Alarm Team Technician

South West Water Limited; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

23 days annual leave

Company pension scheme

Life assurance

Group income protection

Discounted share scheme

Health cash plan

Free on-site parking

Cycle to Work

Job summary

South West Water in Exeter is seeking an Alarm Technician to join the Control Room, monitoring SCADA alarms, triaging incidents and supporting operational teams around the clock. You will manage urgent communications, maintain records and ensure smooth response to emergencies.

The role requires hands-on IT skills, strong organisation, and calm decision-making under pressure. A 24/7 shift pattern is included, with days, evenings and nights in a rotating schedule.

Qualifications

• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to analyse and interpret information to support decision making.
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Awareness of the importance of following procedures and business processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, assess and triage SCADA alarms and system notifications.
• Identify alarm ownership, priority levels, and required response times.
• Investigate alarms using system and site data to determine appropriate actions.
• Maintain accurate alarm records and annotations to provide an audit trail.
• Prioritise alarms during incidents and adverse weather events.
• Conduct basic trend analysis to identify recurring issues.
• Coordinate with Central Process Control Technicians and teams to ensure service delivery.

Skills

IT skills

Analytical thinking

Organisational skills

Procedural awareness

Verbal & written communication

Education

GCSE English & Maths

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Job Role

Are you looking for a role where no two days are the same, and where your actions make a real difference to operational performance and customer service?

As an Alarm Technician, you will play a vital role within our Control Room team, monitoring and responding to critical alarm notifications, supporting operational teams across the business, and ensuring business-critical processes continue to run effectively 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You'll be responsible for triaging alarms, coordinating responses to incidents, supporting customer contacts, and maintaining key systems and records.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, can remain calm under pressure, and enjoys working collaboratively to solve problems and support operational excellence.

What You'll Be Doing

Alarm Monitoring & Incident Response

• Monitor, assess and triage SCADA alarms and system notifications.
• Identify alarm ownership, priority levels, and required response times.
• Investigate alarms using system and site data to determine appropriate actions.
• Maintain accurate alarm records and annotations to provide a comprehensive audit trail.
• Prioritise alarms effectively, particularly during operational incidents and adverse weather events.
• Conduct basic trend analysis to identify recurring issues and support proactive responses.
• Work closely with Central Process Control Technicians and operational teams to ensure effective service delivery.

Emergency Response

• Manage emergency line calls, ensuring urgent contacts are immediately prioritised.
• Respond to welfare alerts, panic alarms and lone worker notifications in accordance with established procedures.
• Escalate incidents appropriately and support emergency response processes.

Administration & Operational Support

• Coordinate National Grid shutdown notifications and communicate impacts to relevant stakeholders.
• Manage team mailboxes and ensure urgent communications are appropriately actioned.
• Process emergency work orders and maintain standby rotas.
• Produce detailed shift handover reports to support operational continuity.
• Support password resets and out-of-hours system administration activities.
• Record and escal emergency service and media enquiries where required.

Customer Contact Support

• Record, investigate and action customer contacts through CRM and associated systems.
• Support wider customer service operations when required.
• Ensure customer issues are recorded accurately and escalated appropriately.

Security, Safety & Monitoring

• Monitor CCTV systems and carry out routine checks.
• Respond to building, hatch and security alarms.
• Manage welfare monitoring processes for colleagues working alone or remotely.
• Ensure all activities are completed in accordance with company Health & Safety requirements.

What We're Looking For

Essential Qualifications

• GCSE (or equivalent) Grade C/4 or above in English and Maths.

Essential Experience

• Experience working in a busy, high-volume environment.
• Experience within an office-based or administrative setting.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to analyse and interpret information to support decision making.
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Awareness of the importance of following procedures and business processes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Personal Qualities

• Calm and resilient under pressure.
• Positive and proactive approach.
• Strong team player with excellent relationship-building skills.
• Flexible, adaptable and open to change.
• Able to work independently and use sound judgement when handling incidents.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to work a 24/7 shift rota, including weekends and public holidays.
• Commitment to delivering excellent service to both internal and external customers.
• Willingness to work in a fast-paced operational environment where priorities can change quickly.
• 2x morning shifts (06:00 - 14:00) 2x afternoon shifts (14:00 - 22:00) 2x night shifts (22:00 - 06:00) Working pattern consisting of 6 days on, 4 days off Supplement for working shifts shall be paid on top of basic wage

Why Join South West Water?

At South West Water, our people are the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating an environment where everyone can thrive, bring their best every day and feel truly valued. That's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, financial security and work-life balance.

Our Benefits Include:

23 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), increasing with service
Holiday buy & sell scheme
Competitive pension scheme with company contribution matching
Life assurance cover
Group income protection
Enhanced family leave provisions
Share schemes with discounted and matched share opportunities
Health cash plan
Free annual flu vaccination
Employee Assistance Programme (24/7 support)
Free on-site parking at our Exeter headquarters
Cycle to Work scheme
Give As You Earn charitable giving scheme
Paid volunteering day
Access to a wide range of retail discounts

Closing Date: 2nd Oct 2026

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.