Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.

Scottish Water has an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated, flexible individual to join our Team as a Field Response Network Service Operative in the Orkney area.

What you’ll do

You’ll work as part of the Field Response team, representing Scottish Water when responding to customer enquiries. You’ll make quick, well‑judged decisions to resolve issues efficiently and keep disruption to a minimum.

You’ll help protect the quality and integrity of our water network and assets, both new and existing. Using modern leak detection equipment, you’ll support fast fault finding and help ensure repairs are completed efficiently.

You’ll always work safely, following Scottish Water health and safety policies and meeting all statutory requirements. You’ll follow DOMS policies and procedures and apply the hygiene code of practice in everything you do.

You’ll listen to customers, show empathy, and communicate clearly to help resolve issues in challenging situations. You’ll work confidently both on your own and as part of a team, managing your workload and meeting critical deadlines.

You’ll ensure all work is carried out safely to protect yourself, your colleagues and the public. You’ll use IT systems confidently and stay organised while working in a fast‑paced environment.

Knowledge of our DOMS policies and procedures with an understanding of the hygiene code of practice.

What you’ll need

You’ll have a good working knowledge of industry standards and legislation, including HAUC specifications for reinstatement works and relevant Health and Safety requirements. You’ll understand and apply water and sewer hygiene codes of practice, including DOMS.

You’ll be customer‑focused, with strong communication, reporting and follow‑up skills. You’ll be a confident problem solver who can manage queries and build positive working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

You’ll be flexible and willing to take part in a standby rota, helping Scottish Water maintain service coverage 365 days a year.

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.

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 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 will participate in a company bonus scheme. 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 £33,951. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £39,911.

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. These checks are conducted on our behalf by a third party. Don’t worry - we’ll ask your permission before starting these checks.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until the 29th October 2026 at midnight.

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.

Candidates should be aware that a valid UK driving licence is required for driving on Scottish Water business and claiming business mileage expenses.

Please note, Scottish Water takes the safety, health and wellbeing of our employees, colleagues and customers very seriously and as such you may be subject to Drug & Alcohol testing in line with our policy.

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]

About the company

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

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

Linwood’s August 2026 solar-battery project cuts costs, boosts resilience, and supports 2040 net zero.
Scottish Water’s Generation H2O reached 100,000 pupils, strengthening goodwill and recruitment pipelines across Scotland.
SR27 investment can modernize aging pipes and treatment works, with WICS deciding charges on 29 October 2026.

What critics are saying

SEPA-linked reporting shows 100,041 wastewater overflows in 2025, intensifying scrutiny before October 2026.
Nairn’s £3.4 million Lochloy Road works face backlash, risking delays and political intervention through winter 2026.
A major drinking-water contamination event would trigger ministerial intervention, emergency management, and public trust collapse.

What makes Scottish Water unique

Scottish Water owns Scotland’s only integrated water and sewerage network, creating unmatched asset control.
WICS handles SR27 pricing, and Scottish Water submitted its £8.1 billion 2027-33 plan on 24 August 2026.
Business Stream and Scottish Water Horizons diversify regulated utility cash flows with retail and renewables.

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Benefits

Paid Vacation
Family Planning Benefits
Flexible Work Hours
Performance Bonus
Life Insurance

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

1 year growth

2 year growth

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Scottish Water

Network Service Operator

About the job