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.

Role Purpose

The DWS Maintenance Engineer is a key member of the Drinking Water Services MEICA team, responsible for supporting the maintenance, reliability and performance of water treatment and distribution assets. Working closely with operational teams and fellow engineering specialists, the role coordinates and delivers planned, preventative and reactive maintenance across mechanical, electrical and instrumentation, control and automation (ICA) assets.

The role contributes to the safe and efficient operation of drinking water infrastructure by ensuring assets are maintained to the highest standards, supporting regulatory compliance, operational resilience and continuous improvement across water production and distribution sites.

Key Responsibilities

Maintenance & Asset Reliability

• Plan, coordinate and deliver preventative, corrective and reactive maintenance activities across water treatment and distribution assets.

• Support the maintenance and improvement of mechanical, electrical and ICA equipment.

• Diagnose equipment faults and undertake troubleshooting activities to minimise operational disruption.

• Identify root causes of plant failures and implement effective long-term solutions.

• Improve asset reliability, efficiency and performance across treatment sites.

Technical Delivery

Depending on specialist discipline, undertake:

• Mechanical installation, commissioning and fault finding.

• Electrical installation, commissioning and fault finding.

• ICA installation, commissioning and fault finding.

• Support control systems, instrumentation and automation infrastructure.

• Carry out regulatory inspections and equipment testing.

Operational Support

• Provide practical and technical support to operational teams and maintenance craftspeople.

• Maintain familiarity with a wide range of treatment assets, equipment and operational processes.

• Support planned maintenance programmes and respond effectively to operational emergencies and breakdowns.

• Contribute to process optimisation, energy efficiency and asset improvement initiatives.

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Work in accordance with company procedures, statutory requirements and industry standards.

• Prepare and review risk assessments, method statements and safe systems of work where required.

• Maintain high standards of site safety, hygiene and housekeeping.

• Ensure compliance with water quality, waste management and health and safety legislation.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Collaborate with Information Services, Operational Technology, Repair Workshops and wider Pennon teams.

• Work effectively with external contractors, suppliers and service partners.

• Support training and development activities, including mentoring apprentices and operational colleagues.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications

• GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths and English.

• Completed apprenticeship supported by relevant engineering qualifications (City & Guilds, BTEC, ONC, HNC or HND).

• Relevant and current technical competency certifications, such as IEE regulations.

• Full UK Driving Licence.

Essential Experience

• Industrial maintenance and fault finding.

• Mechanical, electrical or ICA maintenance and repair.

• Working with industrial control systems and plant equipment.

• Maintenance planning and delivery.

• Troubleshooting operational and asset performance issues.

Desirable Experience

• Water treatment operations and asset maintenance.

• PLC systems and automation technologies.

• High-voltage electrical systems.

• Supervising or leading operational activities.

Closing Date: 29th July 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.