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Technical Water Quality Officer

On-site in Alston·Added 3 days ago (last checked 9 Oct)

United Utilities

90 open roles

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Overview

Job details

Permanent contract
Per the ad.

Requirements

Work on-site in Alston
No relocation package mentioned.

Benefits

Up to 14% employer pension
Paid in by the employer, per the ad. The legal minimum is 3%.

Skills

Requirements

What we're looking for

Able to undertake all scheduling tasks for regulatory, operational, and customer complaint sampling. Ensure Water Quality Officers' skills and availability are kept up to date for use by USample and other associated scheduling tools.
Maintain relevant and up-to-date Continuous Professional Development (CPD) records to meet the requirements of DWI Regulation 16. Good understanding of ISO 17025, Mcerts, DWTS, ISO 5667, UWWTD, and all other related regulatory requirements.
Proficient auditor for undertaking audits of Water Quality Officers and Technical Water Quality Officers in accordance with UKAS accreditation, DWTS, and Mcerts. Scientifically and technically adept with recent experience of field-testing activities including pH and chlorine meter validations.
Thorough understanding of Health and Safety within the workplace as applied to Water Quality roles. Systematic and accurate, able to respond quickly to changing circumstances with strong IT skills and detailed knowledge of TAPS, JUMP, USample, and other scheduling tools/systems.
NVQ/QCF Level 3 or equivalent in a relevant discipline. A full driving licence and willingness to travel for client, stakeholder, and team support. An understanding of all activities within Water and Scientific Services.

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

A generous annual leave package of 26 days, which increases to 30 days after four years of service (increases one day per year), in addition to 8 bank holidays
A competitive pension scheme with up to 14% employer contribution, 21% combined, and life cover
Up to 7.5% performance-related bonus scheme, as well as recognition awards for outstanding achievements
A comprehensive healthcare plan through our company-funded scheme
MyGymDiscounts - gym and wellness benefit that offers up to 25% off on gym memberships and digital fitness subscriptions
Best Doctors
Salary Finance
Wealth at Work courses
Deals and discounts
EVolve Car Scheme
Employee Assistance Plan
Mental health first aiders
ShareBuy
MORE Choices flexible benefits
Enhanced parental leave schemes

The role

What you'll do

Oversees long- and short-term planning for calibration, validation, verification, and documentation of accredited sampling activities to maintain UKAS accreditation.
Acts as the main focal point for Water Quality Team, responsible for training and auditing officers in line with UKAS, ISO17025, DWTS, Mcerts, and other regulatory standards.
Provides key planning and quality support across Water and Scientific Services, assisting internal and external clients and supporting the Water Quality Officer Team Leader.
Manages and conducts sample collection and field tests for regulatory and operational purposes, ensuring compliance with DWI and EA standards.
Collects samples from diverse sources ("bath to bay" and "source to tap") for compliance, environmental monitoring, incidents, and customer complaints, helping United Utilities meet its sampling commitments.
Acts as local expert for USample, TAPS, and scheduling systems, managing modifications and ensuring seamless sampling operations; provides business continuity during system failures.
Prepares and distributes sample sheets and labels when systems are unavailable, ensuring compliance with Water Regulations, DWTS, OSM, Mcerts, and ISO 5667.
Maintains quality systems for sample planning and scheduling to achieve and sustain UKAS and other regulatory accreditations; champions quality control and continuous improvement.
Coordinates maintenance and repair of field testing equipment (e.g., pH meters, Chlorometers, Turbidity meters, fridges) and manages daily stock levels for Water Quality Officers.
Oversees courier contractor performance locally, promotes best practice sharing, and drives continuous improvement within Water and Scientific Services.

Hiring process

United Utilities' recruitment process has several stages, with the team updating you at each one; some roles include online multiple-choice tests (with practice tests offered first), and interviews may be in person or virtual

Candidates can track application status online at any time, and most correspondence is by email.
AI tools may help with grammar or preparation, but application content, interview answers and technical assessments (unless AI is explicitly permitted) must reflect the candidate's own work.
Reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process are available on request.