DSEAR Process Safety Engineer

Thames Water; England; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company is seeking a DSEAR Process Safety Engineer to provide technical assurance against high risks. The role involves managing DSEAR-related standards, supporting capital delivery projects, and driving improvements in explosion safety practices. Successful candidates will have experience in process safety management from a high-hazard industry and a degree in Chemical Engineering or a related discipline. The position offers a competitive salary range of £55,000 - £67,000 depending on experience and a hybrid working pattern.

Benefits

26 days holiday per year

Performance-related pay plan

Generous Pension Scheme

Access to health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Process Safety Management or DSEAR risk assessment from high-hazard industry.
• Experience in checking effectiveness of control measures.
• Ability to capture lessons learned and contribute to standardisation.

Responsibilities

• Act as SME for DSEAR queries from Operations.
• Own and maintain DSEAR-related Asset Standards.
• Manage site reviews for Hazardous Area Classification.

Skills

Process Safety Management

DSEAR risk assessment

Site surveying

Stakeholder engagement

Excellent understanding of DSEAR

Education

Degree in Chemical Engineering or related discipline

Job description

DSEAR Engineering provides technical assurance to Thames Water against high risk, ensuring Thames Water meets its statutory duties under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2002. This role is instrumental in accompanying a change of culture and making a difference in a growing area of focus for the water industry.

This role provides technical expertise and assurance across the business, supporting operations and capital delivery projects, maintaining DSEAR-related Asset Standards, and contributing to the continuous improvement of explosion safety practices.

What you’ll be doing as a DSEAR Process Safety Engineer

• Act as an SME for DSEAR queries from Operations, Capital Delivery, and Engineering projects.
• Own and maintain DSEAR-related Asset Standards.
• Ensure updates reflect lessons learned and improvements identified through Continuous Improvement.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of DSEAR competency frameworks.
• Assist in training and appointment processes (HSI32) and mentor colleagues to build organisational capability.
• Manage structured engineering tasks such as site reviews for Hazardous Area Classification and technical studies (e.g., sample testing, ventilation assessments).
• Ensure outputs are documented and integrated into compliance systems.
• Drive streamlining by reducing duplication and moving toward centralised databases for site documentation.
• Implement process improvements that enhance efficiency and build engineering capability.

Base location:

Hybrid - Beckton (STW) - IG11 0AD, Hybrid - Clearwater Court - RG1 8DB, Hybrid - Maple Lodge (STW) - WD3 9SQ

Working pattern or hours:

36, Monday- Friday

Necessary requirements for the role

UK valid driving license

What you should bring to the role

• Proven experience in Process Safety Management or DSEAR risk assessment gained from a high-hazard industry (COMAH regulated), including the classification and zoning of Hazardous Areas.
• Experience in site surveying, working in an explosion safety engineering environment, checking effectiveness of control measures.
• Experience in structured engineering delivery, including use of formal processes for resource allocation and documentation.
• Ability to capture lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement and standardisation.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement across operations, capital delivery, and engineering teams.
• Excellent understanding of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR), associated standards and approved Codes of Practice.
• Knowledge of electrical equipment for use in potentially flammable atmospheres.
• Degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Safety, or related discipline (or equivalent experience).

Additional skills and experiences would be great to have/bring:

• Familiarity with COMAH and Fire Safety Regulations.
• Experience in developing and maintaining Asset Standards.
• Knowledge of related industry standards (IGEM, EI, EEMUA).

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary from £55,000‑£67,000k per annum depending on experience
• 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks

Learn more about our benefits and perks.

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Learn more about our purpose and values.

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.