Full-Time
Sampling Officer
Water Sampling
Posted on 10/7/2025
Scottish Water
1,001-5,000 employees
Scotland's public water and sewerage utility
Compensation Overview
£27.3k - £30.1k/yr
Thurso, UK
In Person
Candidates must be Scottish taxpayers and need to commit to moving to Scotland within their first three months.
 Lab & Research (1) |
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- Full, clean driving licence
- Keen eye for detail
- Goals-focused
- Organized
- Plan, collect, process, and deliver water samples
- Visit a variety of water treatment works and customer businesses
- Record accurate measurements
- Follow sampling procedures consistently
Scottish Water provides Scotland’s water and sewerage services and is owned by the Scottish Government. It serves about 2.46 million households and 150,000 business customers, and operates in three areas: the core regulated service for drinking water and wastewater, a licensed retail arm called Business Stream, and a non-regulated arm called Scottish Water Horizons. The core service delivers drinking water and treats wastewater, funded by charges in council tax; Business Stream sells water to businesses; Horizons develops non-regulated services and infrastructure. Its goal is to reliably supply water and treat wastewater, invest in infrastructure, meet environmental and drinking-water standards, and maintain public accountability through governance and regulation.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Stepps, United Kingdom
Founded
2002
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Low-emission steel from ArcelorMittal cuts 70% carbon without cost premium.
- Autodesk Construction Cloud CDE boosts multi-billion-pound project collaboration.
- Generation H2O workshops expand water education across Scottish science centres.
What critics are saying
- 1980s concrete mains fail from wire corrosion, disrupting 100,000 Dundee customers in 12-24 months.
- SEPA fines hit 50 unsatisfactory wastewater sites during heavy rains in 6-12 months.
- WICS rejects business plan, slashing capex versus English benchmarks in 18-24 months.
What makes Scottish Water unique
- Scottish Water uniquely merges three regional authorities into single national utility since 2002.
- Operates under WICS benchmarking against English private firms for cost efficiency.
- Deploys PipeDiver technology for non-invasive 1980s trunk main inspections in Dundee.
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Benefits
Paid Vacation
Family Planning Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Performance Bonus
Life Insurance
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 0%Scottish Water uses advanced PipeDiver technology to survey concrete pipeline in Dundee. Mar. 31, 2026 Courtesy of Xylem, Inc. Scottish Water has employed PipeDiver inspection technology in Dundee to assess the condition of a critical 30-inch trunk water main that serves the city's southern area. The concrete trunk main, installed in the 1980s, carries drinking water to approximately 100,000 customers and contains embedded pre-stressed steel wires. Although designed for long-term durability, failure of these internal wires can cause bursts and supply disruption, necessitating regular condition assessments. Scottish Water collaborated with Morrisons Construction and Xylem Water Solutions to deploy the PipeDiver unit, which was manufactured in Canada and travelled more than 3,300 miles to Dundee for the project. The inspection was launched and retrieved through existing access points, without excavation or major civil works. The device traversed 4.5 km along the trunk main while operating inside live water, collecting detailed data on pipe walls and internal components. It can navigate inline valves and tight bends, and the survey was completed without interrupting customer supplies. The operation lasted about six hours, after which a crane safely removed the PipeDiver from the pipeline. This activity builds on prior leakage-detection work on the main and underpins Scottish Water's ongoing program to maintain and enhance critical infrastructure in Dundee. David Waily, Project Manager, commented: "This trunk main is a key asset supplying thousands of customers in the south of Dundee. Using innovative technology like PipeDiver allows us to assess its condition from the inside, helping identify potential issues before they become major problems. By taking this proactive approach, we can reduce the risk of bursts and continue to provide a reliable water supply to our customers." Original: https://waterbriefing.org/home/technology-focus/item/25263-scottish-water-uses-advanced-pipediver-technology-to-survey-concrete-pipeline-in-dundee Contact supplier. Drop file here or browse Stay in the loop! Select your areas of interest to receive industry updates.
Low-Emission supply chain partners announced. Cutting carbon. Low-emission steel produces around 70% less carbon when compared to traditionally manufactured steel. Scottish Water has announced new low-emission steel supply chain partners, as it continues its drive to cut carbon in its capital investment programme and operational services. ArcelorMittal Distribution Solutions UK Limited and Hescott Engineering Company Limited (part of the AIM Group) have been named as supply chain partners in a new Structural Steel and Fabrication Services framework put in place by the publicly-owned utility company. The framework will initially run for four years, with an option for that to be extended for another four years subject to price and performance reviews. The move is the latest in a series of commitments by Scottish Water to reduce embodied carbon in its supply chain, following on from its recent pledge to buy almost 20,000 m3 of low carbon concrete over the next five years as part of an Advance Market Commitment (AMC). ArcelorMittal supplies steel produced using electric arc furnace (EAF) technology which produces around 70% less carbon emissions when compared to traditionally produced steel. General Manager of Procurement at Scottish Water, Joe Rowan, said: "Steel plays a vital role in supporting Scottish Water's capital investment portfolio but conventional steel manufacturing is extremely carbon intensive - transitioning to steel produced using electric arc furnace technology will significantly reduce our embodied carbon emissions and is a bold statement of our commitment to reach net zero by 2040." Senior Procurement Specialist at Scottish Water, Danny McIver, said: "The appointment of ArcelorMittal and Hescott Engineering as our supply chain partners for low carbon structural steel and fabrication services gives us confidence that the materials being used by ourselves and our delivery partners during all our construction activities are helping to reduce our carbon emissions. "There is no cost premium associated with using these lower emission steel products, meaning the framework will continue to deliver best value for our customers, while supporting our net zero goals as we move into our next investment period." ArcelorMittal's Head of Sales, Mike Astbury, said:"We are proud to support Scottish Water on its journey toward net-zero by supplying lower-emission steel produced through electric arc furnace technology. This partnership demonstrates how smarter material choices can deliver meaningful, immediate carbon reductions without compromising performance or value. We remain committed to innovating with our customers and helping them build more sustainable, resilient infrastructure for the future." Blair McDonald, Managing Director of AIM Group, said: "We are delighted to be working alongside Scottish Water at such a pivotal point in their net zero journey. Decarbonising infrastructure requires strong partnerships and forward-thinking approaches to materials and delivery. "By combining lower-carbon steel with advanced automation, digital workflows, and investment in renewable energy, AIM Group is committed to creating resilient, sustainable assets for the future."
