Technical Specialist Advisor (Environment)

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland. It's not every job where you make a difference for the people of Scotland – but it's what's behind every job here. Our work keeps Scotland's water flowing, from reservoir to tap, and from sewer to treatment plant. Every project we deliver helps provide an essential service to communities across the country.

Join our Specialist Service Delivery (SSD) Environment Team as a Technical Specialist Advisor (Environment) and play a key role in enabling the successful delivery of Scottish Water's Capital Investment Programme. Working at the interface between project delivery and environmental protection, you'll help identify risks early, influence project development, secure critical environmental permissions and provide expert technical advice that keeps projects moving while protecting Scotland's natural and historic environment.

What You'll Do

• Provide expert environmental guidance and support across a diverse portfolio of capital and operational projects throughout Scotland.
• Act as a trusted environmental specialist, identifying environmental constraints, risks and opportunities at the earliest stages of project development.
• Provide specialist advice on areas including ecology, archaeology, designated sites, land use and environmental legislation.
• Work closely with project managers, engineers, planners and land specialists to ensure environmental considerations are fully integrated into project delivery.
• Manage environmental surveys, specialist consultants and technical contractors, securing licences, consents and permissions from key regulators and stakeholders.
• Advise on mitigation measures and opportunities to enhance biodiversity and environmental performance.
• Support operational teams with environmental risks, incidents and technical challenges.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to help deliver the best outcomes for customers, communities and the environment.

What You'll Bring

• Experience assessing environmental risks across infrastructure, utilities, construction or land-based projects.
• Strong understanding of Scottish environmental legislation, policy and consenting requirements.
• Skilled at analysing complex technical information and translating it into clear, practical advice for a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience managing specialist surveys, consultants or technical workstreams.
• Highly organised, capable of managing multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong IT skills, including experience using GIS software such as ArcGIS.
• A degree-level qualification in an environmental discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Membership of a relevant professional body such as CIEEM, IEMA, CIWEM or a similar organisation is ideal.
• Experience obtaining protected species licences or environmental consents, working as an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECoW) or Environmental Clerk of Works (EnvCoW), and supporting projects within the water, utilities, infrastructure or construction sectors would be advantageous.
• A postgraduate qualification in Environmental Management or a related discipline would also be beneficial.
• A full UK based driving license is required for this role.

Why Join the SSD Environment Team?

You'll be joining a supportive team of environmental specialists and ecologists who help deliver some of Scottish Water's most important projects. Every day brings a different challenge – from supporting nationally significant infrastructure projects and securing environmental permissions, to helping resolve complex site constraints and improving environmental outcomes.

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 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 and life assurance. As for some nice extras? You will participate in a company bonus scheme.

This role will be a Grade 6. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £37,815. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £48,395.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on 22nd September 2026. This is primarily a desk-based role, with occasional travel and site visits required across the North East region and the wider Scottish Water area.

Scottish Water operates a balanced hybrid working model, combining home and office working, with colleagues encouraged to spend around half of their working time at a Scottish Water location to support collaboration, learning and relationship building while maintaining flexibility.

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.

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!

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.

Candidates should be aware that a valid UK driving licence is required for driving on Scottish Water business and claiming business mileage expenses.

Please note, Scottish Water takes the safety, health and wellbeing of our employees, colleagues and customers very seriously and as such you may be subject to Drug & Alcohol testing in line with our policy.