Instrumentation, Control & Automation Technician

Thames Water Utilities Limited; London; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Thames Water seeks an Instrumentation, Control & Automation Technician to join their Water Production Operations Team. Responsibilities include maintenance, installation, and operation of water production assets with a competitive salary and opportunities for overtime. Applicants should have strong knowledge of control systems and PLC programming, alongside the ability to work across various locations in South East London.

Benefits

24 days holiday per year

Contributory pension scheme

Medical assessments annually

Company van and fuel card provided

Qualifications

• Strong practical understanding of operational assets and control systems essential.
• Ability to read and fault-find from circuit diagrams.
• Experience with PLCs and SCADA systems is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Install, commission, and maintain water production assets.
• Supervise contractors and suppliers.
• Investigate asset failures and implement repairs efficiently.

Skills

Practical understanding of operational assets

SCADA systems knowledge

PLC programming

Ability to read circuit diagrams

Communication and interpersonal skills

Education

HNC/Level 4 education

6+ years’ experience

Job description

Brixton - SW2 1SB, Orpington - Kent - BR6 0SQ

Job title Instrumentation, Control & Automation Technician Ref 38952 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Brixton - SW2 1SB, Orpington - Kent - BR6 0SQ Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Hours 38 Hours Monday- Friday standby & overtime opportunity increasing earning potential by £8,000-£10,000 Salary Competitive salary up to £45,600 per annum depending on skills and experience. Job grade A Closing date 13/06/2025

We 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 SE London region.

This is a mobile role, where you would be required to work on various Water Treatment Works around the Brixton, Streatham, Croydon, Orpington, and Dartford 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 Tech 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 as an Instrumentation, Control & Automation Technician:

• The role would include installations, commissioning, maintenance, and repairs of water production assets, including level instrumentation, flow meters, and TVM’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 either Brixton - SW2 1SB or Orpington - Kent - BR6 0SQ.

Working pattern is 38 Hours Monday-Friday 7:30 am – 3:36 pm plus standby & overtime opportunities increasing earning potential by approximately £8,000-£10,000 per annum.

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

What you should bring to the role

• A strong practical understanding of operational assets and control systems is essential.
• A solid understanding of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems.
• Fully versed 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 of inverter drives.
• Applicants should ideally have an HNC/Level 4 education or 6 + years’ experience, including time-served apprenticeship within Control, Instrumentation and Automation.
• Due to the nature of the role, a valid driving licence is essential, as the position will require working across several sites in your assigned region.
• Always have a safety-conscious mindset.
• Be a self-motivated individual who can immerse themselves into the team around them, you need to be very disciplined, have the desire to learn from those around you and have a can-do attitude. This role can be demanding at times, but extremely rewarding.
• Take Ownership of responding quickly to faults, being curious to understand the problem fully, and identifying the best solution to resolve it the first time.
• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with the team.
• Teamwork – We are one team, and our end goals are the same.
• Proactive – Take the lead on recommendations and improvements around the sites and communicate effectively.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £45,600 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• Standby rota payments & overtime opportunities can increase this earning potential by up to a further £8,000-£10,000 per annum upon completion of essential company training.
• 24 days holiday per year, increasing to 28 days with the length of service. (Plus bank holidays)
• Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
• Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.

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 fast-tracked career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

Whether you’re interested in a role in one of our call centres or science labs, we’re looking for people like you with real passion and a burning desire to make things better.

So, 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.

Our overarching aim is to ensure that Thames Water is great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process . Our aim is to remove any real or perceived barriers to success, so if you need assistance, 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.

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.