Instrument Control Automation Technician (Control and Instrumentation Technician)

Thames Water Utilities Limited; City Of London; On-site; GBP 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company seeks an Instrument Control Automation Technician based in East London. The role involves installations, maintenance, and repairs of water production assets with a competitive salary of up to £47,000 per annum, plus additional earnings through standby and overtime. Ideal candidates will have relevant qualifications in instrumentation and PLC experience.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to £47,000

Contributory pension

Annual leave

Performance-related pay plan

Enhanced maternity leave

Qualifications

• Ideally, qualified to HNC level or NVQ level 3 in instrumentation.
• Preferable to have 18th Edition qualification.
• Good practical understanding of operational plant and control systems.
• Knowledge of relay logic and PLC management.

Responsibilities

• Install, commission, maintain, and repair water production assets.
• Work with SCADA systems and related PLCs.
• Supervise contractors and suppliers.
• Conduct investigation into asset failures and implement repairs.

Skills

Knowledge of relay logic and PLCs

Ability to read and fault-find from circuit diagrams

Experience in calibration and maintenance of instrumentation

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Team player

Education

HNC level or NVQ level 3 in instrumentation

18th Edition (BS7671) qualification

Tools

SCADA systems

Wonderware

ClearSCADA

Job description

Overview

Job title Instrument Control Automation Technician (Control and Instrumentation Technician) Ref 39052 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Coppermills - East London - E17 7HE Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Hours 38 Hours a week Monday- Friday 7:30am – 3:36pm Salary Offering up to £47,000 per annum depending on your level of experience,plus Standby rota payments & Overtime opportunities can increase the earning potential by up to a further £8,000-£10,000 per annum upon completion of essential company training Job grade A Closing date 13/10/2025

About the role:

We currently have an exciting opportunity for an Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) or Control and Instrumentation (C&I) technician to join our Water Production Operations Team based in the North East London region.

This is a mobile role, where you would be required to work on various Water Treatment Works and borehole sites around the Chingford, Walthamstow, Waltham Abbey and Stonebridge Park areas.

We are looking for someone who can work in a safe, efficient, timely and effective manner with minimum supervision while maintaining the required standards to ensure that our statutory obligations are met and that asset availability and the associated performance measures are maintained to manufacturers\' standards.

An ICA Technician may also operate and optimise processes and on-site equipment to ensure delivery of water quality compliance, safety, and operational efficiencies both in and out of normal hours.

Responsibilities

• The role would include installations, commissioning, maintenance, and repairs of water production assets, including level instrumentation, flow meters, and Tand VM’s turbidity monitors.
• Working with technology, including SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems, associated PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), and Process control networks.
• Liaise with and supervise contractors and suppliers where necessary.
• This vital role also involves the investigation into asset failures and the implementation of subsequent repairs as quickly and efficiently as possible to avoid interruptions to the water supply process.
• You will be responsible for providing specialist technical advice where appropriate, with up-to-date technical knowledge, and providing training support for technical apprentices.

Base Location: Due to the nature of this role, you can be contractually based at the Coppermills Water Production site close to Walthamstow.

Working pattern is 38 Hours, Monday-Friday 7:30 am –3:36 p.m., plus standby & opportunity to increase earnings by a potential £8,000 to £10,000.

Please note that all PPE, tools, a company van and a fuel card are provided.

You must have Knowledge and experience working with relay logic and PLCs (Rockwell & Allen-Bradley), which will include management and programming.

What you should bring to the role

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

• Ideally, you will be qualified to HNC level or otherwise NVQ level 3 (or equivalent) in an instrumentation, control and automation discipline.
• Preferable for you to have an 18th Edition (BS7671) qualification.
• A good, practical understanding of operational plant and control systems is essential.
• An understanding of Wonderware and ClearSCADA is desirable.
• Knowledge and experience working with relay logic and PLCs (Rockwell & Alan Bradley), which will include management and programming.
• The ideal candidate will have the ability to read and fault-find from circuit diagrams, as well as have previous experience with inverter drives.
• We are looking for someone with experience in calibration and maintenance of front-line instrumentation.
• A problem solver, able to identify potential issues and implement solutions, or escalate if required.
• An excellent communicator, providing technical expertise to Internal and External staff and contractors.
• Resilient, adapting to the pressures of work and working in a constantly changing environment.
• Ability to work with minimum supervision, under own initiative to design and standards.
• Knowledge and awareness of Health and Safety issues relevant to the industry.
• Team player who can work in many different teams, showing respect for others, providing helpful feedback and supporting the development of others.
• Full UK driving licence.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £47,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution
• Annual Leave: 24 days holiday per year, increasing to 28 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.
• Generous Paternity Leave, including 4 weeks paid and an optional 2 weeks unpaid
• Enhanced Maternity Leave, 26 weeks full pay and 13 weeks half pay!
• 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

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’rehere 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.