Scientist

Together we are Trusted to Serve 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 2 Scientists to join our Microbiology Wing at Juniper House in Edinburgh. You’ll be part of a dedicated team focused on monitoring and maintaining water quality, working in an accredited environment that helps keep Scotland’s water safe for everyone.

What you’ll do 

Working in our busy microbiology lab, you’ll prepare and analyse samples, validate results, and contribute to the high standards we hold ourselves to – both for public health and regulatory compliance. Your work will help ensure we meet the requirements of ISO 17025 and the Drinking Water Quality Regulator (DWQR).

You’ll be trained across all areas of our Microbiology Wing, with a view to supporting both the Microbiology and Cryptosporidium teams. We operate a 24/7 service, so you’ll take part in shift work, including weekend, bank holiday, and standby cover, as part of a rota.

Whether you’re handling routine analysis or responding to urgent samples, you’ll be contributing to a team that’s serious about quality, accuracy, and keeping communities safe.

What you’ll need 

You’ll bring a scientific mindset, a focus on quality, and a real commitment to protecting public health. Ideally, you’ll have a degree in a relevant scientific discipline and experience working in a laboratory environment, although we’re also open to early-career candidates who are eager to learn and grow.

You’ll need to be comfortable working to deadlines, following strict procedures, and supporting your colleagues to meet service demands. Good attention to detail, strong communication skills, and the ability to work well in a team are all essential.

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 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.  

The not-so-small print   

This role will be a Grade 5. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £29,800. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £35,760.

You’ll be based at Juniper House, Edinburgh, and will work a 35-hour week, including participation in shift patterns and standby cover.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on Friday 30th May 2025. And we’re aiming to do interviews for this role w/c 9th 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. 

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. 

We’re here to help. Ask us anything at [email protected]