Instrument, Control & Automation Technician (ICA)

JAM Recruitment Ltd; Terling; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Leave 24 days

Pension scheme

Health & wellbeing benefits

Performance-related pay

Job summary

Thames Water is seeking an Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) Technician to join their team based in Rye Meads STW, Essex, covering 11 catchment sites. Responsibilities include fault-finding, calibration and optimization to meet water quality and safety targets, with potential for overtime.

The role requires strong self-reliance, safety awareness and the ability to work with minimal supervision. Base location: Rye Meads STW, SG12 8JY.

Qualifications

• Qualified to HNC or NVQ3 in instrumentation or equivalent.
• 18th Edition (BS7671) qualification desirable.
• Strong understanding of operational plant and control systems.

Responsibilities

• Install, commission, maintain and repair water production assets.
• Work with SCADA systems, PLCs and process control networks.
• Provide specialist technical advice and training support as needed.

Skills

Fault finding

Calibration

SCADA

PLC knowledge

Education

HNC/NVQ3 in instrumentation

18th Edition (BS7671)

Tools

Wonderware

ClearSCADA

Rockwell PLCs

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Job description

This Instrument, Control & Automation Technician (ICA) role, based in Essex, supports Rye Meads STW and eleven catchment sites. Working full time, the successful candidate maintains instrumentation and control systems to manufacturers' standards, ensuring statutory obligations and asset availability targets are met. Duties include fault-finding, calibration, and process optimisation to safeguard water quality, safety, and operational efficiency, sometimes outside normal hours. Applicants should demonstrate self-reliance, strong technical judgement, and the ability to work safely with minimal supervision. A competitive salary of up to £47,000 per annum is offered, dependent on skills and experience.

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 Team based in Rye Meads STW but covering 11 catchment site. 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.

What you’ll be doing

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. 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 – Rye Meads STW – SG12 8JY

Working Pattern: 38 hours per week Monday-Friday. 7:30 am -3:36pm Plus standby & overtime opportunity, increasing earnings by a potential £8,000 - £10,000 upon completion of essential company training.

Equipment

• All PPE, tools, a company van and a fuel card are provided.

What you should bring to the role

• Ideally, you will be qualified to HNC level or otherwise NVQ level 3 (or equivalent) in an instrumentation, control and automation discipline.
• Preferably, 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 & Allen-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 elevate 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.
• 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.
• 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. Learn more about our purpose and values Working at Thames Wate r 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.