Job Description Summary
Do you want to use your science skills to protect public health and keep our water safe from source to tap?
Are you a sharp problem-solver who loves digging into data?
As our Water Safety Plan Scientist, you will join the core Water Quality team at South East Water. You will connect environmental science with practical engineering to make sure every drop of water meets strict safety rules.
This is not a plain desk job, you will be out in the field and working across the business to stop problems before they start. You will spot risks early, prevent water incidents, and help protect our community and our reputation.
If you are ready to tackle tricky issues like PFAS and radioactivity, this role gives you the freedom and variety to shine.
What to expect from our recruitment process:
- Visa Sponsorship: Please note that we are unable to provide Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship for this role.
- Right to Work: You must provide proof of your Right to Work in the UK during onboarding.
- Background Checks: Any offer of employment from South East Water will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of identity, employment referencing, and DBS checks.
Main responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain Drinking Water Safety Plans (DWSP) for all catchments to identify hazards and ensure the business implements robust mitigation actions.
- Conduct comprehensive risk assessments, including desktop reviews and site walkovers, to quantify risks from agricultural runoff and pathogens like Cryptosporidium.
- Lead on emerging risks by implementing the Company’s PFAS and Radioactivity strategies to stay ahead of chemical threats.
- Collaborate across the business, sharing technical insights with Operations, Assets, and Engineering teams to integrate safety actions into capital delivery.
- Manage regulatory compliance by producing and submitting WSP returns and annual progress reports to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).
- Design and monitor sampling programmes for raw water sources to provide early warning systems for water quality fluctuations.
- Analyse complex datasets to identify trends and produce high-quality technical reports for senior management and regulators.
- Investigate water quality anomalies, determining root causes and providing immediate technical recommendations for remediation.
What you’ll need:
Skills / Experience / Qualifications
- A degree (or equivalent) in a relevant scientific field such as Environmental Science, Chemistry, or Hydrology.
- Strong technical knowledge of the water cycle, water chemistry, biology, and current water quality challenges.
- Exceptional analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and turn it into clear, actionable reports.
- Top-tier IT and communication skills, enabling you to influence stakeholders and represent the Company at external industry meetings.
- A clean driving licence is required.
Pay: Up to £41,930.00 per year
Benefits:
- Cycle to work scheme
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Farnborough GU14 0NZ
