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- Tasks: Collect and analyse water samples, ensuring compliance with regulations and quality standards.
- Company: Join Southern Water, a leader in environmental sustainability and inclusivity.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous pension, 25 days leave, and discounts with popular retailers.
- Why this job: Be part of a team making a real impact on water quality and the environment.
- Qualifications: Customer-facing experience and IT skills are a plus; must have a valid driving licence.
- Other info: Flexible working options may be available; join a supportive team dedicated to career growth.
The predicted salary is between 23800 - 31700 £ per year.
This job is with Southern Water, an inclusive employer and a member of myGwork – the largest global platform for the LGBTQ+ business community.
Closing Date: 2025-06-24
Location: Hampshire
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: 37/week (1pm - 9pm Monday - Friday)
Salary: £27,820
There has never been a better time to join our organisation as we build towards a greener future, tackling climate change, minimising our environmental impact and reducing our carbon footprint!
Job Overview: This role involves taking samples from a wide variety of water/wastewater operational sites and customers in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Drinking Water Inspectorate and the Environment Agency. You will need to comply with the requirements of the ISO17025 standard and follow the procedures contained within the Manual of Sampling to ensure samples are an accurate representation of the sample point/customer tap. You will make informed decisions regarding the sampling process to ensure issues such as household plumbing do not contribute to Southern Water compliance failures. You will need to maintain an overview of the operational sites you visit, assessing factors such as security, overall effectiveness of operation and any defects likely to lead to compliance or H&S issues.
Key responsibilities:
- Undertake water, wastewater and sludge sampling in accordance with the sampling schedule and with great care and attention to detail; working independently to follow procedures competently.
- Undertake customer sampling and complaint handling.
- Carry out on-site analytical testing and associated quality checking to ISO17025, DWTS and MCERTS standards.
- Undertake emergency sampling during incidents and advise on water and wastewater quality issues.
- Registration of samples onto laboratory data system.
- Administration associated with sampling and monitoring.
- Reporting safety hazards.
- Scientific equipment management and fault diagnosis.
- Assess operational sites for general condition of operation/defects/issues.
About You: As this role is customer facing, you will have the ability to deal with customers in an empathetic and positive manner. Some experience working in a customer or public-facing role would be beneficial. You must have the ability to organise yourself and use IT systems confidently. You must be able to drive and have access to a reliable vehicle.
Package: This role will be full time Monday to Friday working between our sites across Hampshire. Shift pattern is Monday to Thursday 1pm - 9pm, Friday 1pm - 8.30pm. We are offering a salary of £27,820 per annum depending on skills and experience, mileage and other benefits including:
- Generous pension up to 11% company contribution.
- 25 days annual leave.
- Life assurance equal to 4x salary.
- Salary sacrifice electric car scheme (after 6 months service).
- Health Cash Plan.
- Fully funded eye tests.
- Two paid volunteering days a year.
- Occupational health service.
- Discounts with over 800 popular retailers.
- Digital GP service.
- Study support may be available for job-related qualifications.
- Competitive maternity leave and flexible return to work options.
- Cycle to work scheme.
Join our Sampling team and see how far your career could progress with a company committed to career progression, training and development opportunities, our customers and the environment.
If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but are keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here.
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do, because delivering water for life is our core purpose. To achieve this, we need 24/7 support in place to resolve incidents quickly and efficiently. All our employees understand the importance of out-of-hours incident support - because when problems appear, fixing them is our top priority. That’s why our people join together and support when and however needed to make sure our customers get the service they deserve.
Joining the Southern Water family means you’ll become part of our incident support team. During your interview, your manager will speak to you about any incident support rotas that apply to your position.
Privacy Statement: Please note: If you are an existing Southern Water employee, you will need to confirm within your application that your Manager is aware of your application. All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the UK. You will need to provide evidence of eligibility (e.g. a passport or long birth certificate and proof of NI) and current proof of address (dated within the last 3 months), will be required as part of the recruitment process. If you do not meet these criteria, your application will not be considered.
Contact Detail:
Southern Water Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Water Quality Technician
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the ISO17025 standard and the procedures outlined in the Manual of Sampling. Understanding these regulations will not only help you during the interview but also demonstrate your commitment to quality and compliance in water sampling.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight any previous experience you have in customer-facing roles, as this position requires strong interpersonal skills. Be prepared to discuss specific examples of how you've handled customer interactions positively and empathetically.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your organisational skills and familiarity with IT systems. You might want to prepare examples of how you've effectively managed your time and used technology to streamline processes in past roles.
✨Tip Number 4
Research Southern Water's commitment to sustainability and their initiatives towards a greener future. Being knowledgeable about the company's values and goals will help you align your answers during the interview and show that you're genuinely interested in being part of their mission.
We think you need these skills to ace Water Quality Technician
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to understand the responsibilities and requirements of the Water Quality Technician position. Tailor your application to highlight relevant experiences and skills that align with these expectations.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your CV and cover letter, emphasise any previous experience in water quality testing, customer service, or environmental roles. Use specific examples to demonstrate your ability to handle sampling processes and compliance standards.
Showcase Your Skills: Make sure to mention your IT proficiency and organisational skills, as these are crucial for the role. If you have experience with ISO17025 standards or similar regulations, be sure to include that information.
Personalise Your Application: Address your cover letter to the hiring manager if possible, and express your enthusiasm for joining Southern Water. Mention their commitment to a greener future and how you can contribute to their mission.
How to prepare for a job interview at Southern Water
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you thoroughly read the job description and understand the key responsibilities of a Water Quality Technician. Familiarise yourself with terms like ISO17025, DWTS, and MCERTS standards, as well as the importance of compliance in water sampling.
✨Showcase Customer Service Skills
Since this role is customer-facing, be prepared to discuss your experience in dealing with customers. Highlight any previous roles where you demonstrated empathy and effective communication, as these skills are crucial for handling customer complaints and inquiries.
✨Demonstrate Attention to Detail
The job requires great care and attention to detail when undertaking sampling and testing. Be ready to provide examples from your past experiences where your attention to detail made a significant difference in the outcome of a project or task.
✨Prepare for Practical Scenarios
During the interview, you may be presented with practical scenarios related to water quality issues or emergency sampling situations. Think about how you would approach these challenges and be ready to discuss your thought process and decision-making skills.
