Instrumental, Control & Automation Technician

Thames Water; England; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water utility company in the UK is seeking an experienced Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) engineering technician to join their Swindon team. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining and repairing water production assets, including SCADA systems and PLCs. Candidates should hold relevant qualifications and have a demonstrated ability to work independently. Benefits include a competitive salary, pension scheme, and generous leave policies, making this a great opportunity for those looking to advance their careers in a supportive environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary up to £47,000

Defined contribution pension scheme – up to 12%

24-28 days of annual leave plus bank holidays

Performance-related pay plan

Generous paternity and maternity leave

Health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Experience in calibration and maintenance of front-line instrumentation.
• Ability to read and fault-find from circuit diagrams.
• Full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Install, commission, maintain and repair water production assets.
• Work with SCADA systems and PLCs.
• Supervise contractors and suppliers as necessary.

Skills

Fault diagnosis

SCADA systems

PLC programming

Problem-solving

Communication

Health and safety awareness

Education

HNC, NVQ level 3 in instrumentation, control and automation

Tools

Wonderware

ClearSCADA

Rockwell PLCs

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Job description

Overview

We are currently seeking an experienced Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) engineering technician to work out of our Swindon Sewage Treatment Works as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

As the successful candidate, your role will be to inspect, maintain, fault‑diagnose, test, install, modify or repair SCADA systems and associated PLCs, instrumentation, control and automation equipment in a safe, efficient, timely and effective manner with minimum supervision.

All tools, PPE and van will be provided.

Responsibilities

• Install, commission, maintain and repair water production assets, including level instrumentation, flow meters and turbidity monitors.
• Work with SCADA systems, PLCs and process control networks.
• Liaise with and supervise contractors and suppliers where necessary.
• Investigate asset failures and implement repairs promptly to avoid interruptions to the water supply process.
• Provide specialist technical advice where appropriate and support training for technical apprentices.
• Travel to surrounding sites as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• HNC, NVQ level 3 (or equivalent) in an instrumentation, control and automation discipline.
• Knowledge of BS7671 18th Edition (preferred).
• Practical understanding of operational plant and control systems.
• Experience with Wonderware and ClearSCADA (desired).
• Experience with relay logic and PLCs (Rockwell & Allen‑Bradley), including management and programming.
• Ability to read and fault‑find from circuit diagrams; experience with inverter drives.
• Experience in calibration and maintenance of front‑line instrumentation.
• Problem‑solving skills, excellent communication and ability to work with minimum supervision.
• Knowledge of health and safety issues relevant to the industry.
• Team player, resilient and adaptable to changing environments.
• Full UK driving licence.

Benefits

• Competitive salary up to £47,000 per annum, based on skills and experience.
• Defined contribution pension scheme – up to 12% contribution.
• Annual leave: 24 days (28 days after length of service) plus bank holidays.
• Performance‑related pay plan.
• Generous paternity and maternity leave (including paid and unpaid options).
• Health, wellbeing and practical benefits such as annual health MOTs, physiotherapy, counselling, Cycle to Work, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

About Us

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.

Working at Thames Water offers meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. We welcome applications from everyone, and we’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work.

Application

To apply, visit our careers page. Please note that due to high application volume, the advert may close earlier than advertised – apply as soon as possible.

Disclaimer

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