At a Glance
- Tasks: Shape and manage Southern Water's automation ecosystem with cutting-edge platforms.
- Company: Join Southern Water, transforming the UK's water industry with innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible hours, hybrid work, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Diverse workplace welcoming all backgrounds and identities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on automation and AI solutions in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience with Power Platform, RPA, Azure, and a passion for emerging tech.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 70000 £ per year.
Location: Durrington (with some travel to Falmer)
Contract: Permanent, Full-time (37 hours per week) open to discussing flexible Start & Finish times to support work-life balance
Hybrid: Minimum 2 days onsite
Salary: £49,200 - £60,000
Role Overview
As an Automation Platform Engineer, you’ll play a key role in shaping and managing Southern Water’s growing automation ecosystem. Working within the Process & Automation Centre of Excellence, you’ll take ownership and administration of core platforms like Power Platform, RPA, and Azure services — ensuring they’re secure, scalable, and ready for enterprise use. You’ll partner closely with architecture, cloud, and security teams to define standards, improve performance, and support the rollout of AI and Copilot-driven solutions. This role combines hands-on platform engineering with strategic input, giving you real influence over how automation and AI are adopted across the business.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Strong experience with Power Platform (Power Automate, Power Apps, Copilot Studio, Microsoft 365 Admin, Power Platform Admin, Agent 365)
- Background in RPA / automation platforms
- Experience with Azure Integration Services (Logic Apps, APIs, Key Vault)
- Knowledge of API-led and event-driven architecture
- Understanding of security principles (DLP, RBAC, identity management)
- Experience with CI/CD and DevOps practices
- Ability to manage enterprise environments (performance, resilience, support)
- Experience producing technical standards and documentation
- Awareness of AI / Copilot capabilities and governance
Desirable Certifications:
- AZ-900
- MS-102
Desirable Skills & Experience
- Microsoft certifications (PL-400, PL-600)
- Azure AI (AI-102)
- Experience with Copilot Studio or conversational AI
- Knowledge of Azure OpenAI / RAG solutions
- Familiarity with Dataverse, Graph, or enterprise systems
- Exposure to monitoring and observability tools
- Interest in emerging technology and innovation
Progression opportunities
Southern Water offers career progression, training, and development opportunities.
About Southern Water
Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.
At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.
Additional information:
In line with Southern Water’s security requirements, successful candidates will be required to provide evidence of their identity, eligibility to work in the UK, criminal record check (DBS) and verification of their employment and/or education history for the past three years. Appointment to this role is subject to the successful completion of all pre-employment checks, including security vetting. Please note that if a candidate does not meet the required security standards or fails to pass the vetting process, Southern Water reserves the right to withdraw the offer of employment. Some positions may also require higher levels of security vetting, which may involve providing additional documentation.
Automation Platform Engineer in Worthing employer: Southern Water
Southern Water is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Durrington that prioritises work-life balance with flexible hours and hybrid working options. As part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to transforming the water industry, employees benefit from extensive career progression opportunities, ongoing training, and a culture that values diverse perspectives and innovation.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Automation Platform Engineer in Worthing
✨Get Involved in Local Automation Meetups
We can’t stress this enough – getting your face out there in the automation and control systems community can really set you apart. Look for local meetups or workshops where you can chat with industry professionals, learn about what’s trending, and even discover hidden job gems. Who knows, you might meet someone from a company like Southern Water!
✨Show Off Your Projects
Make sure you have a portfolio of your work ready to roll. Whether it’s academic projects, internships or personal experiments, showcase how you’ve tackled automation challenges. When you apply for the Automation Platform Engineer position at Southern Water, linking your portfolio gives your application that extra oomph and demonstrates your practical knowledge.
✨Leverage Your Uni Career Services
If you’re fresh out of uni, don’t forget about your career services! Many universities have established connections with companies in the automation field. They may know when Southern Water is looking for fresh talent or even have internships that lead to full-time positions. So, hit them up!
✨Keep an Eye on Industry Certifications
While hunting for roles, consider getting certified in relevant automation technologies. It shows dedication and gives you a leg up in the job market. Plus, many organisations offer job boards or networking events to certified professionals. This might just lead you to that coveted Automation Platform Engineer role at Southern Water!
We think you need these skills to ace Automation Platform Engineer in Worthing
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Skills:When applying for an automation-control-systems role, it’s crucial to highlight your technical skills. Whether it's your proficiency in programming languages like Python or understanding control systems, make sure your CV showcases these prominently. Don't forget to mention any specific software or tools you're experienced with – that’s music to the ears of hiring managers!
Tailor Your Projects to Automation:If you've worked on any relevant projects, especially those involving automation or control systems, make them stand out in your CV. Use a dedicated section to highlight these projects, explaining your role and the impact of your contributions. This could be the difference between getting noticed and getting overlooked!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine, so tell us why you’re passionate about automation-control-systems! Discuss specific experiences that sparked your interest in this field. Maybe it's a university project or a previous job that truly got you hooked. We love seeing that spark! Make sure to reference how you can contribute to Southern Water and its goals.
Quantify Your Achievements:In the world of automation, results matter. When listing your experiences, quantify your achievements wherever possible. Did you improve system efficiency by a percentage? Did you reduce downtime? Putting numbers to your successes not only demonstrates your impact but also lets us see the tangible outcomes of your efforts. It makes your application pop!
How to prepare for a job interview at Southern Water
✨Master Your Technical Knowledge
In the automation control systems field, you need to brush up on your technical know-how. Be prepared to talk about specific control systems you’ve worked with, such as PLCs or SCADA systems, and expect technical questions or even hands-on problem-solving scenarios during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Whether it's freelance projects or your academic work, come ready to showcase your portfolio of automation projects. Bring along any diagrams, code samples, or automation solutions you’ve implemented—these can really set you apart and demonstrate your applied skills to Southern Water.
✨Understand Industry Trends
Stay updated on the latest trends in automation technologies and methodologies, like Industry 4.0 or IIoT. We'll want to discuss how these concepts may affect the role and future projects at Southern Water, so showing that you're knowledgeable about current and emerging technologies can give you an edge.
✨Commit to Continuous Learning
As this is a full-time role, it's essential to express your eagerness for continuous improvement and learning. Share how you plan to enhance your skills and keep pace with the evolution of automation in the workforce – companies love candidates who are committed to growth and adaptability.
