Process Operator

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

Benefits offered by this job

Health Care cash plan

Competitive Pension

Job summary

Southern Water is seeking a Wastewater Process Operator in Hailsham, East Sussex. You will join frontline operations across multiple sites, driving a company van and supporting compliance, environment protection, and customer service with 38 hours per week on a permanent contract.

The role involves maintenance, sampling, data logging, and safety procedures. You will rotate standby duties as training completes, and overtime opportunities are available to enhance earnings.

Qualifications

• UK manual driving licence required.
• Willing to travel across multiple sites within East Sussex.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Good time management and ability to work independently.
• Keen to learn and operate complex processes.

Responsibilities

• Perform compliance testing and monitoring of wastewater processes.
• Carry out maintenance tasks including unblocking pumps, screens and valves.
• Repair alarm systems and resolve faults promptly.
• Log and report data for regulatory compliance.
• Handle sampling and maintain sampling equipment.
• Receive and safely manage chemical deliveries and storage.
• Utilise IT systems to schedule tasks and ensure safety.

Skills

Driving licence

Outdoor work

Adaptable

Time management

Self-motivated

Job description

Closing Date 2026-09-25

Wastewater Process Operator

Location: Hailsham, Sussex - you will also need to be willing to travel across multiple sites within East Sussex, and have a current full driving license. A company van will be provided.

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 38 hours

Salary: £29,325 per annum, plus standby (once qualified) and overtime opportunities.

(With regular overtime and standby rota participation, your total gross earnings can reach around £34,000 per year.)

Number of Positions: 2

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 East Sussex to ensure wastewater treatment works 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

Possibility to join the standby rota in the future once training is complete (6-12 months) . You'll take part in a five-week standby rota, covering a different weekday each week before completing a weekend standby (Friday to Sunday) in the fifth week.

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.

"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. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need."

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.

This role is subject to enhanced pre-employment security screening. Applicants will need to have lived in the UK for the previous 3 years to enable the required checks to be completed

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.

If you require some reasonable adjustments to facilitate your participation in the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know.