Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.

Operational Technology (OT) Technician – Join South West Water’s Digital & IT Team

📍 Exeter
🕒 Full time
👤 Reporting to: Lead OT Technician

Help keep essential services running for communities across the South West.

We’re looking for an enthusiastic Operational Technology (OT) Technician to join our Operational Technology team. If you enjoy problem‑solving, working with smart technology, and making a real difference, this could be the perfect role for you.

What’s the role all about?

Our Operational Technology team plays a crucial part in making sure clean water is supplied and wastewater is safely managed across the region. As an Operational Technology (OT) Technician, you’ll help maintain and improve our SCADA Telemetry System, which keeps thousands of assets running reliably 24/7.

You’ll support engineers and partners remotely, help configure and commission new equipment, and make sure our systems are accurate, safe, and secure. You don’t need to know everything on day one — if you’re curious, technically minded and eager to learn, we’ll give you the support and training to grow.

This is a role where what you do genuinely matters.

What you’ll be doing

Supporting Operations

• Helping colleagues across Water and Wastewater Services with telemetry and SCADA questions

• Joining an OT standby rota to keep essential services running (with full training and support)

• Learning how our treatment works, pumping stations, and instrumentation operate

• Always working safely in office, test, and operational environments

Configuring & Improving Our Systems

• Setting up new telemetry points and alarms to give the business the data it needs

• Remotely commissioning new system connections and updates

• Creating SCADA mimics and visual layouts

• Getting involved in testing new hardware and software

• Helping design smarter, more efficient alarm logic

Assuring Quality & Security

• Following ITIL change management processes

• Troubleshooting system issues and helping resolve them

• Managing user accounts and supporting audit requirements

• Extracting data, including writing SQL queries (training provided)

• Using secure‑by‑design principles to keep our systems protected

What we’re looking for

You don’t need to tick every box — if you’re keen, capable and motivated, we’d love to hear from you.

You’ll need:

• Experience in operational or industrial technology (in any medium/large organisation)

• Good general IT skills, including Microsoft Office

• Strong attention to detail and an analytical mindset

• A positive, flexible approach with a willingness to learn

• Good organisation skills and the ability to prioritise your workload

• A customer‑focused attitude — you like solving problems for others

• A commitment to safety and good information security practice

You will have:

• Experience in water or wastewater operations (desirable)

• Knowledge of SCADA or telemetry systems

• Familiarity with Access, SQL Server or database languages

• An understanding of ITIL or COBIT

• An interest in how drinking water and wastewater processes work (desirable)

• A full UK driving licence

• Ability to obtain Government Security Clearance

Qualifications

• 5 GCSEs including Maths and English (Grade C/4+)

• A Level, BTEC Level 3, or equivalent in a relevant technical discipline

At South West Water; we believe in rewarding our people for their hard work and dedication. As an OT Technician you'll enjoy:

• Competitive Salary – Based on experience and skills

• Annual Bonus Scheme – Rewarding your performance

• Pension Scheme – Helping you plan for your future

• Healthcare Benefits – Access to private healthcare and employee assistance programs

• Professional Development – Support for career growth with training opportunities

• Employee Discounts – On various products and services

• Generous Annual Leave – Take time to recharge with our holiday entitlement

Closing Date: Tuesday 14th April 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.