First Line Maintenance Operator

South West Water Limited; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Discretionary Bonus

Competitive contributory pension

Share-save scheme

Health benefits

Wellbeing support programmes

Group discounts

Cycle to work scheme

Job summary

South West Water Limited in Exeter seeks a practical, mechanically minded First Line Maintenance Operative to join the M&E team. You will perform routine maintenance and inspections across wastewater sites, supporting asset reliability and service delivery.

You'll work closely with Wastewater Operations and M&E colleagues, maintaining records and contributing to a safe, efficient wastewater service while developing technical knowledge.

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical aptitude and practical skills.
• Valid Full UK driving licence.
• Safety-focused approach to work.
• Willingness to learn and take responsibility.
• Good communication and teamwork abilities.

Responsibilities

• Carry out planned preventative maintenance on mechanical assets.
• Perform routine inspections, lubrication and adjustments.
• Identify asset defects and escalate issues early.
• Apply first-line maintenance techniques to improve reliability.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and data.
• Support asset registration and data improvements in MADE system.
• Coordinate with workshop and mobile maintenance teams.
• Adhere to health, safety and environmental procedures.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Full UK driving licence

Safety-focused

Willingness to learn

Teamwork & communication

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 in Mechanical Engineering

GCSEs including Maths, English & Science

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.

Location: Exeter
Team: Wastewater Services (WWS) M&E

Help keep our wastewater assets running safely and reliably

We're looking for a practical, motivated and mechanically minded First Line Maintenance Operative to join our Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to develop a career in maintenance, engineering and asset management. You'll play a key role in carrying out planned preventative maintenance across our wastewater treatment sites and pumping stations, helping to maximise asset availability, improve reliability and support essential wastewater services.

What you'll be doing:

As a First Line Maintenance Operative, you'll support the delivery of our maintenance programme by carrying out routine inspections, maintenance activities and asset checks across our operational sites. You'll work closely with colleagues across Wastewater Operations and M&E teams, helping to ensure our assets remain safe, reliable and efficient.

Key responsibilities include:

• Carrying out planned preventative maintenance on mechanical assets.

• Performing routine inspections, lubrication, fluid checks and equipment adjustments.

• Identifying asset defects and escalating issues before they become failures.

• Applying first-line maintenance techniques to improve asset reliability.

• Maintaining accurate maintenance records and work completion data.

• Supporting asset registration and asset data improvements through the MADE system.

• Working collaboratively with workshop and mobile maintenance teams.

• Adhering to all health, safety and environmental procedures.

• Undertaking training and development activities to build technical knowledge and competence.

• Contributing to the delivery of a safe, reliable and effective wastewater service.

What we’re looking for:

We're seeking someone who enjoys hands‑on work, takes pride in maintaining high standards and is keen to develop their engineering skills.

• Strong mechanical aptitude.

• Full UK driving licence.

• A proactive and safety‑focused approach to work.

• Willingness to learn, develop and take responsibility for work under your control.

• Good communication and teamwork skills.

Desirable

• NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Mechanical Engineering, relevant experience, or willingness to achieve this within an agreed timeframe.

• 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths, English and Science at Grade 4/C or above.

• Experience working within maintenance, engineering, utilities or operational environments.

• Experience of wastewater treatment processes or pumping stations.

• Understanding of maintenance schedules, safe systems of work and RAMS.

• Experience using maintenance management systems and completing maintenance records.

• Computer literacy and confidence using digital systems.

Why join us?

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable engineering and maintenance experience while supporting critical wastewater infrastructure. You'll receive ongoing training and development, work alongside experienced professionals and play an important role in delivering reliable services for customers and communities.

• Generous holiday allowance plus bank holidays

• A discretionary Bonus

• Competitive Contributory Pension

• Share-save Scheme

• Various health benefits

• Wellbeing support programmes

• A range of Group Discounts

• Cycle to Work Schemes

Closing Date: 24th November 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

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.