Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
Ready to own your future? At Scottish Water, our Summer InternshipProgramme empowers you to gain hands-on experience, tacklereal challenges, and contribute to shaping Scotland’s future. This is more than just a summer job –it’san opportunity to make a meaningful impact. As part of our team,you’llplay a key role in delivering essential services and infrastructure that help Scotland flourish every day.
You’llbe joining us at a fascinating time, as we transform into a more agile, innovative organisation that delivers outstanding service, providesgreat valuefor money, and works in an environmentally sustainable way that goes beyond Net Zero.
Graduating in2027? Kickstart your career with a 12-week summer placement and start building your future today.
Whatyou’lldo
At Scottish Water,we’recommitted to providing high-quality water and wastewater services to over 5 million people across Scotland. As part of our £1bn per year investment programme,we’recontinuously improving andmaintainingour infrastructure to meet the needs of today and the future.
This is your chance to explore diverse opportunities across every stage of the project lifecycle while gaining hands-on experience in delivering major Capital Investment projects. For example, you might be involved in the project management of civil or mechanical and electrical (M&E) projects associated with the supply and treatment of water and wastewater assets-ensuring the delivery of safe and reliable services across Scotland.
You could also delve into specialised projects like studying the costs and carbon benefits of district heating systems using heat from wastewater as a low-carbon heat source. This work might involve comparing wastewater heat with other sources, such as river and air source heat pumps, to evaluate their effectiveness and environmental impact over a total project lifecycle.
Collaborating with experienced project teams,you’llgain insights into design processes, stakeholder management, and the financial and commercial aspects of delivering infrastructure projects.You’llalsoobserveour unwavering commitment to safety, ensuring that our people are protected while carrying out these vital initiatives.
Additionally, working alongside our supply chain partners, you could visit construction sites andwitnesscutting-edgeprojects in action - building valuable skills to shape your future in the construction and engineering sector.
This is apaid summer internship, with an hourly rate of£13.45, aligned with the Real Living Wage. The role is typically full-time (35 hours per week), thoughwe’reopen to discussing flexible working patterns where possible. For a 35-hour week, the equivalent annual salary would be approximately£24,574, pro-rated for the length of the internship.
Whatyou’llneed
You’llbe in the penultimate year of your degree (or about to start a Masters), and on course for at least a2:2in a relevantEngineeringdiscipline such asCivil, Electricalor Chemical- plusyou’llbe a self-starter with good people skills.You’llalso need to be available for the full12-week placement, starting in June.
Most of all,you’llbring curiosity, enthusiasm, and a real desire to learn – along with the motivation to apply whatyou’restudying in a practical, real-world environment.
You’llneed to live within commuting distance of our offices - either The Bridge (Stepps) or Waverley Court (Edinburgh) - as this role will be aligned to one of our key office locations.
In terms of essential requirements?That’sit.
Buthere’sthe thing…
We receive thousands of applications for our internship roles each year.Sowhat helps candidates stand out?
Here are a few things we love to see:
1. CVs that tell us more than just your grades. Show us whatyou’velearned, what interests you, and what motivates you.
2. Cover letters that explain why Scottish Water – and why thisparticular internshipappeals to you.
3. Applications thatdemonstrateour values: Bold, Responsible, Inspiring and Caring.
Looking out for you
While the work we do is important,it’snot the only thing that matters.That’swhy we support a healthy work-life balance and flexible ways of working where possible.
You’llgain meaningful experience, build your professional network, and get a real feel for what a future career at Scottish Water could look like – all while being supported by experienced colleagues who want you to succeed.
What happens next?
The closing date for applications isSunday 8thFebruary. PleasesubmityourCV and a cover letter (maximum500 words)as part of your application.
If shortlisted, final interviews will take place duringFebruary 23rdto March 13thand yes,you’llget the chance to ask us plenty of questions too.
If you accept a place on the programme,you’llcomplete pre-employment screening during the Spring, including a criminal record check.
All interns will start together inJunefor a12-week Summer Internship, finishing at the end ofAugust.You’lltake part in an induction, meet fellow interns and colleagues, learn about the organisation, visit operational sites, and hopefully have a lot of fun along the way.
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.
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.