Wastewater Services Graduate

Location: Exeter and the South West

Salary: £30,000

Start Date: September 2026

Application Deadline: 20th March 2026

Who we are…

At Pennon, we literally bring water to life. Our wastewater operations teams work every day to safely treat wastewater, protect rivers and coastal waters, and help look after the environment across the South West. It's essential work that keeps our ecosystems healthy. As a graduate joining us, you'll step straight into the heart of it.

We care about doing things properly: safely, responsibly, and with integrity. We learn from each other, share ideas openly, and welcome fresh thinking from people who are curious about how real systems work. If you're someone who wants to solve practical problems that genuinely protect the environment and public health, you'll find something meaningful for you here.

What you’d be doing…

This role puts you right where treatment really happens, gaining experience across the teams involved in delivering safe, sustainable wastewater services (including environment, digital, customer, HR, engineering, asset management, strategy or operations).

As a Graduate in Wastewater Services, you could:

• Support environmental, regulatory or compliance projects

• Analyse data on network behaviour, river health or performance trends

• Work with customer teams on wastewater-related issues or service improvements

• Support asset management or investment planning work

• Contribute to sustainability and pollution-prevention initiatives

• Work with digital or data teams on modelling, automation or reporting

• Build a broad understanding of how wastewater services operate across Pennon

If you want varied work with real responsibility, and you like seeing the positive environmental impact of your efforts every day, this could be a great fit for you.

Who you are…

We’re keen to meet graduates who get curious about how things work, enjoy hands‑on problem solving, and want to understand the systems that protect the environment.

You might be a great match if you:

• Are working toward (or have) degree in any discipline.

• Enjoy understanding how biological and chemical treatment processes work

• Can explain things clearly to anyone, from site operators to environmental specialists

• Bring integrity, care and good judgement to the work you do

• Put safety and people at the heart of your choices

• Care about environmental protection and operating responsibly

• Stay calm under pressure and thrive on solving practical, hands-on problems

• Have the right to work in the UK

This role also requires:

• A full UK driving licence

If you’re drawn to this role and feel this might be you, we’d love to hear from you.

Don’t have everything on this list? That’s ok, you won’t be expected to arrive with all the answers. A curious mind and proactive attitude will carry you a long way as you explore everything this role has to offer.

What’s in it for you…

• A structured grad programme: Rotations across different wastewater-related teams.

• A mentor or buddy: An experienced wastewater professional to guide you along the way

• Real experience: Work on live sites that protect rivers, beaches and ecosystems

• Competitive salary and benefits package

• The chance to make a difference: Work that carries genuine social and environmental meaning

• A culture shaped by values: safety, integrity, collaboration, innovation and customer care

• Practical training and industry-recognised qualifications (e.g. water industry certifications, environmental compliance training, and health and safety competencies)

Closing Date: 20th March 2026

We reserve the right to close this Vacancy before the advertised Close Date.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK for the full duration of the 2-year programme. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this programme.

We’re committed to building a team that reflects the communities we serve and ensuring everyone can participate in our recruitment process fully and fairly. If you need any adjustments or face any barriers in our processes, just let us know. We'll work with you to make sure you can show us what you can do.

Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:

Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.

Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.

Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.