Innovation Technical Specialist in Bradford

Are you ready to make a real impact and shape the future? Join our dynamic Innovation Team at Yorkshire Water and help us provide the best possible service to our customers while protecting the environment. We're looking for curious minds who are passionate about innovation and eager to make a difference.

Benefits

• Competitive Salary: £50,718 - £63,398 based on experience and development
• Development in Role: Role specific progression plan to support and enable personal development.
• Annual Bonus: Up to £1,000 based on company performance.
• Fantastic Benefits: Enjoy a generous pension scheme with up to 12% employer contribution, 25 days of annual leave plus bank holidays, two wellness days off work, life assurance cover, and optional benefits such as health cash plans, dental insurance, and gym membership discounts.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Our hybrid working model allows you to balance office and home working, giving you the flexibility you need.
• Career Growth: Take advantage of our training and development opportunities to advance your career.

What you'll be doing

• Get under the skin of the business – understanding strategic and operational needs, translating complex risks and challenges into clear opportunities, and identifying the gaps where innovation can deliver real impact.
• Spot and champion game‑changing ideas – scanning the horizon for cutting‑edge solutions, rigorously evaluating their effectiveness and value, and enabling the selection of innovations that will make the biggest difference now and in the future.
• Lead innovation from concept to reality – prioritising and driving a dynamic programme of projects that test new ideas, prove concepts, and enable accelerated adoption while building strong sponsorship and momentum across the business.
• Be the technical authority and connector – bringing the right expertise to the table, whether from within YW or beyond, and unlocking additional funding to amplify impact through routes such as Ofwat's Water Innovation Fund, UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR), or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
• Turn innovation into business‑as‑usual – ensuring successful ideas don't stop at trials but are embedded into operations through compelling business cases and clear, actionable insights that colleagues can deliver against.
• Be a visible advocate for innovation – actively promoting its value across Yorkshire Water and the wider sector, influencing strategy, shaping industry thinking, and representing YW on national and international stages.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable technical experience in wastewater treatment and associated environmental impacts.
• A science or engineering degree and/or significant (5+ years) experience in the relevant technical area.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a particular talent for communicating complex, technical concepts to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
• A drive for continuous learning and development in your technical specialist area, with curiosity and passion to remain at the forefront of emerging knowledge and technologies.
• Ability to analyse and challenge perceived norms and new ideas, and to be creative with solutions and ways of working to solve problems.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective internal and external relationships, with experience of collaborative working and ability to influence for real change.
• Technical appreciation of the operations of a water company, including treatment assets, infrastructure, regulatory frameworks and customer service requirements.
• Experience working within a team to deliver significant projects in a Research and Development environment.
• Experience supporting and embedding change, able to influence and drive the right culture and behaviours.
• Experience in a commercially orientated role within a regulated sector.
• A positive attitude and a growth mindset.

Location

This role will initially be based in Bradford but we are moving our office to Leeds Valley Park in Autumn 2026, so you will be based there in the future. We have a hybrid working arrangement in place, a mix of office and home working, and travel around the UK from time to time.

Work type

Permanent, working full time 37 hours per week, Monday – Friday. Flexible working patterns and job share options are supported where possible. We are proud to serve the Yorkshire region and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds to apply.