Delivering peatland restoration for Scottish Water. Mackenzie Construction is delivering a peatland restoration project for Scottish Water, acting as principal contractor alongside specialist partner McGowan Environmental. The team is working in a remote stretch of upland ground near Backwater Reservoir in north-west Angus. The programme began in April 2025 and has restored over 330 hectares of peatland area to date. The first stage involved detailed scoping by Mackenzie Construction's in-house team. Drone surveys and visual assessments helped map out the terrain, identify areas of damage, and shape the restoration plan. A number of techniques are being used on-site including peat hag reprofiling. This involves an excavator being used to peel back surface vegetation, re-profile the exposed peat to a more gradual angle and then replace the vegetation from the top back over the newly re-profiled slope. Not all slopes can be re-profiled in this way. When dealing with actively eroding and exposed hags and gullies these are stabilised using geo-textiles including geo-jute before vegetation can then be re-established. Peat dams are also being installed to restore natural hydrology. Without them, drainage channels would continue to cut through the peat, causing further erosion and slowing re-vegetation. Restoring peatland limits carbon loss from exposed peat and improves the quality of raw water flowing into the reservoir below. The location brings its own ecological considerations as the team is working within a sensitive upland environment with protected species and seasonal constraints. Regular ecology surveys and close collaboration with local stakeholders, including Forestry and Land Scotland, landowners and the local raptor group, are central to the project's delivery. Robbie MacLean, Contracts Manager at Mackenzie Construction, said: "We're proud to support Scottish Water's peatland restoration work and play a part in reducing carbon loss from these upland areas. The project strengthens our long-standing commitment to improving water quality for our clients and it's rewarding to see that commitment reflected in the landscape we're helping to restore."
NTI confirmed as implementation partner to enable better collaboration. Scottish Water has announced NTI Group as its implementation partner for a new Common Data Environment (CDE) platform, supporting the transition to its next multi-billion-pound delivery plan period. NTI will work with Scottish Water to deliver a CDE platform utilising Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) software. The platform will act as a centralised, cloud-based digital hub for collecting, managing and sharing information across all project stakeholders. It will connect workflows, teams and data from design through to handover, supported by advanced tools for document management, coordination, field execution and analytics. Key benefits of the new software include: - Faster and more cost-effective project delivery - Improved collaboration and access to information - Support for innovative solutions and model-based delivery - Real-time access to data, approvals and updates for Scottish Water and its partners - Scalability to support digital maturity, including 3D and 4D modelling and emerging technologies Chris Toop, Director of Digital and Innovation at Scottish Water, said: "Scottish Water requires a robust CDE platform to support the delivery of the large capital investment plan for our next Business Plan delivery period, enabling us to work efficiently across our design, construction and operational workflows. "This will allow us to embrace industry best-practice technology to drive design and construction efficiencies, while ensuring Scottish Water centrally retains ownership of project and asset data and information." Rory Harpur, Autodesk Sales Director UK & Ireland at NTI, said: "NTI are proud to partner with Scottish Water on the rollout of Autodesk Construction Cloud, supporting their ambition to create a more connected, data-driven approach to project delivery. "By bringing together people, processes, and trusted information on a single platform, this will help improve visibility, consistency, and collaboration across programmes, enabling better decision-making and long-term value for Scottish Water and their supply chain."
Major Edinburgh road to be closed for six months. A major road in Edinburgh will be closed for six months for sewage works. Gorgie Road, which links the west of the capital with the city centre, will be shut between Robb's Loan and Hutchison Crossway from Sunday 25 January. The maintenance work is aimed at improving the area's sewage system during heavy rain. Scottish Water acknowledged there would be major disruption during the £3m project, but said it was working with partners including the City of Edinburgh Council to minimise the impact. A number of major attractions are located in the area surrounding the site. They include Tynecastle Stadium and Scottish Gas Murrayfield, which both regularly attract thousands of visitors. Senior project manager Ethan Gillies Denning said: "We are acutely aware Gorgie Road is one of the key transport routes linking west Edinburgh with the city centre. "But the road also sits above critical Victorian-era waste water infrastructure that helps protect homes and businesses during heavy rain. "This project will significantly reduce debris entering the Water of Leith, supporting cleaner rivers and a healthier local environment for people and wildlife, including otters." He urged people to follow all diversion signs and allow extra time for journeys, particularly at peak times. The project is expected to be completed by July 2026.