44 Permanent, Scientific jobs in Scotland

How’s this for job satisfaction: at Scottish Water we look after Scotland's most precious natural resource. From source to tap, we’re guarding Scotland’s reputation for refreshingly pure water, and caring for our environment at the same time.

Sound good? We’re looking for a Sampling Officer to join our Waste Water Sampling team, who keep a close eye on the water quality in the Fife and surrounding areas.

What you’ll do

When there’s a water sample to be taken, you’re there – you’ll plan, collect, process and deliver them across your patch. That means visiting all sorts of places, from waste water treatment works to customer’s premises – every day is different.

Many of our sampling procedures are accredited by UKAS, so you’ll need a keen eye for detail. On your watch, the team will be confident you’ve recorded accurate measurements. And yes, you’ll often be working alone – but your contribution to the team’s targets will be huge.

Every day you’ll be out and about collecting samples, representing Scottish Water – your friendly, professional manner is part of the uniform.

What you’ll bring

You’ll spend a lot of time in one of our branded vans, so you’ll need a full, clean driving licence. (You can take the van home, so you can skip the morning commute – but you’ll need to leave it at the depot over holidays.)

Love a to-do list and always keep your calendar organised? Us too. Most days you’ll work to a schedule, but you’ll flex for the occasional logistical challenge or reactive job, such as urgent resampling. You should be goals-focused too, always with one eye on helping the team meet daily and weekly targets.

Sometimes a sample needs to be taken after dark or at the weekend – you’ll be part of a standby rota to cover these jobs.

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.

This is a full-time role (35 hours per week) with some weekend working and standby requirements. But 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 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 2. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £24,430. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £27,210.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on Sunday 1st June 2025.

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.