Job Description

Salary

up to 44,900 depending on experience

Location

Hanningfield, Chelmsford

About the role

Microbiology Laboratory Scientist

37 hours per week

Permanent

Salary - from 38,165 to 44,900 depending on experience

Location - Hanningfield Laboratory at Hanningfield Water Treatment Works

We're open to discussing flexible working

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity in our Hanningfield Laboratory as a Microbiology Scientist. Our laboratory provides essential analytical services for the production and supply of wholesome, delicious drinking water, to benefit our customers, communities, and the environment.


As a scientist you will support our Team Leader with Quality Compliance, management of our ordering system, calibration scheduling, equipment maintenance and performing routine analytical duties in the Hanningfield Microbiology laboratory.


You'll also be required to carry out non-analytical duties in sample reception using our integrated LIMS system, receiving and logging in samples, as well as receipt and dispatch of sample containers to our clients.

About you

HNC equivalent in Microbiology or related scientific discipline.


You'll have the ability to understand and follow health and safety instructions, written analytical methods, technical instructions and procedures. You'll also have proven experience of working in a quality-controlled environment e.g. GMP/GLP.


Technical knowledge of microbiological analysis, including aseptic technique, plate counting, identification, confirmation and quality control.


Experience in training personnel and promoting safe working practice whilst maintaining a clean and tidy workspace.


You'll be a great team player, with the ability to be flexible and a willingness to support other individuals in the team.


You will have an ability to deal with day-to-day issues in the section as well as experience in carrying out root cause analysis.


Full UK driving license recommended due to working location and lack of public transport to site.

Here at Northumbrian Water/Essex & Suffolk Water, we embrace and value Diversity, Inclusion and Equity which means bringing your full self to work. We encourage and welcome all applications, as we believe and strive to be an equal opportunity employer committed in having a diverse community represented within all our teams, structures, and organisation. We have our colleague network groups, including Rainbow Support Network (LGBT+), REACH (Race, Ethnicity, and Cultural Heritage), WiSTEM (Women in STEM) and Thisability (disability and neurodiversity) networks too.

About us

Here are NWG we strive to make Northumbrian Water Group (NWG) a Great Place to Work, for all. We embrace and value Diversity, Inclusion and Equity and encourage you to bring your full self to work. As an equal opportunity employer we're committed to having a diverse community represented across our business.


We're aware that not everyone will have every skill listed in the job description, and that female candidates are less likely to apply if they don't have the full range of skills, however if you have some of the skills listed, we 'd encourage you to apply.

NWG at a glance:

Our purpose at NWG is caring for the essential needs of our communities and environment, now and for generations to come.

We do this by providing reliable and affordable water and wastewater services for our customers.

We make a positive difference by operating efficiently and investing prudently, to maintain a sustainable and resilient business.

Our vision is to be the national leader in the provision of sustainable water and wastewater services.

To support us in achieving our vision, we have five core values which are the guiding principles, defining who we are, what we do and how we do it.

Our benefits

We're a Great Place to Work because of the amazing people who work for us, and to say thank you we offer a range of benefits to colleagues.


Benefits to include, here's just a few of them:

Enhanced maternity pay Enhanced annual leave with additional special leave for Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve Company pension scheme Digital GP Award winning wellbeing website Employee Assistance Programme Life assurance Qualification loans Professional subscription Buy and sell annual leave Discounts and cashback offers


This role has also been defined as a safety or security critical role and as a condition of a formal offer of employment you'll be required to undergo a drug and alcohol test.


Prospective employees and agency workers in defined safety and security critical roles will be required to undertake a drug and alcohol test after the job offer has been made. This will be prior to or within four weeks of their start date.


Prospective employees and agency workers who fail a pre-employment urine drug screen will have their sample analysed by the Company appointed laboratory as a matter of course. Failing a pre-employment drugs or alcohol test may lead to the job offer being revoked.


Please note this role may require a DBS to be completed prior to employment.

About us

NWG (Northumbrian Water Group) provides water and sewerage services to 2.7 million people in the North East of England as Northumbrian Water, and water services to 1.5 million people in the South East of England as Essex & Suffolk Water.


We are proud to serve our customers and we're committed to delivering great service, putting our customers at the heart of everything we do.

Our values

Our values describe our main principles, qualities and attributes. They are the guiding principles which define who we are, what we do and how we do it. They make us different from our competitors and guide our decisions and actions to drive us towards our vision.


Our values are:

Results Driven

We take responsibility for achieving excellent business results.

Ethical

We are open and honest and meet our commitments with a responsible approach to the environment and our communities.

Customer Focused

We aim to exceed the expectations of our internal and external customers.

Innovative

We continuously strive for innovative and better ways to deliver our business.

One Team

We work together consistently, promoting co-operation, to achieve our corporate objectives.

Colleague benefits

We're the great company we are because of you - our people. As our way of saying thanks, we offer you a wide range of benefits and discounts to take advantage of.


To find out more about our benefits, see our benefits booklet attached to this advert.

Eyecare

Discounted Medicals

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle2work

Buying & selling annual leave

Long service awards

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Computer

Loans

Award winning wellbeing site

NWG savings scheme

Company pension scheme

Pre-retirement workshops

Life assurance

Discounts & cashback offers

Qualification loan

Documents

Business Plan 2025-30 - Essex & Suffolk Water

- Download

Business Plan 2025-30 - Main Report

- Download

Business Plan 2025-30 - Northumbrian Water

- Download

Restore and Regenerate - Our Environment Strategy to 2050

- Download

Scientist JD.pdf

- Download