Head of Instrumentation, Control & Automation Engineering

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Private medical health care

Holiday allowance

Hybrid working

Job summary

Thames Water is seeking a senior leader to head Instrumentation, Control & Automation Engineering. You will shape ICA strategy, set standards and act as Technical Authority across the full asset lifecycle.

In this hybrid role based at Clearwater Court, you will lead and mentor a high-performing ICA team, advance OT security and digital engineering, and partner with Capital Delivery and Operations to deliver safe, reliable assets for millions of customers.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering relevant to Instrumentation, Control and Automation.
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent professional standing.
• Significant experience leading ICA engineering teams in regulated environments.
• Proven experience as Technical Authority or Discipline Lead.

Responsibilities

• Establish ICA strategy, standards, specifications and policies.
• Act as Technical and Design Authority for ICA.
• Define long-term vision for control systems, OT and digital engineering.
• Provide independent technical assurance across asset lifecycle.
• Review and approve complex ICA designs and solutions.
• Lead technical investigations and advise on engineering risks.
• Provide discipline leadership across AMP8 and capital portfolios.
• Embed ICA requirements in project briefs and designs.

Skills

ICA leadership

Stakeholder management

SCADA systems

PLC knowledge

Technical authority

Cyber security

Chartered Engineer

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered Engineer status

Tools

IEC 61511 knowledge

IEC 62443 knowledge

Industrial control systems

Job description

Job title Head of Instrumentation, Control & Automation Engineering Ref 46062 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Hybrid - Clearwater Court - RG1 8DB Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Salary Competitive salary up to £100k per annum depending on experience. Job grade C Closing date 27/10/2026

This is a unique opportunity to lead our Instrumentation, Control and Automation engineering discipline at a pivotal point in our transformation.

As Head of Instrumentation, Control & Automation Engineering, you will be our senior technical leader and recognised authority for ICA. You will shape the strategic direction of automation, operational technology and digital engineering, ensuring our assets operate safely, reliably and efficiently.

Acting as the Technical and Design Authority for ICA, you will provide independent engineering assurance across the full asset lifecycle, from early investment decisions and design through to construction, commissioning and operation.

What you’ll be doing as a Head of Instrumentation, Control & Automation Engineering?

• Establishing and maintaining our ICA engineering strategy, standards, specifications and technical policies.
• Acting as the Technical and Design Authority for Instrumentation, Control and Automation.
• Defining the long-term vision for control systems, telemetry, operational technology and digital engineering.
• Providing independent technical assurance across the complete asset lifecycle.
• Reviewing, challenging and approving complex ICA designs and engineering solutions.
• Leading technical investigations and advising on critical engineering risks and issues.
• Providing discipline leadership across our AMP8 investment programme and future capital portfolios.
• Ensuring ICA requirements are embedded within project briefs, optioneering studies and design solutions.
• Working closely with Capital Delivery, Operations, Asset Management and delivery partners to promote consistent standards and best practice.
• Providing strategic leadership for SCADA, telemetry, PLC, HMI and wider industrial control systems.
• Ensuring operational technology systems are secure, resilient and aligned with cyber security requirements.
• Leading the governance of Functional Safety and Safety Instrumented Systems across our assets.
• Promoting new technologies, advanced analytics and intelligent automation solutions that improve safety, reliability, efficiency and sustainability.
• Leading, mentoring and developing a high-performing ICA engineering team.
• Representing Thames Water within industry forums, professional institutions and regulatory discussions.

Location: Hybrid – Clearwater Court, you will be in the office or in site up to 3 days a week and will require a driving licence and access to transport

Hours: 36 hours a week, Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need are:

• A degree in an engineering discipline relevant to Instrumentation, Control and Automation.
• Chartered Engineer status, or equivalent professional standing.
• Significant experience leading ICA engineering teams within a regulated, asset-intensive or critical-infrastructure environment.
• Proven experience as a Technical Authority, Discipline Lead or in an equivalent senior engineering position.
• Extensive technical knowledge of instrumentation, automation, industrial control systems, SCADA, PLCs and telemetry.
• Experience developing engineering standards, technical-governance frameworks and assurance processes.
• A strong understanding of asset lifecycle management and major capital-delivery programmes.
• Experience managing engineering risk and regulatory compliance.
• Strong strategic leadership, stakeholder-management and communication skills, with the credibility to influence senior leaders and multidisciplinary teams.

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

• Experience gained within the water sector or another critical-infrastructure industry, such as energy, utilities, transport, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas or nuclear.
• Knowledge of Functional Safety and Safety Instrumented Systems.
• Experience of Operational Technology cyber security and industrial-network architectures.
• Experience delivering digital-transformation, smart-asset or automation programmes.
• Knowledge of relevant industry standards, including IEC 61511 and IEC 62443.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £100,000 per annum depending on experience.
• 26 days’ holiday per year, increasing to 30 days with the length of service (plus bank holidays).
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to both company and individual performance measures and targets.
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
• Private Medical Health Care.
• 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 (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

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.

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.