Treatment Operator - Wastewater (12 Month Secondment/Fixed Term)

at  Scottish Water

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
The people of Inverness generate a lot of wastewater – from their bathrooms, kitchens, sewers, and drains. Then there is all the wastewater from commercial, industrial, and agricultural sites. Most of it ends up at a Wastewater Treatment plant, like our plant in Allanfearn.
The treatment process is what makes this water safe to be recycled back into the local environment without causing damage to our rivers, shorelines, and their delicate aquatic ecosystems. It’s absolutely essential work to protect the natural environment.
We use some pretty impressive plant and technology to manage the water treatment process. And we’re looking for a Treatment Operator to help monitor and maintain this essential processing equipment on a 12 month secondment.
What you’ll do
You’ll be part of the Operations Team, who are responsible for the safe operation of our wastewater and sludge processing assets. You’ll be doing a mix of planned and reactive monitoring and maintenance, as well as diagnosing and repairing faults when they happen.
You’ll make sure that all relevant recording and reporting is completed. You’ll also operate and adjust processes in response to the results of trend data, samples, and tests.
Cards on the table: Wastewater treatment works are not glamourous. You’ll be routinely exposed to dirt, water, and unpleasant smells. You can expect to be dealing with controlled hazards like gas, chemicals, and raw sewage. You’ll need to be ok with occasionally working in confined spaces, at heights or wearing breathing apparatus. This role can involve a lot of walking and will include moving and handling heavy equipment.
But of course, there are lots of upsides. The main one is that the role is incredibly varied, and you will find yourself involved in all sorts of things - from physically demanding activities to interrogating SCADA trends to identify deficiencies and improvements to the process.
The other big plus point is the team. You need a pretty good sense of humour to work in Wastewater, and the Inverness team have that in spades. But they take great pride in their work and understand how important their role is in protecting the local environment.
What you’ll need
You’ll need a background in operational or maintenance activities in Water, Wastewater, or a similar processing environment. You’ll be someone who likes knowing how things work, and who enjoys diagnosing and repairing faults.
You’ll be a quick learner, with the ability to use computer systems, understand data and use on-line learning modules. You’ll have strong attention to detail with the ability to accurately record information and to spot changes in monitoring records which may need addressed.
Sometimes you’ll be the only technician on shift, so you’ll need to be comfy working on your own, and conscientious about doing routine checks and maintenance activities without close supervision.
You will be based at Allanfearn most of the time, but occasionally maybe required to visit different sites, so you’ll need a full, clean UK issued driving licence.
Last, but definitely not least, safety is paramount – for you, for your colleagues and for the public. So, you will champion safe working practices at all times and take all necessary steps to make sure that everyone on site follows our strict health and safety rules.
Looking out for you
While the work we do is important, we know it’s not the only thing that matters. That’s why we make sure you have everything you need to find a good work-life balance.
This is a full-time job on a fixed term contract for one year. You’ll be working on a shift rota, covering both day and night shifts. But you’ll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays), these are included in your shift pattern. You can also take paid time off to volunteer in your community.
When it comes to major life events we have family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave. And for the everyday?
For your future, there’s our pension (the ‘know-what-you’ll-get-when-you-retire’ kind), as well as life assurance.
As for some nice extras? You can expect an annual company bonus. Not to mention access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.
The not-so-small print
This role will be a Grade 4. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £27,590 . Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £32,410 with a 20% shift allowance on top.
If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on 2nd of July 2024.
Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional, and will be confirmed on completion of our pre-employment screening, e.g. referencing, criminal record checks, license checks, etc. These checks are conducted on our behalf by a third party. Don’t worry - we’ll ask your permission before starting these checks
A few final things worth knowing…
Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you’re interested in this job, but don’t tick all the boxes, apply anyway! We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a learning curve. So don’t rule yourself out!
Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We’re also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We’re very used to making adjustments, so please don’t be afraid to ask.
As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it’s important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don’t already live here, you’ll need to commit to moving here within your first three months.
Finally (finally!), candidates who haven’t submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won’t need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted.
We’re here to help. Ask us anything at
SWRecruitment@ScottishWater.co.u

Please refer the Job description for details