Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Technician (ICA)

Thames Water Utilities Limited; Camberley; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension: Defined Contribution

Annual leave: 24–28 days

Performance-related pay

Paternity leave

Maternity leave

Cycle to Work

Life assurance

Health & wellbeing benefits

Job summary

Thames Water Utilities Limited is seeking an Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Technician to service wastewater treatment assets across Camberley and surrounding sites. The role is mobile within the Home Counties South West area, with 38 hours per week and occasional standby/overtime.

You will work with Rockwell/Allen-Bradley PLCs, SCADA systems, and various instrumentation like level sensors and flow meters. A UK driving licence is essential and travel to multiple sites is expected.

Qualifications

• Ideal: HNC or NVQ3 in instrumentation, control and automation.
• 18th Edition (BS7671) qualification required or desirable.
• Good understanding of operational plant and control systems.
• Ability to read circuit diagrams and fault-find from drawings.
• Experience with inverter drives and VSDs.

Responsibilities

• Install, commission, maintain and repair wastewater treatment assets including instrumentation and PLCs.
• Operate and optimise processes and on-site equipment to ensure safety and efficiency.
• Work with SCADA, PLCs and process control networks; provide technical advice.
• Liaise with contractors and supplies; supervise as required.
• Investigate asset failures and implement timely repairs to minimize disruptions.

Skills

Relay logic

PLCs

Wonderware

ClearSCADA

Inverter drives

VSDs

Calibration

Fault-finding

Safety awareness

UK driving licence

Education

HNC in Instrumentation/Control & Automation

NVQ Level 3 in Instrumentation/Control & Automation

18th Edition (BS7671)

Tools

Rockwell PLCs

Allen-Bradley PLCs

Job description

Job title Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Technician (ICA) Ref 46050 Division Asset Operations & Capital Delivery Location Camberley - GU15 3YL Contract type Permanent Full/Part-time Full-time Hours 38 hours Monday- Friday 7:30am-3:36pm Salary Offering up to £47,000 per annum depending on skills and experience. Job grade A Closing date 21/10/2026

We currently have an exciting opportunity for an Instrumentation, Control & Automation (ICA) or Control and Instrumentation (C&I) technician to join our Waste & Bioresources Operations team in Camberley.

This is a mobile role, where you would be required to work on various wastewater treatment works and pumping stations around the Home Counties South West area.

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 wastewater treatment, safety, and operational efficiencies both in and out of normal hours.

What you’ll be doing as an Instrument Control Automation Technician (Control and Instrumentation Technician)

• The role would include installations, commissioning, maintenance, and repairs of waste water treatment 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 for our customers and the environment.
• 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, travel to multiple sites will be required. You would be contractually based at the Camberley STW, GU15 3YL.

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.
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

• Ideally, you will be qualified to HNC level or otherwise NVQ level 3 (or equivalent) in an instrumentation, control and automation discipline.
• Preferably, you will have an 18th Edition (BS7671) qualification and experience working as an electrical technician / ICA in an industrial setting.
• 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 and VSDs.
• 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 escalating 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 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.
• Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.

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.