Planned Maintenance Operator

South West Water; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday allowance

Discretionary bonus

Competitive pension

Share-save scheme

Health benefits

Wellbeing programmes

Group discounts

Cycle to work

Job summary

South West Water Limited is seeking a practical, motivated Planned Maintenance Operative to join our Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team. You will carry out planned preventative maintenance across wastewater treatment sites and pumping stations, ensuring asset availability and reliability.

The role offers hands-on engineering development, training opportunities and a clear path within a supportive, safety-conscious environment.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 2/3 in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent.
• 5 GCSEs including Maths, English and Science (Grade 4/C or above).
• Strong mechanical aptitude and hands-on skills.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to learn, develop and take responsibility for work under your control.

Responsibilities

• Carrying out planned preventative maintenance on mechanical assets.
• Performing routine inspections, lubrication, fluid checks and equipment adjustments.
• Identifying asset defects and escalating issues before they become failures.
• Applying first-line maintenance techniques to improve asset reliability.
• Maintaining accurate maintenance records and work completion data.
• Supporting asset registration and asset data improvements through the MADE system.
• Working collaboratively with workshop and mobile maintenance teams.
• Adhering to all health, safety and environmental procedures.
• Undertaking training and development activities to build technical knowledge and competence.
• Contributing to the delivery of a safe, reliable and effective wastewater service.

Skills

Mechanical aptitude

Full UK driving licence

Safety-focused

Willingness to learn

Communication & teamwork

Problem solving

Computer literacy

Training & development

Outdoor work

Education

NVQ Level 2/3 in Mechanical Engineering

5 GCSEs including Maths, English & Science (Grade 4/C+)

Tools

Maintenance management system

Microsoft Office / digital systems

Job description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Help keep our wastewater assets running safely and reliably

We're looking for a practical, motivated and mechanically minded Planned Maintenance Operative to join our Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to develop a career in maintenance, engineering and asset management. You'll play a key role in carrying out planned preventative maintenance across our wastewater treatment sites and pumping stations, helping to maximise asset availability, improve reliability and support essential wastewater services.

What You'll Be Doing

As a Planned Maintenance Operative, you'll support the delivery of our maintenance programme by carrying out routine inspections, maintenance activities and asset checks across our operational sites. You'll work closely with colleagues across Wastewater Operations and M&E teams, helping to ensure our assets remain safe, reliable and efficient.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Carrying out planned preventative maintenance on mechanical assets.
• Performing routine inspections, lubrication, fluid checks and equipment adjustments.
• Identifying asset defects and escalating issues before they become failures.
• Applying first-line maintenance techniques to improve asset reliability.
• Maintaining accurate maintenance records and work completion data.
• Supporting asset registration and asset data improvements through the MADE system.
• Working collaboratively with workshop and mobile maintenance teams.
• Adhering to all health, safety and environmental procedures.
• Undertaking training and development activities to build technical knowledge and competence.
• Contributing to the delivery of a safe, reliable and effective wastewater service.

What We're Looking For

We're seeking someone who enjoys hands-on work, takes pride in maintaining high standards and is keen to develop their engineering skills.

• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Full UK driving licence.
• A proactive and safety-focused approach to work.
• Willingness to learn, develop and take responsibility for work under your control.
• Good communication and teamwork skills.
• A practical approach to problem-solving with the ability to work collaboratively across operational and maintenance teams.
• Computer literacy, including confidence using Microsoft Office and digital systems.
• Willingness to learn, undertake training and develop new technical and operational skills.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions

Desirable

• NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Mechanical Engineering, relevant experience, or willingness to achieve this within an agreed timeframe.
• 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths, English and Science at Grade 4/C or above.
• Experience working within maintenance, engineering, utilities or operational environments.
• Experience of wastewater treatment processes or pumping stations.
• Understanding of maintenance schedules, safe systems of work and RAMS.
• Experience using maintenance management systems and completing maintenance records.

Why join us?

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable engineering and maintenance experience while supporting critical wastewater infrastructure. You'll receive ongoing training and development, work alongside experienced professionals and play an important role in delivering reliable services for customers and communities.

• Generous holiday allowance plus bank holidays
• A discretionary Bonus
• Competitive Contributory Pension
• Share-save Scheme
• Various health benefits
• Wellbeing support programmes
• A range of Group Discounts
• Cycle to Work Schemes

Closing Date: 16th November 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

• Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
• Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
• Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.