Working as part of a team of 5, this manual role will involve the day-to-day maintenance of the Victorian trunk sewer network in London. You will be responsible for performing a range of assigned activities including routine maintenance, investigations and safety cover. You will be required to cover an area encompassing North and East London. This safety-focused role will require you to work closely with your team members.

What you’ll be doing as a Trunk Sewer Technician

  • Please note, for this role will be mandatory to work in confined spaces (obtaining a CP2 confined space rescue qualification), at heights, and lifting heavy loads.
  • Physical maintenance of the sewer network and associated assets e.g. penstock gates.
  • Operation of plant and equipment.
  • Cleaning, basic maintenance and fault-finding.

Working hours: 6:30 am – 3:45 pm; with 1 week out of 5 on the night shift from 9:00 pm - 5:30 am. You will be required to participate in an Out of Hours Standby rota, for which you will also receive an additional payment.

Base location: East and North London.

What you should bring to the role

  • This role will suit someone who has previously held a manual labouring role and will be capable of carrying out all tasks.
  • Drainage knowledge and a mechanical background would be advantageous.
  • This role requires you to be physically fit and comfortable with working in water, working at heights, and within the confined space of sewers. You will also need to participate in a pre-employment medical.
  • As a part of the critical safety requirements, you must always be clean-shaven and due to the lifting equipment for man-riding, you must weigh less than 110kgs at all times in this role.
  • It is essential that you are prepared to work in a challenging environment daily, as you will work outdoors and in confined spaces all year round mainly in underground assets.
  • A full manual UK driving license is essential; a 7.5t licence is desirable.

What’s in it for you?

London never stops and this is an exciting opportunity for you to join a great team working in London’s historic network of sewers. An opportunity to maintain an essential service for our customers, protect the environment, supporting large construction projects, as a key worker. 

  • Competitive salary from £22,800 to £28,000 per annum depending on skills and experience.
  • Annual Leave - 24 days holiday per year increasing to 28 with the length of service. (Plus, bank holidays).
  • Contributory pension – Defined Contribution - Maximum of 12% -2x employee contribution.
  • Personal Medical Assessments – Open to all once a year.
  • Wider benefits scheme including our benefits hub, which is packed full of offers and information to save you money and support your wellbeing.

Who are we?

At Thames Water, our purpose is crystal clear - to deliver life’s essential service so our customers, communities and planet can thrive.


Water is life’s great leveller. Every living thing needs it, every single day. From people to plants, birds to bees, farms to factories, we all need it to thrive, and we’re committed to taking care of it for us all.

But keeping water flowing is becoming harder. From scorching summers to wetter winters, extreme weather affects everything from our pipes to our local rivers. We must keep millions more kettles boiling, public services operating, washing machines spinning, showers running and more, so every drop is more precious than ever. Are you ready to play your part?

Working at Thames Water

At Thames Water, we recognise that people are at the heart of our business. To help us succeed in providing life's essential service, we need a range of skills and capabilities, representative of society throughout our business.

We seek to attract and retain a cultural mix of people who can offer different but complementary attitudes, values, talents, and knowledge. We understand the importance of appreciating and harnessing the unique skills, experiences, backgrounds, and differences that each individual brings.

Our over-arching diversity and inclusion aim is to ensure Thames Water is a diverse and inclusive great place to work. We encourage applications from everyone and offer extra support for those who need it throughout the recruitment process.

Find out more about working at Thames Water.

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, meet colleagues and earn some extra money along the way.

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.