• Job Description

  Req#: R7644

  Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.

  Most people don’t think too much about how clean water reaches their taps. Or what happens to their waste water.

  But Scottish Water does. In fact, it’s all we think about.

  Want to help? As a Wastewater Process Scientist, you’ll be on the front lines of making sure Scotland’s water is totally, dependably pure.

  What you’ll do

  You’ll be in frontline involvement in monitoring wastewater treatment compliance, and the identification of process issues and remediation strategies. Providing operational, scientific, and technical support, to fully understand the root cause of wastewater quality failures, track mitigation actions through to resolution, and assist in achieving optimum and efficient process control.

  You’ll join the North regional area, who are based out of Inverness rather than the Shetlands and it is a team of 11 Scientists, supporting our Operations colleagues with operational challenges, together with continued future challenges, such as growth. Involving a huge commitment & focus to improve compliance & resolve all issues to prevent their reoccurrence. Many sites require Capital Projects to support performance & treatment capacity improvement. This is an exciting opportunity to join a fast-paced team which is pivotal to driving our Wastewater compliance mission and achieving our ambition of zero failing works in addition to contributing effectively to wider strategic ambitions including energy reduction and net zero carbon.

  Key responsibilities will include:

  • Provision of operational and scientific expertise to Wastewater Operations to help maintain treatment works compliance, in the event of a regulatory failure or operational emergency.

  • Organisation & completion of regulatory failure investigations to identify and resolve the root cause of the non-compliance.

  • Monitoring of asset performance, through sampling, analysis of scientific data and the formulation of recommendations for maintaining and improving performance.

  • Extensive use of analytical skills (Excel & Power BI) for forecasting and reporting on all aspects of the asset in relation to effectiveness, efficiency and performance, highlighting and sharing any areas for improvement with all stakeholders.

  • Contributing to the assessment of all aspects of process requirements from design through to operation of the works, including asset flow return reporting where applicable.

  • Provision of support to the continuous improvement process, through stakeholder engagement, meeting attendance & involvement in WW Process Science working groups & improvement initiatives.

  • Provision of support during the planning, development and commissioning of capital projects.

  • Commitment to all H&S priorities & procedures, as required by the role and support in the continuous improvement of all team H&S objectives.

  What you’ll bring

  A strong scientific background, and robust knowledge and experience of wastewater treatment processes and instrumentation.

  A high standard of analytical and problem-solving skills, clear and confident communicator and experience in report writing. The role requires a full clean driving licence and a personal vehicle insured and available for business use.

  Looking out for you

  While the work we do is important, we know it’s not the only thing that matters. That’s why we make sure you have everything you need to find a good work-life balance.

  You’ll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays). And you can even buy five more if you need a little extra time. You can also take time off to volunteer in your community.

  When it comes to major life events we have family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave. And for the everyday? We embrace flexible working.

  For your future, there’s our pension (the ‘know-what-you’ll-get-when-you-retire’ kind), and life assurance.

  As for some nice extras? You can expect an annual company bonus. Not to mention access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.

  The not-so-small print

  The salary range for this role is £31,380.00 - £43,350.00 GBP Annual (depending on skills and experience).

  There is no requirement to participate on a standby rota however ad hoc incident support will be required.

  If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on the 4th of February 2024.

  A few final things worth knowing…

  Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you’re interested in this job, but don’t tick all the boxes, apply anyway! We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a learning curve. So don’t rule yourself out!

  Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We're also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We’re very used to making adjustments, so please don’t be afraid to ask.

  As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it’s important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don’t already live here, you'll need to commit to moving here within your first three months.

  Finally (finally!), candidates who haven’t submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won’t need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted.

  
  We’re here to help. Ask us anything at SWRecruitment@ScottishWater.co.uk

• About the company

  Scottish Water is a statutory corporation that provides water and sewerage services across Scotland.

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