Process Scientist

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.

Scottish Water is committed to providing clean, safe, and reliable water services to the people of Scotland. We are dedicated to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in all aspects of our operations. Join us in our mission to protect and enhance Scotland’s water resources.

We are seeking two talented and motivated Water Process Scientist to join our team one role being permanent and one being a 12 month fixed term/secondment. You will play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and efficiency of our water treatment processes at a strategic level.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects and contribute to the sustainability of Scotland’s water supply.

What you’ll do

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to dive into researching and analyzing cutting-edge water treatment processes and technologies. Your findings will help shape innovative solutions that improve water quality and efficiency, ensuring that systems operate at their best. You'll also play an essential role in monitoring and optimizing water treatment systems to make sure they stay compliant with all necessary regulatory standards.

Collaboration will be key as you'll work closely with cross-functional teams and external organizations, all while contributing to operational improvements. Your technical expertise will be invaluable as you guide and support projects from development through to execution. Additionally, you'll have the chance to create and deliver engaging learning materials on important topics within drinking water science, sharing your knowledge with others.

Finally, you'll use your research and project experience to prepare insightful reports and presentations, helping to communicate your findings and the impact of your work effectively.

What you’ll need

You'll need a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Chemistry, Microbiology, Chemical Engineering, or a related field, with a Master’s or PhD preferred. You should have proven experience working with water treatment processes and technologies, showcasing your expertise in this area.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills are essential, as you'll be tasked with tackling complex challenges and finding innovative solutions. Excellent communication and teamwork abilities will be key, as you'll be working closely with others to achieve shared goals. A solid understanding of regulatory standards and compliance requirements is also necessary to ensure your work aligns with industry regulations.

Additionally, proficiency in data analysis and laboratory techniques will be important, as you'll need to interpret data and apply your findings effectively to improve water treatment systems.

This role offers a hybrid setup, allowing flexibility based on your location. A UK driver’s license is also essential as you will be required travel to our water treatment plants across Scotland.

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.

You’ll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays). And you can even buy five more if you need a little extra time. 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? We embrace flexible working.

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 6. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £33,560. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £44,140.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone who might be – we will be accepting applications until midnight on the 27th May 2025

Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional. We’ll be able to confirm your start date once you pass our Pre-Employment Screening. This is done for us by a third party. We’ll ask for your permission before we initiate the 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

R10200