Scientist - Analytical Chemist page is loaded
Scientist - Analytical Chemist
Apply locations Juniper House, Edinburgh time type Full time posted on Posted 3 Days Ago time left to apply End Date: June 23, 2025 (13 days left to apply) job requisition id R10479
Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
Most people don’t think too much about how clean water reaches their taps. Or what happens to their wastewater.
But Scottish Water does. In fact, it’s all we think about.
Want to help? As a Scientistin our busy Organics Wing in Edinburgh, you’ll be on the front lines of making sure Scotland’s drinking water is totally, dependably pure.
What you’ll do
Clean water doesn’t just happen. Our team of 320 samplers, scientists and support staff analyse their way through an average of one test every minute. With so many tests going through the lab, you’ll prioritise work within your team. And you’ll manage routine maintenance of instrumentation to help avoid unplanned downtime.
Day-to-day, you’ll be using specialist lab instruments like LCMS, GCMS, and TRI-CARB LSC, focusing on a specific area of analytical science to ensure Scotland’s water quality is top-notch. Then you’ll help us translate the results for our customers. Getting it right is important, so you’ll work to ISO 17025 standards (if you know, you know).
Together, we’ll tackle environmental challenges head-on, driving toward our Beyond Net Zero ambition while proudly upholding our ISO 14001 certification.
Naturally, we’ve got a big focus on health and safety. The goal? 100% compliance with the strictest standards – many of them set out in law.
What you’ll need
First of all, you love science. You know chemical testing and analysis inside-out, ideally backed up by an HND or degree-level qualification in a related scientific discipline. And, although it probably goes without saying, maintaining a safe and healthy workplace is your thing.
Ideally, you’ll have some experience working in an ISO 17025 or GLP-accredited analytical laboratory – or at least have a good handle on the standard.
Beyond that, we hope that delivering great customer service is what gets you out of bed in the morning. And you’re committed to always improving processes.
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.
This is a full time (35 hours per week) role with some weekend working and standby requirements. 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 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), and 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.
The laboratory provides analytical services from 8.00 am to 8.00 pm with some weekend working and standby requirements. Weekend shift working will be required in this role.
If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on Sunday 22th June 2025. We’ll be interviewing the week beginning Monday 30th June.
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 SWRecruitment@ScottishWater.co.uk
Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
Working at Scottish Water you'll be making a real difference to the lives of the people and communities in Scotland who rely on the vital water andwaste water services we provide.We offer a broad range of career opportunities and ourapproach toinclusion and diversity means we can make a real difference together.
Our people are essential to providing our customers with the very best service in communities around Scotland.We're passionate about attracting, developing and retaining the best people who can make apositive difference to our business.
If you are passionate about delivering a great customer service and can inspire trust and demonstrate pride in your work, we are confident that you will find Scottish Water a place where you can build on your talents and one where you can thrive.
If you would like to join our team at Scottish Water you can find out moreabout our latest vacancies here .
Recruitment Retention of Data
Please note that candidates who have not submitted an application in the last 12 months will be automatically removed from our system records
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