Location
Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Capabilities
Digital and Data
Office Setup
Hybrid
Job ID
#38652
Market
Environmental
At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.
Your impact
➡️ Every safe dig, every protected asset, every successful infrastructure project starts with knowing what’s underground
➡️ As a Trainee Utilities Surveyor, your work will help prevent service strikes, protect people on site, and keep vital services running
➡️ From day one, you’ll be learning how to locate and map buried utilities that engineers, designers, and construction teams rely on to build safely
➡️ This isn’t just a job—it’s the start of a specialist technical career in a field where skilled surveyors are in constant demand.
What makes this a great place to start your career?
Structured training and mentoring, not “learning by guesswork”
A clear progression path into a qualified Utility Surveyor role
Strong emphasis on health, safety, and doing things properly
Varied, real‑world projects where you can see the impact of your work
Support with qualifications and routes toward professional membership
Teams that respect technical skill, encourage questions, and celebrate progress
If you’re practical, curious, and want a career that combines technology, problem‑solving, and time outdoors, this is a rare opportunity to get trained from the ground up.
We Offer
Competitive salary: We offer compensation that reflects your skills and experience
️ 24 days holiday + option to buy a further 10 days
Robust Pension Contributions: We offer enhanced pension contributions up to 10% to secure your future
- ️ Comprehensive Health Coverage: Single medical cover and Digital GP service, with options to add your partner and family
Employee Networks: We have a commitment to hiring a diverse workforce and supporting colleagues of different backgrounds
Family Planning Support: Access to fertility healthcare and family planning services
Enhanced Parental Leave: Enjoy enhanced parental leave pay and free membership to employee assistance and parental programs
4️⃣ Life assurance at 4x your salary
- Income Protection: Financial security in case of long-term illness or injury
Wellbeing Hub: Free access to wellbeing apps like Calm and Daily Burn
Professional Development: We cover professional membership fees and provide continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities
Community Engagement: Participate in charity matched-funding, paid volunteering time, and charitable donations
About the Opportunity
- ️This is an ideal entry‑level opportunity for school leavers or career starters who want a hands‑on, future‑proof profession—no prior surveying experience required
- ️You’ll join a supportive, down‑to‑earth surveying team where learning is built into the job. We invest heavily in modern survey technology, proper training, and realistic workloads, so you can focus on developing strong fundamentals rather than rushing poor‑quality work
- ️You’ll be trained to use industry‑leading tools like Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Electromagnetic Locators (EML), working alongside experienced surveyors on real infrastructure projects across highways, rail, utilities, energy, and environmental sectors
Here's what you'll need
✅ A full UK manual driving licence – essential for travelling to sites
✅ A minimum of 5 GCSEs, including Maths and English (Grade 4/C or above)
✅ Comfort working outdoors in all weather and carrying out physical tasks
✅ An interest in technology and technical equipment, with a willingness to learn
✅ A logical, problem‑solving mindset and strong attention to detail
✅ Flexibility to travel across the UK, with occasional overnight stays
✅ Good timekeeping, reliability, and a positive, can‑do attitude
✅ Clear communication skills and a genuine interest in building a long‑term career in surveying
SORRY, but this role is not suitable for graduates.
❓ Looking to start a technical career that matters, with training, support, and real progression? Apply now or start a conversation to find out how you can train, qualify, and grow as a Utilities Surveyor with us.
️ Jacobs offers hybrid working and a standard 40-hour working week.
Good luck with your application
#LI-EG1 #LI-HYBRID
Joining Jacobs not only connects you locally but globally. Our values stand on a foundation of safety, integrity, inclusion and belonging. We put people at the heart of our business, and we truly believe that by supporting one another through our culture of caring, we all succeed. We value positive mental health and a sense of belonging for all employees.
With safety and flexibility always top of mind, we’ve gone beyond traditional ways of working so you have the support, means and space to maximize your potential. You’ll uncover flexible working arrangements, benefits, and opportunities, from well-being benefits to our global giving and volunteering program, to exploring new and inventive ways to help our clients make the world a better place. No matter what drives you, you’ll discover how you can cultivate, nurture, and achieve your goals – all at a single global company. Find out more about life at Jacobs .
We aim to embed inclusion and belonging in everything we do. We know that if we are inclusive, we’re more connected and creative. We accept people for who they are, and we champion the richness of different perspectives, lived experiences and backgrounds in the workplace, as a source of learning and innovation. We are committed to building vibrant communities within Jacobs, including through our Jacobs Employee Networks, Communities of Practice and our Find Your Community initiatives, allowing every employee to find connection, purpose, and belonging. Find out more about our Jacobs Employee Networks here .
Jacobs partners with VERCIDA to help us attract and retain talent from a wide range of backgrounds. For greater online accessibility please visit https://www.vercida.com/uk/employers/jacobs to view and access our roles.
As a disability confident employer, we will interview disabled candidates who best meet the criteria. We welcome applications from candidates who are seeking flexible working and from those who may not meet all the listed requirements for a role.
We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.
Your application experience is important to us, and we’re keen to adapt to make every interaction even better. If you require further support or reasonable adjustments with regards to the recruitment process (for example, you require the application form in a different format), please contact the team via Careers Support .
