Graduate Electrical Engineer
Graduate Electrical Engineer
Location: Exeter
Salary: £30,000
Start Date: September 2026
Application Deadline: 20 March 2026
Who we are…
At Pennon, we literally bring water to life. We keep taps running, protect the environment, and support communities across the Southwest. Our engineering teams make all of that happen, every single day.
We care about doing things safely and doing them well. We experiment, we learn, we share ideas freely, and we'll welcome yours from the moment you arrive. If you're someone who likes making real world systems better, and you enjoy the feeling of solving a problem that actually helps people, you'll find something for you here.
What you’d be doing…
If you’re the sort of person who learns best by getting involved, this role lets you dive into the action and build confidence through real engineering challenges.
As a Graduate Electrical Engineer, you could:
Work with control systems, SCADA, and automation that keep water treatment and distribution running 24/7
Take on technical challenges around PLCs, motor control, instrumentation, and telemetry systems
Dig into electrical performance data to understand power consumption, equipment reliability, and system optimisation
Bring fresh ideas to control panel design, sensor integration, and process automation improvements
Find ways to enhance system resilience through backup power solutions and electrical network upgrades
Help maintain and improve electrical infrastructure across treatment works, pumping stations, and operational sites
Play your part in our safety-first culture through site visits, risk assessments, and quality checks
Build the technical and professional skills you'll need for chartership (if that's where you're headed)
If you enjoy getting stuck in straight away, experimenting, learning fast, and getting involved in real engineering work, this could be a great fit for you.
Who you are…
We’re keen to meet engineering graduates who get curious about systems, love tackling unfamiliar challenges, and learn as they go.
You might be a great match if you:
Are working toward (or have) a degree in Electrical Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline
Enjoy understanding how systems work and aren't afraid to ask the questions that get you there
Can explain technical findings clearly, whether your audience is technical or not
Bring integrity, care and good judgement to the work you do
Put safety and people at the heart of your choices
Care about the environment and using data to drive sustainable outcomes
Have an instinct for problem‑solving, seeing possibility in unexpected places
Have the right to work in the UK
If you’re drawn to this role and feel this might be you, we’d love to hear from you.
Don’t have everything on this list? That’s ok, you won’t be expected to arrive with all the answers. In fact, a curious mind and proactive attitude will carry you a long way as you explore everything this role has to offer. You'll learn about our assets, our systems, and how engineering theory translates into keeping vital services running around the clock.
What’s in it for you…
A structured grad programme: Learning that strengthens your technical instincts, people skills and your sense of how engineering fits into the bigger picture
A mentor or buddy: An experienced engineer who can guide you along the way
Real experience: Work on assets and projects with real impact across familiar spaces and communities in the Southwest
Competitive salary and benefits package
The chance to make a difference: Work that carries genuine social and environmental meaning
A culture shaped by values: safety, integrity, collaboration, innovation and customer care
Support toward professional registration and clear pathways to chartership
Closing Date: 20th March 2026 – We reserve the right to close this vacancy before the advertised closing date.
Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK for the full duration of the 2-year programme. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this programme.
We’re committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and ensuring everyone can participate in our recruitment process fully and fairly. If you need any adjustments or face any barriers in our processes, just let us know. We'll work with you to make sure you can show us what you can do.
- Division
- South West Water
- Department
- Early Careers
- Locations
- Exeter
- Yearly salary
- £30,000
About South West Water
We look after the water and wastewater services for 1.8 million customers across Cornwall, Devon, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Dorset and Somerset.
From treatment and maintenance, to innovation and improvements, we're busy every day finding and fixing leaks, unblocking sewers and going bigger and further in our environmental work to be a company you can be proud of.