Job title: Water Quality Scientist 

Employer:  South West Water

Department/function: Science and Water Quality

Location: Exeter/Plymouth

Responsible to: Principal Scientist 

Salary:  £24,000-£30,000 per annum dependent on skills and experience

Closing date: 5pm, 18th April 2017

Job purpose:

• Provide high quality technical support to Operations in all areas of water supply from source to tap, ensuring that the public health of the customer base is protected.
• Ensure that existing assets are optimised and maintained in such a way to meet current financial and water quality requirements.
• Identify operational and asset deficiencies to enable the promotion of appropriate solutions within Operations and Asset Owner/Manager.
• Resolution of customer enquiries relating to water quality ensuring the needs and expectations of the customer, regulator and business are met.

Core duties and key responsibilities:

• Be a proactive member of the Science & Water Quality Team, implementing strategy to meet the business objectives of the Company with the specific inputs into the Science and Water Quality and Water Treatment business plan.
• Assist the Principal Scientist in the preparation of an operating plan to ensure that cost, efficiency and Regulatory standards are achieved.
• Comply with Health Safety & Security Policies.
• Ensure that all relevant UK and EC legislation is adhered to, in particular that relating to drinking water quality and waste water monitoring.
• Take action to maintain public health by identifying risks and ensuring that the appropriate remedial measures are taken including liaison with the HPU, EHO & other Regulators after consultation with Principal Scientist.
• Review operational practices and processes, identifying opportunities for improvements in efficiency and productivity whilst minimising the Company’s exposure to risk.
• Recommend, consider and appraise new works proposals, liaising with colleagues in other parts of the Company as appropriate, to assess if new schemes are likely to meet relevant quality standards.
• Ensure that commissioning operations for new plant allow smooth transition where changes to process are required, with no adverse effects on water quality.
• By liaison with colleagues in other parts of the Company ensure that there are no non trivial process deviations which may give risks to plant, operating personnel, the general public health of customers or the environment.
• Maintain and improve the standard of customer contact, both with the general public and external authorities or organisations, so that the Company image is upheld and promoted, ensuring adherence to Company policies, procedures and guidelines.
• Advise operational managers when ‘trigger point’ situations have been reached and give guidance on, and assist with, appropriate action.
• To provide support and advice during emergency incidents, including direct support to the incident management team.
• Ensure effective planning and delivery of scientific and technical support to Operations, Asset Manger, Asset Owner & Customer Manager.
• Ensure effective management of resources to minimise costs.
• Identify information requirements and ensure key reports are developed to enable effective management of resources.
• Review and critically assess Method Statements and Risk Assessments to ensure the Company position is protected along with its customer base.
• Implement and further improve the quality management systems, including the adoption of best working practices.
• Resolve customer contacts relating to water quality within specified timescales.

Candidate profile:

Qualifications/ Training

HNC in scientific discipline, degree preferred.

Experience

Previous relevant scientific and operational water industry experience.

Skills/ Knowledge

Knowledge of the relevant UK water legislation Water treatment process and distribution knowledge

Understanding of and capability to apply a range of risk analysis techniques.

Awareness of wider business issues - financial, commercial and regulatory.

Excellent customer service skills with the ability to act with tact and diplomacy Capable of adopting a holistic approach.

Delivers to time, cost, quality and performance targets.

Ability for lateral thinking.

Ability to influence through the development of a logical argument.

Capable of clear and concise communication (both written and verbal)

Good presentation skills.

Good computing skills.

Personal Qualities

Committed to ensuring that a positive and strengthened relationship with colleagues is developed and maintained.

Committed to team working and self development to optimise performance.

Exercises initiative whilst keeping Manager & team members informed.

Flexible approach to work and happy to work both indoors and outdoors in all weathers.

Other Relevant Factors

Full UK Driving license

Participation in standby rota to provide operational support 24 hours a day 

About Plymouth Water Department: 

South West Water is part of Pennon Group plc. We provide reliable, efficient and high-quality drinking water and wastewater services throughout Cornwall and Devon and in small areas of Dorset and Somerset.

South West Water came into being in 1989 with the privatisation of the water industry.  We inherited a water system suffering from a century of neglect but, thanks to the tireless work of our 1,300 employees, have brought the region's drinking water, sewerage systems and bathing waters into line with the stringent UK and European Union standards.

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Information

• Location: Plymouth, United Kingdom

Media

Taxonomy

• Water Quality
• Hydrodynamics & Water Quality
• Water Quality Management