Senior Process Scientist

Closing Date

2025-12-12

Job Title: Wastewater Senior Process Scientist

Location: Falmer (Sussex)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: 37

Salary: Up to £41k based on skills and experience

About the role

The Ideal candidate will provide technical support sites under a geographical or specialist area of responsibility including operation of processes (sludge, wastewater, waste management), implementing operating methods, monitoring and optimisation of quality and performance.

This will include investigating faults and implementing corrective actions to ensure compliance (legal, health and safety, regulatory) and the smooth running of plants and sites.

There will be a requirement to join a standby rota.

What you will be responsible for:

Work will involve travel and responsibility for sites within a geographical or specialist area of responsibility including operation of processes (sludge, wastewater, waste management or R&D), implementing operating methods, monitoring and optimisation of quality and performance.

• To deputise for the Area Principal Process Scientist as required
• Responsible for making decisions affecting plant and processes to improve operations at sites for which they are responsible, or to mitigate risks and issues. These are likely to be on issues which could have significant adverse impact on costs or the environment.
• To monitor and optimise the operation of the WTW and downstream assets to ensure that the quality of final effluent that enters the watercourse continues to meet all internal and statutory requirements
• Where appropriate, work closely with relevant departments regarding the optimisation and improvement of the Wastewater treatment processes, including Planning and Resilience, Construction and Operations
• To monitor and analyse available data, identify risks and report on anomalies and atypical trends affecting final effluent quality and making recommendations to address these
• To be responsible for training new joiners in the team and to support members of the team with complex investigations
• To undertake detailed investigations and analysis on the root cause of final effluent quality compliance failures and incidents and produce reports with recommendations for remedial actions and continuous improvement based on best practice.

What you’ll bring to the role:

Essential

• A sound understanding of wastewater chemistry/biology/engineering and principles of wastewater treatment
• A sound understanding of regulatory requirements regarding WTW permit compliance
• Solve operational and technical issues which are complex and not clear cut
• Must be able to respond quickly to changing business needs and prioritise work load according to deadline.
• ·Investigative skills including data analysis, process mapping and auditing
• The ability to analyse large and complex data sets using a variety of techniques and systems

Qualifications:

· Degree or higher in relevant scientific or engineering discipline

· Experience: Experience in technical roles related to water quality/treatment science/engineering

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.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation

Inclusive & Empowering

"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. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need."

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: Introduce Yourself (myworkdaysite.com- Introduce Yourself)

Our Commitment to Diversity

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.