Process Operator

Southern Water; Chichester; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care cash plan

Competitive Pension

Job summary

Southern Water invites applications for a Wastewater Process Operator in Chichester. The role requires maintaining wastewater treatment works and pumping stations, with travel across sites and a current full driving licence.

38-hour weekly contract with permanent status, and a salary of £29,325 per annum plus standby and overtime opportunities. The position includes a standby rota and opportunities to increase earnings, plus benefits such as health care cash plan and pension.

Qualifications

• Valid UK manual driving licence.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Adaptable, reliable, and self-motivated.
• Good time management and ability to work independently.
• Keen to learn and operate complex processes.

Responsibilities

• Compliance testing and monitoring.
• Maintenance tasks including unblocking pumps, screens, and valves.
• Repair of alarm systems and fault resolution.
• Monitoring, collating, and reporting data for regulatory compliance.
• Carrying out regular sampling and maintaining sampling equipment.
• Receiving and handling chemical deliveries safely.
• Using IT systems to log maintenance tasks and ensure safety compliance.

Skills

Driving licence

Outdoor work

Time management

Independent work

Willing to learn

Job description

Closing Date

11/08/2026

Wastewater Process Operator

Location: Chichester - you will also need to be willing to travel across multiple sites and have a current full driving licence.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 38 hours

Salary: £29,325 per annum, plus standby and overtime opportunities.
(With regular overtime and standby rota participation, your total gross earnings can reach around £34,000 per year.)

Standby rota participation can increase earnings significantly.

Benefits:

• Health Care cash plan cover (with options to upgrade for family coverage)
• Competitive Pension

For a full list of benefits, please visit our careers page or see below.

About the role

Join our frontline operations team in Chichester to ensure wastewater treatment works and pumping stations run smoothly. This role is critical to maintaining compliance, protecting the environment, and delivering excellent service to our customers.

What you will be responsible for:

• Compliance testing and monitoring.
• Maintenance tasks including unblocking pumps, screens, and valves.
• Repair of alarm systems and fault resolution.
• Monitoring, collating, and reporting data for regulatory compliance.
• Carrying out regular sampling and maintaining sampling equipment.
• Receiving and handling chemical deliveries safely.
• Using IT systems to log maintenance tasks and ensure safety compliance.

Additional Requirements

Participation in a 1-in-7 standby rota once signed off on your training (est 6 months)

What you’ll bring to the role:

Essential

• Valid UK manual driving licence.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Adaptable, reliable, and self-motivated.
• Good time management and ability to work independently.
• Keen to learn and operate complex processes.

Desirable

• Experience in wastewater operations or similar process industries.
• Basic mechanical or electrical maintenance skills.

Progression opportunities

Southern Water offers career progression, training, and development opportunities.

About Southern Water

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Additional information:

In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting.

Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.