Catchment Hydrogeology Specialist (Senior/Principal)

Southern Water; Worthing; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Water invites applications for a Catchment Hydrogeology Specialist at Senior or Principal level. The role supports catchment management strategies within the Environment & Innovation team.

Position is permanent, 37 hours per week, hybrid/flexible working, with a salary of £45,000–£70,000 depending on skills and experience. Based in the region, the role focuses on regulatory commitments and environmental improvements.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in water resource hydrogeology and groundwater modelling.
• Experience designing and evaluating water quality/hydroecology investigations.
• Strong capability in reporting and translating regulatory requirements into work streams.

Responsibilities

• Promote and collaborate on catchment solutions with regulators and stakeholders, following Catchment First.
• Undertake technical evaluation of nature-based measures to mitigate environmental challenges.
• Engage in cross-functional work across hydrogeology, hydroecology, biodiversity, and catchment management.

Skills

Water resource hydrogeology

Groundwater modelling

Hydroecology

River restoration

Catchment management

Regulatory interpretation

Technical report writing

Education

Masters in Hydrogeology

Chartership or working towards

Job description

Closing Date2026-03-27

Job Title: Catchment Hydrogeology Specialist (Senior/Principal)

Location: Ideally within our region (Hybrid/Flexible)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37, Monday to Friday

Salary: £45,000- £70,000 depending on skills and experience

As part of Southern Water’s drive to enhance and protect the environment, the Environment & Innovation team are deploying the latest innovative solutions and working in partnership with our customers and stakeholders. The team takes a holistic approach to managing water quality and flow across the region, with a portfolio that has rapidly expanded from £50 million to over £2 billion in the next 10-year period. This is a fast-paced team that is now expanding to continue to deliver a larger programme of new and sustainable solutions.

A brand-new position has been created to join our Environment & Innovation team as a Catchment Hydrogeology Specialist at Senior or Principal level.

About The Role

Working within the Environment & Innovation department, this is a critical role underpinning the implementation of our Catchment Management strategies, which influence our 5-to-50-year strategic plans. The catchment management programme is driving environmental benefit via the delivery of our regulatory commitments such as the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) and statutory plans such as the Water Resource Management Plan, Drought Plan and Water Resources South East.

What You Will Be Responsible For

• Support the Catchment Hydrogeology team to actively promote and effectively collaborate on catchment solutions with our regulators (Environment Agency, Natural England and DWI), catchment stakeholders (Rivers Trusts, Wildlife Trusts etc) and community groups, driving the principals of the Catchment First approach.
• Responsible for undertaking technical evaluation / recommendations on environmental nature-based measures that will likely be needed to mitigate predicted environmental challenges from our operations.
• The role will involve strong cross-functional working within and outside the business. Covering technical areas of water resource hydrogeology, hydroecology, biodiversity enhancement, river restoration, catchment management (including soil and water conservation), hydrogeological risk assessment and surface water and groundwater quality and quantity assessments.

What You’ll Bring To The Role

• Demonstrable expertise in water resource hydrogeology, groundwater modelling, hydroecology, restoring sustainable abstraction, river / wetland restoration, low flow investigation, WFD, groundwater resource development.
• Experience of designing complex water quality, hydroecology and hydrometric investigations and monitoring programmes, data analysis and assimilation.
• Proven expertise of technical report writing and review of water resource and water quality investigations, catchment risk assessments.
• Extensive experience of water resource and water quality investigations, catchment risk assessments, and translating regulatory environmental requirements into manageable work streams.
• Masters degree in relevant discipline such as Hydrogeology is desirable. Chartership or working towards is highly desirable.

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.

"At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need."

If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here: Introduce Yourself (myworkdaysite.com- Introduce Yourself)

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.