
A: Unfortunately, as stated in the invitation
to interview email, SEPA interviews are panel based and as such it
is very difficult to reconvene the panel on an alternative date.
Please contact SEPA HR at hr@sepa.org.uk at your earliest
convenience if you are unable to attend an interview.
Q: I have been invited for interview. Do SEPA pay
interview expenses?
A: SEPA will reimburse interview expenses within reason. If you
are invited to interview you should arrange travel as soon as
possible. If you anticipate your travel expenses being over £150
please contact HR prior to booking arrangements at hr@sepa.org.uk. Prior to interview
please read the information contained within the Interview Expense
Claim Form thoroughly and ensure your travel is the most cost
effective and environmentally friendly route. The Claim Form should
be completed and submited to the recruiting manager at interview
with any receipts attached.
Interview
Expense Claim Form
Q: I've been invited to interview. What documentation do
I need to bring?
A: Please bring along your completed Interview Expense Claim
Form which is available from the link above. Under the Asylum of
Immigration Act 1996 we have an obligation to ensure the
eligibility of those we employ to work within the UK. In
order to comply with this we request that all applicants attending
an interview provide details of their eligibility. Information on
the documents required can be found at the link below.
Approved
Documents for Identity Check
Q: If I am successful then when will I
start?
A: We will carry out pre-employment checks before confirming your
start date. Once these checks have been completed satisfactorily
you will be allocated a start date to coincide with our corporate
induction programme.
Q: What security and pre-employment checks does SEPA
carry out on prospective employees?
A: We adhere to the Government Personnel Security Standard which
requires us to verify a prospective employee’s identity,
nationality and immigration status (including their entitlement to
undertake the work in question), employment history for the last 3
years and criminal record (unspent convictions only).
You will be asked to bring your qualification certificates
(and other documentation to verify your identity and eligibility to
work in the UK) to interview. The successful candidate will be
offered employment subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.
Following an offer of employment, we will contact any employers
and/or academic institutions where you have worked or studied over
the last 3 years, to verify your employment and/or study dates. You
will be asked to apply for a Basic Disclosure Scotland certificate
and to complete a health questionnaire.
Certain posts in SEPA are subject to enhanced security checks;
this will be stated in the job summary if applicable. We do not
routinely request employment references but may do so for certain
posts. If employment references are required, we will ask you to
provide the names and contact details of two referees. Your start
date will only be confirmed once all pre-employment checks have
been completed and are deemed to be satisfactory.
Q: When will SEPA be accepting applications for the
Trainee Environment Protection Officer Programme?
A: All Trainee Environment Protection Officer posts are advertised
in the Vacancies section of our website. As these posts are
recruited on an individual team basis it is not possible to predict
when posts will be advertised. However, you can register your
interest in this type of role and we will contact you when a
post is advertised.
Q: Does SEPA sponsor migrant workers under the
points-based system?
A: We are committed to equal opportunities in our employment
practices. We are happy to receive applications from candidates
with a valid work permit who have permission to live and work in
the UK. A small number of our posts may meet the requirements for
Tier 2 of the points-based system. However, in order to sponsor a
migrant worker under Tier 2 we would have to satisfy the UK Border
Agency that we had met the resident labour market test for the
vacancy or that the post was currently listed on the shortage
occupation list. It would be very challenging for us to meet the
resident labour market test as most of our vacancies can be filled
by a settled worker.
We require all candidates to provide original documentation at
interview to prove their eligibility to work in the UK. This
includes a valid passport and/or work permit where appropriate. If
the successful candidate has limited time to remain in the UK they
will be offered employment on a fixed-term basis to the date that
their current work permit is due to expire.
Q: I have received an email inviting me forward for
interview but it doesn’t provide a date or time.
A: Please log back into your candidate account via the
website where you will be able to select your interview slot. To do
so firstly go into your account and you should be able to view all
jobs you have applied for and the stage they are at. Find the
vacancy that you have been invited to interview for and there
should be an option on the right hand side to book your interview
slot. Click on that option and select a time from those available
by clicking on it. You should receive confirmation that your
interview is booked.
Q: I can’t remember my
password
A: Go into the vacancies section of the
website and select the Login option from the left hand menu. Select
“Have you forgotten your password?”. You will be asked for your
email address. Once you have provided this click on Send and a
password reminder will be sent to your email.
Q: I haven’t received any updates on
the outcome of my application
A: All candidates will be informed of
the outcome of their application as soon as the recruiting manager
has made a decision. If you have not received an update it may be
because the manager is still reviewing your application and will be
in touch shortly.
Some email account providers may allocate
emails from our team into your Spam or Junk email folder. To ensure
this does not happen please add our email address to your address
book in your email account.
Q: I have applied for a post but keep receiving email
updates informing me to complete my application
A: These updates are sent when a candidate has
begun an application but has not completed it. Please log back into
your account where you will be able to view all applications you
have made. If your application has not been completed it should
state “Incomplete Application” below the job title for the vacancy.
On the right hand side you will see the options Resume or Withdraw.
Click on Resume and you will be taken back into your application
form where you will be able to complete it.
Q: I need to withdraw my application
for a post
A: Please log back into your account. To the
right hand side of the vacancy there is the option to Withdraw.
Click on that option and click to confirm your withdrawal. We will
not contact you with further updates regarding this vacancy.
Q: I’ve made a mistake on my
application form
A: If the closing date for the vacancy has not
been reached you can log into your account and select the Edit
facility. If the closing date has been reached we will be unable to
amend your application form but can pass a message to the
recruiting manager on your behalf.
Q: I have recently applied for a post
with SEPA and wondered if there was any way to be informed of
future similar vacancies?
A: You can either select the Register for
Updates button at the top of the Vacancies page of the website or
log into your account, go to View all Jobs and at the bottom of the
first page will see the option Email me jobs like these. Complete
the details and SEPA will contact you by email when any posts are
advertised that meet the criteria you have specified.
Q: Is there any way I can see all the
jobs I’ve applied for?
A: Yes. Go into your account and select View
Your Application History where you will be able to see each
application you have made and the status.