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.

We’re looking for a proactive and passionate Water Quality Scientist to join our Water Quality team. In this role, you’ll play a vital part in protecting public health, ensuring exceptional drinking water quality, and supporting the delivery of safe, compliant water from source to tap.

This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a service that truly matters—safeguarding customers, communities, and the environment while working alongside a team of experts.

What you'll be doing:

As a key member of the team, you will:

• Provide technical expertise and guidance to operational teams, ensuring water quality standards are consistently met

• Support the management and optimisation of water assets, identifying risks and driving improvements

• Investigate and resolve customer water quality enquiries, delivering excellent service and outcomes

• Ensure compliance with UK and EU water quality legislation and regulatory requirements

• Identify and assess risks, implementing appropriate corrective actions to protect public health

• Collaborate with operational, asset management, and customer teams to maintain safe and efficient processes

• Support incident response and emergency situations, providing scientific expertise when required

• Contribute to continuous improvement of quality management systems and operational practices

What we are looking for:

Qualifications

• HNC in a scientific discipline (degree preferred)

Skills & Knowledge

• Understanding of water treatment processes and distribution systems

• Knowledge of UK water quality legislation

• Strong analytical and risk assessment skills

• Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills

• Ability to manage priorities and deliver to time, cost, and quality targets

What's in it for you:

• Generous holiday allowance with the ability to buy and sell annual leave for added flexibility.

• Competitive company pension scheme.

• Training and development within the role (Monitoring the Water Environment NVQ Level 2).

• Access to thousands of discounts and vouchers through Pennon Perks.

• 24/7 support with our Employee Assistance Programme.

• Discretionary bonus.

• Cycle to work scheme.

• And more!

Closing Date: 26th June 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.