Make a Difference as a Principal Process Engineer

Are you an experienced Water Process Engineer looking for an opportunity to shape the future of the UK water industry? At Thames Water, you'll play a pivotal role in delivering our ambitious AMP8 programme and beyond, helping to solve some of the most complex engineering challenges across water treatment. This is your chance to influence major investment projects, champion innovation, and be part of a team that makes a real impact on the environment and the communities we serve.

What you'll be doing as a Principal Process Engineer

As a technical leader within our Process Engineering team, you'll provide specialist expertise and strategic direction across a diverse portfolio of water treatment projects and operational challenges. Your responsibilities will include:

  • Leading the design and technical assurance of complex water engineering schemes.
  • Providing expert process engineering support to operational teams and project delivery programmes.
  • Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, industry standards, and Thames Water asset standards.
  • Acting as a key technical authority, approving designs and providing assurance throughout project lifecycles through to commissioning and handover.
  • Mentoring and developing a team of engineers, creating a high-performing and collaborative engineering culture.
  • Managing and reviewing engineering design partner outputs to ensure technical excellence and value.
  • Supporting complex incident investigations and driving process improvements and corrective actions.
  • Influencing and continuously improving technical standards, best practices and engineering guidance.
  • Working with multi-disciplinary teams to develop innovative, sustainable and resilient engineering solutions.
  • Supporting the evaluation and implementation of emerging technologies that will help transform our business and customer outcomes.

Base location: Hybrid working with time split between home and our Reading office at Clearwater Court (RG1 8DB).

Working pattern: 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

What you should bring to the role

We’re looking for a subject matter expert with significant water treatment design experience.

You'll ideally bring:

  • Significant process engineering experience within the water sector.
  • A strong track record of leading complex engineering projects and providing technical leadership.
  • Experience managing, mentoring and developing engineering teams.
  • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels.
  • A collaborative approach and commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse engineering environment.
  • A degree in Process Engineering (or equivalent) and Chartered Engineer status, or clear progression towards chartership.
  • An understanding of commercial and contractual considerations within project delivery environments.
  • Strong knowledge of engineering design, constructability, commissioning, operability, maintainability and asset lifecycle management.

What's in it for you?

This is an opportunity to join a business investing billions in its assets, people and communities, where you'll have the platform to influence major strategic programmes and help shape the future of water infrastructure.

  • Salary of up to £90,000 per annum dependant on experience. 
  • 26 days holiday per year, increasing to 30 with the length of service (plus bank holidays)
  • Car Allowance.
  • Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets
  • Generous Pension Scheme through AON.
  • Private Medical Health Care.
  • Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance.

Find out more about our benefits and perks (Please note different T&Cs apply if on secondment)

Who are we?

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come.

Learn more about our purpose and values

Working at Thames Water

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits.

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet.

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more.

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support.

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues.

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.