Applications for this job are now closed
Start your career with a splash. When you join Scottish Water as a Graduate, it’s more than just a great launchpad for your career. You’ll play an important part in helping Scotland to flourish, by delivering the critical infrastructure and services that our nation relies on every day.
You’ll be joining us at a fascinating time, as we endeavour to transform into a more agile, innovative organisation that provides truly excellent service, delivers great value for money, and works in an environmentally sustainable way that goes beyond Net Zero.
What you’ll do
Our engineering and construction specialists coordinate a wide range of projects, investing almost £900million each year on new builds and asset upgrades. But we need to step up the pace when it comes to future-proofing the nation’s water infrastructure. That’s why we are looking for the next generation of engineers.
We’ll tailor your programme to suit your skillset, interests and aspirations. But broadly speaking you can expect to be involved in:
- Learning how to project manage a portfolio of capital projects
- Effective management of contractors, consultants and suppliers
- Identifying and managing risk
- Asset management and planning
- Developing investment proposals
- Managing a safe working environment
Over the course of our 2 or 3 year programme, you’ll rotate roles across the business, with the goal of getting you ready to step into an engineering project management role.
How does the graduate programme work?
- You’ll be employed on a permanent contract from Day One.
- The starting salary for this role will be from £28,500. After each successful 6-month placement, your salary will increase by up to £1000.
- You’ll be part of a cohort of c.60 graduates, giving you an instant and invaluable network of contacts throughout the business.
- There is plenty of support. As well as your day-to-day manager, we’ll match you up with a mentor who will support and coach you as you go through your programme.
- You’ll have access to both structured and informal training designed to equip you with the skills you need now, and in the future.
- Aiming to get Chartered? Great! Our 3 year programme is an Accredited Company Training Scheme with the IMechE, IET and ICE – and IChemE will be joining them in the not-too-distant future.
What you’ll need
You’ll have graduated within the last three years (or be on track to graduate next summer). Your degree should be in an Engineering or Construction Management discipline – or a similar field of study. Ideally, it will be a 2:2, or higher. We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates that have specialised in the areas of Mechanical, Electrical and / or Civil Engineering.
You’ll need to live within commuting distance of one of our main office hubs in Central Scotland, e.g. Edinburgh or Stepps nr Glasgow.
And you’ll need a full UK-issued (DVLA) driving license – or be on track to pass your test.
In terms of essential requirements? That’s it.
But here’s the thing: We get thousands of applications for our Graduate roles each year. What makes the best candidates stand out?
Here are a few things we love to see
- CVs that tell us more than what grades you earned over the years. Show us what you’ve learned. What you love. What your aspirations are.
- Cover letters that tell us why you’re interested in Scottish Water (and in Engineering and Construction in particular).
- People who use their application to show that they are Bold, Responsible, Inspiring and Caring.
Looking out for you
While the work we do is important, 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 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.
What happens next?
- The closing date for applications is Sunday 28th April 2024
- Face-to-face interviews will happen during May. Where you can give us a good grilling too.
- If you accept a place on the programme, you’ll go through some pre-employment screening during the Spring, including a criminal record check.
- All our new Graduates will start together in September, with a week-long induction event in Glasgow. You’ll learn more about the organisation, meet our leaders, visit some of our operational sites, start making friends, and have a lot of fun.
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.
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.
