Water Safety Plan Scientist

Summary:

Are you a scientist who wants to be the first line of defence in protecting public health? Can you use your technical expertise to safeguard the water cycle from "source-to-tap"? Do you have exceptional analytical skills?

As our Water Safety Plan Scientist, you’ll join the Water Quality team - the scientific backbone of South East Water. This is a vital, high-impact role where you’ll bridge the gap between environmental science and operational engineering. You won’t just be sitting behind a desk; you’ll be out in the field and working across the business to ensure that every drop of water we supply meets regulatory standards.

If you’re eager to tackle complex challenges like PFAS and radioactivity, and you are ready to make your mark in the water sector, this position offers the autonomy and variety you need to thrive. You will be the expert identifying risks before they ever reach a treatment works, preventing water quality incidents, and protecting our company's reputation.

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.

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We want to be the water company people want to be supplied by and want to work for.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That’s why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

Benefits package:

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

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What can you expect from your recruitment?

• To apply for this position, please submit your CV on our career’s website.
• It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water.
• Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

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If this sounds like the opportunity you’ve been looking for, apply now!

South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.

Compensation package:

Up to £41,930 + company van