Treatment Operator - Waste Water

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.

Most people don’t think too much about how clean water reaches their taps. Or what happens to their wastewater. 

But Scottish Water does. In fact, it’s all we think about. 

Want to join us? You’ll be on the front lines of making sure Scotland’s water is totally, dependably pure. 

What you’ll do 

You’ll be part of a team of Waste Water Operatives working to protect Scotland’s environment - ensuring waste is managed responsibly and always looking for ways to do even more. On the one hand, it’s about meeting regulations. On the other, it’s about how we can go further – all the while doing what’s right for the environment.

Day-to-day, you’ll monitor and maintain treatment processes on wastewater – everything from sedimentation to filtration. Along the way, you’ll record the key numbers and file reports. Samples and test results play a big part too, and you’ll recommend ways to improve processes wherever possible. You’ll also oversee regular maintenance to help keep the site (and the water) running smoothly.

What you’ll bring  

We’ll get you fully up-to-speed on the technical bits of the job. Before any of that, you’ll bring a way with words and be confident working on your own. 

An ability to focus on customer satisfaction is essential.

Comfortable turning your mouse-clicking finger to new computer systems? Good, we like to move with the times. 

Attention to detail is a must. On your watch, the risk of inaccurate recordings or health and safety failures will be 0%. An eye for spotting changes and trends is helpful and of course, you’ll relish solving a problem. As part of the team, you’ll take your turn on the standby rota for out-of-hours work too. 

– cards on the table – treatment plants don’t smell of cut grass and freshly baked bread – so you’ll need to be okay with a bit of a whiff. All for the good of Scotland’s water. 

A wee ‘nice to have’ 

Ideally you will have some mechanical knowledge to help identify problems before they arise. If you don’t, it’s not the end of the world. We are able to help train you.

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 paid 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 (the ‘know-what-you’ll-get-when-you-retire’ kind), as well as life assurance.  

As for some nice extras? You will participate in a company bonus scheme. Not to mention access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.   

The not-so-small print

This role will be a Grade 4. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £31,640. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £36,460.

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. These checks are conducted on our behalf by a third party. Don’t worry - we’ll ask your permission before starting these checks.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until the 28th July 2026.

A few final things worth knowing…

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!

Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We're also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We’re very used to making adjustments, so please don’t be afraid to ask.

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.

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.

Finally (finally!), candidates who haven’t submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won’t need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted. 

We’re here to help. Ask us anything at [email protected]