Pennon Group Plc
Chemical Engineer - 12 Month Contract
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Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose
At Bristol Water, we’ve been serving generations of families since 1846. Ensuring people in our communities have access to healthy water is paramount, which is why we work around the clock testing our water hundreds of times a day.
We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.
Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.
About The Role
We are seeking a Chemical Engineer to join our Optimisation & Development team. This role will play a key part in improving the performance, efficiency and regulatory compliance of our clean water treatment processes, ensuring the continued delivery of safe, high-quality drinking water to our customers.
Working closely with Operations, Water Quality, Asset Management and other stakeholders, you will apply chemical engineering principles, process expertise and data-driven decision making to identify optimisation opportunities and develop practical engineering solutions across a range of water treatment facilities.
This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer who enjoys solving complex process challenges, driving continuous improvement and contributing to essential public services.
Key Responsibilities
- Monitor and assess the performance of clean water treatment processes using operational data, Power BI dashboards and site-based investigations.
- Analyse process and operational performance trends to identify optimisation opportunities, improve efficiency and support regulatory compliance.
- Investigate treatment process issues relating to coagulation, filtration, sludge treatment and chemical dosing systems.
- Lead or support investigations into water quality and environmental compliance incidents, implementing corrective and preventative actions where required.
- Review and optimise chemical dosing strategies to maximise treatment performance, minimise operational costs and ensure the delivery of safe drinking water.
- Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to evaluate chemical performance, usage and associated costs.
- Produce technical reports, engineering assessments and recommendations to support operational decision-making and business improvements.
- Develop, review and maintain process documentation, including process flow diagrams, operational procedures and technical guidance.
- Support the delivery of annual inspection programmes for critical treatment assets at priority sites.
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, innovation projects and operational best practice across the water treatment function.
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Essential
Knowledge, Skills & Experience
- Degree in Chemical Engineering, Process Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
- Knowledge of water treatment processes and core process engineering principles.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and investigative skills.
- Experience analysing operational, process or performance data.
- Ability to produce clear technical reports and engineering recommendations.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Full UK driving licence.
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Desirable
- Experience working within the water industry or utility sector.
- Knowledge of drinking water treatment processes and regulatory requirements.
- Experience using Power BI or similar data visualisation tools.
- Working towards Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
- Membership of IChemE or another relevant professional engineering institution.
Closing Date: 4th Aug 2026
We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.
Be yourself, we like it that way.
Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.
Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:
- Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
- Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
- Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.
Bristol Water has been proudly providing an essential public water service to the communities within and surrounding the city of Bristol since 1846.
We supply water to 500,000 homes and businesses across Bristol City, North Somerset and areas of Bath, North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire. That's about 1.2m people who have access to our water every day!
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