Water Safety Plan Scientist

South East Water; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent Stakeholder pension

5 weeks holiday + bank holidays

Flexible annual leave policy

Paid volunteering days

Cycle to work

Health cash plan

Life assurance

Wellbeing benefits

Job summary

South East Water is seeking a Water Safety Plan Scientist in Farnborough to protect public health by developing Drinking Water Safety Plans and leading risk assessments across catchments. You will work across Operations, Assets and Engineering to embed safety actions and proactively manage PFAS and radioactivity strategies.

You will analyse complex data, produce clear technical reports for senior management and regulators, and provide actionable recommendations for remediation during field-based

Qualifications

• A degree in a relevant scientific field such as Environmental Science, Chemistry, or Hydrology.
• Strong technical knowledge of the water cycle, water chemistry, biology and current water quality challenges.
• Exceptional analytical skills and ability to turn data into actionable reports.
• Top-tier IT and communication skills to influence stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain Drinking Water Safety Plans for catchments to identify hazards and mitigations.
• Conduct risk assessments including desktop reviews and site walkovers.
• Lead on PFAS and Radioactivity strategies to stay ahead of chemical threats.
• Collaborate across Operations, Assets and Engineering to integrate safety actions into capital delivery.
• Manage regulatory compliance by producing WSP returns and annual reports to DWI.
• Design and monitor sampling programmes for raw water sources for early warning systems.
• Analyse complex datasets to identify trends and produce reports for management and regulators.
• Investigate water quality anomalies and provide remediation recommendations.

Skills

Environmental Science

Analytical skills

IT & reporting

Driver's license

Education

Degree in Environmental Science, Chemistry or Hydrology

Job description

Summary

Do you want to use your science skills to protect public health and keep our water safe from source to tap? Are you a sharp problem-solver who loves digging into data? As our Water Safety Plan Scientist, you will join the core Water Quality team at South East Water. You will connect environmental science with practical engineering to make sure every drop of water meets strict safety rules. This is not a plain desk job, you will be out in the field and working across the business to stop problems before they start. You will spot risks early, prevent water incidents, and help protect our community and our reputation. If you are ready to tackle tricky issues like PFAS and radioactivity, this role gives you the freedom and variety to shine.

Main responsibilities

• Develop and maintain Drinking Water Safety Plans (DWSP) for all catchments to identify hazards and ensure the business implements robust mitigation actions.
• Conduct comprehensive risk assessments, including desktop reviews and site walkovers, to quantify risks from agricultural runoff and pathogens like Cryptosporidium.
• Lead on emerging risks by implementing the Company's PFAS and Radioactivity strategies to stay ahead of chemical threats.
• Collaborate across the business, sharing technical insights with Operations, Assets, and Engineering teams to integrate safety actions into capital delivery.
• Manage regulatory compliance by producing and submitting WSP returns and annual progress reports to the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI).
• Design and monitor sampling programmes for raw water sources to provide early warning systems for water quality fluctuations.
• Analyse complex datasets to identify trends and produce high-quality technical reports for senior management and regulators.
• Investigate water quality anomalies, determining root causes and providing immediate technical recommendations for remediation.

What you’ll need

• A degree (or equivalent) in a relevant scientific field such as Environmental Science, Chemistry, or Hydrology.
• Strong technical knowledge of the water cycle, water chemistry, biology, and current water quality challenges.
• Exceptional analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex data and turn it into clear, actionable reports.
• Top-tier IT and communication skills, enabling you to influence stakeholders and represent the Company at external industry meetings.
• A clean driving licence is required.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That's why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water. Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

Benefits package

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.
• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.
• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Health cash plan.
• Life assurance.
• Wellbeing related benefits.

Compensation package

Up to £41,930 p.a. (dependent on experience) + company van

Be you, belong and valued. Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

We supply top-quality drinking water to 2.3 million customers in the southeast of England. Through a network of 9,000 miles of pipe, we deliver 544 million litres of water every day. It's the skill and expertise of our employees that ensures our water meets the highest standards. We make sure we can meet the needs of our customers both now and in the future. Grow a career with a meaningful purpose.

• Come to work to be safe, valued, and trusted.
• We'll encourage you to create and pursue new opportunities for personal growth.
• A place to be the real you, build deeper connections and enjoy a sense of belonging.
• Be invested in helping us to create a sustainable water supply for now, and in the future.