Mechanical & Electrical Technician

Thames Water Ltd; Reading; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary up to £45,000 per 1

Pension – Defined Contribution – 12% +

Annual Leave 24–28 days

Paternity leave

Maternity leave

Cycle to Work schemes

Life assurance

Job summary

Thames Water Ltd seeks a Mechanical & Electrical Technician to join the team at Fobney Water Treatment Works, Reading. You will inspect, maintain, fault diagnose, test, install, modify or repair mechanical plant and electrical equipment, with minimum supervision to keep sites operational.

The role includes planned maintenance, fault diagnosis, and standing duties on a range of pumps, motors, control gear, VSDs and PLCs, with a focus on safety and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Experience as an electrical apprentice with multi‑skill capability in mechanical systems.
• Upskilling to mechanical qualification to inspect, maintain, diagnose and repair safely.
• Willingness to develop dual‑skilled status if mainly mechanical or electrical experience only.
• Strong awareness of health and safety requirements in a heavy‑duty environment.

Responsibilities

• Carry out planned maintenance on mechanical and electrical equipment to minimise breakdowns.
• Investigate plant failures and carry out repairs quickly to avoid process interruptions.
• Provide technical advice and training support for technical trainees when required.
• Work on pumps, control gear, motors, starters, VSDs, PLCs and related equipment.
• Participate in a standby rota after appropriate training.

Skills

Electrical systems

Mechanical systems

Fault diagnosis

Health & safety

Education

Electrical apprenticeship

ONC/HNC in engineering

NVQ or C&G level 3 in Electrical engineering

Mechanical NVQ2/3 upskilling

Tools

VSDs

PLC

Test equipment

Job description

We are currently recruiting for a Mechanical & Electrical Technician to join our team at Fobney Water Treatment Works in Reading.

As the successful candidate, you will be using your mechanical & electrical knowledge as well as your experience to inspect, maintain, fault diagnose, test, install, modify or repair as appropriate, mechanical plant and associated electrical equipment, in a safe, efficient, timely and effective manner with minimum supervision allowing us to ensure that all of our sites remain operational for the benefit of our customers.

This is an excellent opportunity to make a real difference to Thames Water's environmental impact, and you will be actively helping to reduce pollution from our sites.

What you’ll be doing as the Mechanical & Electrical Technician

• Carry out scheduled planned maintenance work on mechanical and electrical equipment in compliance with company procedures to minimise plant breakdowns.
• Investigate plant failures and carry out repairs as quickly and efficiently as possible to avoid interruptions to the process. This may involve investigating and diagnosing complex faults and carrying out repairs during incidents.
• Provide technical advice, refer to up-to-date technical knowledge, and provide training or support for technical trainees if required.
• Examples of equipment that you will be working on will be various pumps and associated control gear, 3-phase motors, starters and controls, electronic control systems such as VSDs, automatic valves and penstocks, flow, level and pressure measurement, programmable logic controllers, variable speed drives and controls, chemical handling, and dosing equipment.
• Participate in a standby rota following the relevant training.

Base Location: Fobney WTW, Reading, Rose Kiln Lane, Reading, RG2 0SF

Working Pattern: 38 Hours, Monday- Friday 7:30 am – 3:36 pm plus overtime opportunities.

All PPE and tools are provided.

You must have previous experience in an electrical apprenticeship, ONC/HNC in engineering, NVQ, or C&G level 3 in Electrical engineering, with an upskill in mechanical NVQ2/3 is crucial.

What you should bring to the role

• You should be a time-served apprentice with significant experience in electrical systems working in a “true multi-skilled” capacity.
• Ideally, you will have been upskilled with a mechanical qualification to allow inspecting, maintaining, fault diagnosis, testing, installing, modifying, or repairing mechanical and electrical plant equipment safely and efficiently.
• For individuals with mechanical or electrical experience only, we will look to develop the right people to dual‑skilled status.
• Knowledge and awareness of health and safety issues are crucial.
• The work will require physical fitness, as you will work in confined spaces with the successful completion of the appropriate training.
• A valid driving license is essential, and all necessary equipment, such as the vehicle and tools, is provided.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary up to £45,000 per annum, depending on skills and experience.
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• 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).
• 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.

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

Why choose us?

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.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family.

Working at Thames Water

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.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme