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Student placement opportunities at the Planning Inspectorate Make a difference in your placement year

Read on to find out about:

Placement Opportunity 1: Environmental Impact Assessment Advisor student placement

Placement Opportunity 2: Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects Officer student placement

How to apply

Selection process and timeline

About the Planning Inspectorate

Working for the Civil Service

Where you’ll be working: Bristol

Placement opportunity #1:

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Advisor student placement

Based in Bristol*

2 posts

12-month student placement

£18,654

Apply by 23:55 Monday, 2 January 2023

*This is a hybrid role with a mixture of homeworking and attendance at our office in central Bristol.

What's it about?

You will be working for a government agency at the forefront of environmental planning in the UK. Our projects are of national significance including wind and solar farms, pipelines, nuclear power, transport schemes and many more. This is your chance to be involved in shaping landscapes and communities in England using sustainable and environmentally conscious methods.

What will I do?

Our work is varied and will test your logic, problem solving skills and environmental knowledge. This includes assessing the impacts of development on environmental aspects such as marine and terrestrial ecology, air quality, climate change, water resources and flood risk, noise and vibration, land use, archaeology.

Great Crested Newt - European protected species

What about training?

You will have the opportunity to undertake sponsored training and network with like-minded professionals in the environmental sector. Sessions are run by CIEEM, IEMA, RTPI and independent companies/professionals covering topics from Climate Change to Biodiversity Net Gain.

Who is eligible to apply?

You will be studying a relevant course, such as environmental science, environmental management, ecology, geography etc. and your degree must contain a placement year.

Scroll down to apply!

Placement opportunity #2:

Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) Officer student placement

Based in Bristol*

3 posts

12 month student placement

£18,654

Apply by 23:55 Monday, 2 January 2023

*This is a hybrid role with a mixture of homeworking and attendance at our office in central Bristol.

What's it about?

The Planning Inspectorate examines national infrastructure planning applications and makes recommendations to the Secretary of State for a final decision. These include applications for offshore windfarms, rail projects, road alterations, airport developments, nuclear power stations and waste and water projects. It's an exciting time to join our case team!

What will I do?

You will be immersed in the centre of infrastructure planning in the UK. Working in a dynamic casework team, you will provide support in the many various duties required of the process. This can include attending developer meetings, quality checking application documents and organising case evidence. You will also have the opportunity to travel to various locations around the country to ensure the smooth running of preliminary meetings, site visits and hearings.

Inspector at a hearing

What about training?

Learning and development is central to the placement year. You will job shadow and learn from experienced case officers as well as attend courses and seminars that will give you in-depth knowledge of many facets of the planning profession.

Who is eligible to apply?

You will be studying a relevant course, such as planning, policy, human geography etc. and your degree must contain a placement year.

Scroll down to apply

Meet Sara and Matthew - former placement students at the Planning Inspectorate. Here they talk about their experiences.

How to apply

Apply by 23:55 Monday, 2 January 2023

Send your application (attaching the documents we ask for below) by email to PINS.Recruitment@planninginspectorate.gov.uk

  1. View the job description (in the section above). This will tell you what knowledge, skills and experience we are looking for.
  2. Send us your CV and a covering letter. Tell us why you are interested in the placement (no more than 800 words). You should demonstrate, with examples, why you are suitable for this opportunity, referring to the essential criteria on the Job Description.
  3. Tell us which placement you are applying for - (a) EIA Advisor, (b) NSIP Officer or (c) Both (if eligible).
  4. Download, complete and attach the following forms - Criminal Record Declaration form (mandatory), Nationality form (mandatory), Disability Confident Scheme form (mandatory) and Equality and Diversity form (optional).

Selection process and timeline

We will assess your application (CV and covering letter) based on the Essential Criteria detailed in the Job Description.

All candidates will be advised of the outcome shortly afterwards.

If you are shortlisted, you will:

  • Be asked to attend an interview to have a more in-depth discussion.
  • Interviews will be a blend of behaviour, strength and experience questions.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, at interview you will be assessed on Behaviours (level 1), Strengths and Experience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Delivering at Pace
  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together

Timeline

  1. Sift Date: 3 - 13 January 2023
  2. Interview Dates: 30 January - 6 February 2023
  3. Start Date: 4 September 2023

Interview via video call (Microsoft Teams)

Interviews are conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams.

We would like to reassure candidates that the virtual interview will not be recorded (or retained) within the Planning Inspectorate, other than usual interview protocol and in line with the Recruitment and Selection Privacy Notice.

About the Planning Inspectorate

The Planning Inspectorate is a government agency of the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

We handle planning appeals, national infrastructure planning applications, examinations of local plans and other specialist casework across England.

We are helping to meet future infrastructure needs; further economic growth will be underpinned by sustainable development across a number of sectors, particularly energy and transport.

We support communities shape where they live by implementing government’s aims of sustainable development and through shaping positive local planning.

Here is a short film to help explain the role and work of the Planning Inspectorate.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

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.

Work in Bristol - gateway to the South West

Work in a modern and vibrant office in the centre of Bristol.

Located only minutes from Temple Meads station, the Planning Inspectorate's HQ is a modern office which features a restaurant, gym and well-being facilities.

See Visit Bristol's short film below to get a flavour of life in Bristol.

Temple Quay House - HQ of the Planning Inspectorate