Technical Specialist

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.

Most people don't think too much about how clean water reaches their taps.

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

Want to join us? As an Ecologist you will support a diverse range of operational activities and capital investment, woodland creation and peatland restoration projects within our Specialist Services Delivery (SSD) team.

What you'll do

You will collaborate closely with the Environment Team, offering specialised ecological support for projects throughout Scotland. Your role will involve a combination of fieldwork and desk-based tasks, providing essential baseline ecological data, habitat reports, and expert guidance to ensure that Scottish Water develops in harmony with nature. While most site visits can be completed within a day, occasional overnight trips may be required.

This role would suit someone who's already an established ecologist and can bring their passion for ecology into a practical operational environment. Balancing Scotland's water resources in the face of changing environmental parameters is a unique challenge but one that our staff find extremely rewarding.

What you'll need

You will have solid field ecology skills, especially when it comes to European protected species, common invasive non-native species and habitat mapping. GIS skills are a big plus, and it'd be great if you've got a good understanding of how things work in the construction sector or water industry.

Beyond that, we're looking for a few 'nice-to-haves'. A degree in Ecology or Environmental Management and some experience with Environmental Clerk of Works (ECoW). Experience collaborating with different groups to boost biodiversity, and professional accreditation from groups like CIEEM or CIWEM would be beneficial. Candidates who possess botanical field skills or wish to up-skill in this area are highly desirable.

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 up to five more if you need a little extra time. You can also take 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), and life assurance.

As for some nice extras? You can expect an annual company bonus. 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 6. If you're new to Scottish Water, you'll join us on a starting salary of £36,410. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £46,990.

If you're interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we'll be accepting applications until midnight on Wednesday 5th November.

We operate Balanced Hybrid working at Scottish Water and we encourage people to work half their time in a Scottish Water location.

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. Screening is conducted on our behalf by a third party, and must be completed before your start date. Don't worry - we'll only start these checks once you've accepted an offer.  

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. 

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