Waste Management Graduate

Thames Water; England; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A major water and wastewater company in the UK is seeking a Waste Management Graduate for a two-year program involving operational placements. This opportunity allows you to drive key initiatives, manage daily operations, and gain leadership experience while contributing to vital environmental efforts. The role requires a relevant degree, a driving license, and a self-motivated mindset. Benefits include a competitive starting salary and a supportive work environment committed to growth and development.

Benefits

Starting salary of £32,000 in Year 1 and £34,000 in Year 2

26 days holiday increasing to 30

Performance-related pay plan

Generous pension scheme

Access to health and wellbeing benefits

Qualifications

• Achieved or working towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Management, or related fields.
• A full driving licence is required for travel across your assigned region.

Responsibilities

• Support the Head of Region by driving key initiatives in waste operations.
• Learn leadership roles while managing day-to-day operations and improvements.
• Work with a multi-skilled team to ensure operational excellence.

Skills

Self-motivated

Adaptable mindset

Confidence in new environments

Education

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in relevant disciplines

Job description

Are you ready to play a key role in keeping communities thriving and protecting the environment? At Thames Water, our two-year Learning to Lead Waste Management Graduate Programme gives you the chance to rotate through two hands‑on operational placements, tackling the challenges of collecting and treating millions of litres of wastewater every day.

What you’ll be doing as a Waste Management Graduate

Year 1: Thames Valley Region

Support the Head of Region and senior leadership by driving key initiatives and strategic priorities. Gain frontline exposure, coordination experience, and insight into high‑impact decision‑making while working across functions, for a full view of waste operations.

Year 2: Reading Sewage Treatment Works / Thames Valley site

Learn to step into a leadership role within the Waste team; you will support managing day‑to‑day operations and driving improvements in wastewater treatment. Work with the site team to lead a multi‑skilled team, monitor performance, ensure compliance, and champion operational excellence.

Beyond the Programme

Progress into a frontline leadership role with ownership of operational teams and site performance, or specialise in a technical area depending on your skills and interests.

Across your two‑year journey, you’ll be empowered by dedicated mentors and managers, with opportunities to:

• Accelerate your business and personal growth through real‑world development experiences
• Build essential safety confidence with hands‑on health and safety training
• Make a difference by getting involved in meaningful charity projects and personalised coaching
• Expand your network through mentoring and collaboration with fellow graduates
• Inspire future talent by becoming a STEM ambassador

What you should bring to the role

To thrive in this role, the essential criteria you’ll need is:

• Achieved or working towards a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the following disciplines: Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Management, Construction Management, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Science, Geology or Hydrogeology, Chemistry, STEM or management‑related degree
• A full driving licence is required due to travel across your assigned region
• A self‑motivated, adaptable mindset confident in stepping into new environments

What’s in it for you?

• Starting salary: Year 1 £32,000, Year 2 £34,000 per annum
• Location: Year 1 – Travel required across the Thames Valley Region. Year 2 – Reading Sewage Treatment Works / Thames Water site in the Thames Valley Region
• 26 days holiday per year increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
• Performance‑related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
• Generous pension scheme through AON
• Access to a wide range of benefits to support your health, wellbeing and 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 graduate recruitment process

Find out more about our benefits and perks.

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

Working at Thames Water

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.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.