Location
Isleworth, London with travel required to multiple sites including Beckton (IG11 0AD), Beddington (CR0 4TH), Crossness (SE2 9AQ), Deephams (N9 0BA), and Mogden (TW7 7LW). A full UK driving licence is essential.

Hours
Hybrid working - 36 hours per week (Monday to Friday)

Salary
Up to £52,100 per annum, depending on skills and experience, plus a car allowance.

About the Role
Do you want to play a leading role in shaping Thames Water’s environmental compliance under the new Industrial Emissions Directive (IED)? We’re seeking a Principal Process Specialist to lead sludge treatment, anaerobic digestion, and odour management efforts, supporting Operations teams to meet evolving regulatory requirements and deliver tangible environmental improvements. This dynamic, hands-on role combines technical expertise with innovation, utilising data analysis, fault finding, pollution mitigation, and process optimisation to drive compliance and operational excellence across multiple sites.

Key responsibilities include being a subject matter expert for IED permits and sludge treatment processes, investigating issues using all available data and tools, responding to technical design queries, liaising with regulators and stakeholders, and organising third-party contractors for servicing and remedial works. You will lead business reporting and meetings, mentor and coach internal teams, produce root cause analyses of permit breaches, participate in an out-of-hours call-out rota, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.

The role also involves undertaking technical training, holding key appointed process safety roles, staying abreast of new wastewater technologies, and leading the development of learning materials, asset standards, and project scopes related to IED requirements and sludge treatment.

Experience
- Proven track record in fault finding, process improvements, and delivering change.
- Experience working with contractors, including reviewing risk assessments, supervising on-site work, and organising service and surveying activities.
- Strong data handling, processing, and reporting skills, with adaptability to IT systems.
- Demonstrable coaching and mentoring experience.
- Experience in technical communication, able to explain complex information to non-technical audiences.
- Ability to self-organise and manage multiple responsibilities effectively.
- Willingness and ability to travel to multiple sites across the assigned region.

About you
- Curious, self-driven, and motivated to identify, communicate, and solve technical problems.
- Excellent time management skills and a true self-starter.
- Confident leader and communicator, able to engage effectively with diverse audiences.
- Committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Qualifications
- A full UK driving licence with access to transport and business-use insurance is essential.
- A minimum of a BSc in a science or engineering discipline is highly advantageous.
- Significant experience with wastewater sludge processes, including anaerobic digestion, biogas management, odour management, and relevant regulations is desirable.