Water Quality Continuous Improvement Specialist

Kelda Group Limited 0000411940 - Kelda Group Limited; Bradford; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

A major water utility company in Bradford is seeking a Water Quality Continuous Improvement Scientist. You will lead initiatives to enhance compliance with water quality standards while collaborating closely with various stakeholders. A degree in a relevant discipline and strong analytical skills are crucial for this role. The position offers a competitive salary of £34,052 to £42,566 along with benefits such as a company car and bonus opportunities, making it an excellent fit for dedicated professionals.

Benefits

Company car

Annual incentive bonus up to £1,000

Attractive pension scheme

Development opportunities

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Wellness day

Qualifications

• Strong ability to interpret large datasets and identify compliance risks.
• Establish robust performance indicators and measurement frameworks.
• Drive corrective and preventive actions in water quality issues.

Responsibilities

• Lead Continuous Improvement initiatives for sustainable process improvements.
• Support and deliver key initiatives related to root cause analysis.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and performance commitments.

Skills

Proactive approach to self-development

Strong teamwork skills

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Use RCA techniques

Excellent interpersonal skills

Education

Degree in Engineering, Science, or a related discipline

Tools

Excel

Power BI

Job description

Overview

Water Quality Continuous Improvement Scientist

Hello! Thanks for stopping by. Let us tell you about all the great reasons to join us here at Yorkshire Water.

We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience from £34,052 to £42,566 and a range of benefits including a company car, annual incentive bonus up to £1,000, an attractive pension scheme (up to 12% employer contribution), development opportunities, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays plus a wellness day, life assurance, a flexible benefits package, and more.

Location: This role will initially be based in Bradford but we are moving to Leeds Valley Park in summer 2026. Hybrid working (one to two office days per week) with travel to sites across Yorkshire.

Work type: Permanent. 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Water Quality Continuous Improvement Scientist to join the Water Quality and Asset Management team at Yorkshire Water and help us deliver excellent service.

What we do

We serve over 5.4 million people in the region and ensure clean, safe drinking water and effective wastewater services. We protect communities, the environment, and support Yorkshire’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity 24/7, 365 days a year.

New environmental legislation, significant investment, and changing customer expectations make this an exciting time to explore opportunities in the water industry. Our Water Quality and Asset Management team helps meet evolving customer and regulator expectations.

Responsibilities

• Lead Continuous Improvement (CI) initiatives to realise benefits using CI methodology to design, communicate, and embed sustainable process improvements across the wider business.
• Be the primary Water Quality CI contact for your team, business service partners, and stakeholders.
• Support and deliver key initiatives and projects related to root cause analysis (RCA) in Water Quality Compliance, including leading and facilitating RCAs, driving CI initiatives, and reporting findings and recommendations to multiple stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with Performance Commitments and regulatory standards including DWI requirements.
• Prepare RCAs to support 72-hour and 20-day regulator submissions.
• Influence, persuade, and inspire colleagues and stakeholders to adopt best practice and embrace continuous improvement across the business.

What skills & qualifications you will need

• Proactive approach to self-development and continuous improvement.
• Strong teamwork, analytical, and problem-solving skills with ability to interpret large datasets and identify compliance risks.
• Establish robust performance indicators and measurement frameworks to support CI.
• Use RCA techniques to identify underlying issues in water quality and drive corrective/preventive actions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to influence, negotiate, and communicate complex information.
• Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Science, or a related discipline.
• Full and valid UK driving licence.

You will also benefit from having

• Understanding of water treatment works (WTW) production and distribution processes.
• Ability to present complex information to diverse audiences using multiple formats.
• Experience delivering results against challenging targets.
• Experience working in a regulated environment (water, wastewater, or utilities).
• Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies (e.g., Lean, Six Sigma, Systems Thinking).
• Strong IT skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); Power BI is beneficial.
• Additional experience in regulated environments across water, wastewater, utilities, process, or manufacturing sectors.

Additional information

We support flexible working patterns and job share options where possible to help with work-life balance. Closing date for this role is 17th November 2025.

Pre-employment checks include a Basic Disclosure Check, with potential security vetting depending on role. All roles may require a medical questionnaire and additional medicals where required. We are committed to accessible recruitment and adjustments; please indicate any needs in your application.

Note: Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date if needed.