Reference number
388574
Salary
£31,000 – £31,000
Please read the attached Candidate Pack for more details on salary and pensions.
Job grade
Other
Associate
Contract type
Fixed term
Length of employment
2 years
Business area
Graduate Development Programme
Type of role
Science
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time
Number of jobs available
1
Location
Birmingham (B5 4UA) or London (E14 4HD) based with hybrid working
About the job
Job summary
We are Ofwat, the Water Services Regulation Authority, a non-ministerial government department responsible for regulating the water sector in England and Wales.
We are at the source of everyday life. We help the sector build trust and confidence with customers, the environment and wider society: keeping water flowing, ensuring water bills don’t cost a penny more than needed, holding water companies to account. We push hard to improve day-to-day water company performance for customers, including on leakage, sewer flooding and customer service. We drive the sector to take a longer-term view and to take steps now to protect and enhance the environment, using digital and data innovations and making sure our water supplies are secure for future generations. Through our five-yearly price reviews, we oversee billions of pounds of investment into the water sector across England and Wales.
Our work is high-profile and fast-moving, within a dynamic and agile environment. The work that you’ll be involved in every day will help us to deliver our strategy, to make us the regulator we want to be and help the sector to deliver for customers and society.
Job description
About the Programme
Join us as an Ofwat graduate and step into a world where you are empowered and encouraged to use the economic tools developed in your degree to help us solve problems in the water industry from the very start. Our graduate programme will offer a truly versatile role, great insights into how a regulator works with excellent training enabling you to create a solid foundation for your career.
RAPID and Environmental Planning Team
Ofwat plays a critical role in ensuring the water sector provides secure, clean, and reliable water supplies to our customers, as well as that sufficient water is available to the environment. The Regulators’ Alliance for Progressing Infrastructure Development (RAPID) was set up in 2019. It is a partnership made up of the three water regulators – Ofwat, the Environment Agency (EA) and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI). RAPID was formed to help facilitate the development and funding of new large scale strategic water supply options by the water companies. As part of our work, RAPID identifies and addresses issues relevant to the development of major water supply infrastructure projects and analyse the feasibility of strategic water supply schemes. 18 schemes are being progressed so far.
The Environmental Planning function includes two key Ofwat teams: Environment and Water resources. We inform policy, influence planning processes and incentivise and monitor infrastructure delivery – both water resources and wider environment. This is to drive optimal outcomes for customers and environment under the challenges of climate change whilst supporting sustainable development.
Ofwat is a statutory consultee in the water resources management planning process (to balance water supply and demand) and water companies are funded to deliver their plans through the price review process which Ofwat runs. The Water resources team work closely with regulators, government, water companies and regional groups as part of the water resources planning process and is a key area of our work.
We offer rotational and static opportunities, which both provide the same learning, development and support. This role is a static role within the RAPID and Environmental Planning directorate.
Further information about the Learning and Development opportunities can be found in the attached Candidate Information Pack, or at our website: Graduates and apprentices – Ofwat
Person specification
Qualifications
You will have (or be on target to achieve) at least a 2:2 degree in a numerical, engineering or science-related discipline, such as (but not limited to), engineering, environmental science or geography. As this is a graduate programme, you must have graduated already, or be due to graduate in 2025, and have no more than three years’ work experience following your graduation.
Experience, Skills and Knowledge
- Background in science and basic understanding of water company functions.
- An understanding of technical analysis and being good with numbers.
- An interest in applying scientific approaches to a range of regulatory problems and policy making.
- Able to demonstrate effective problem solving, demonstrating critical thinking, decision making and information processing.
Attributes and Values
Values: Throughout the selection process, we will be looking for evidence of our SAILOR values.
Attributes: We will also assess you on the following attributes and behaviours that are essential for success on the programme. These are defined more fully in our Framework for Success. The attributes which will be assessed are:
- Committed Learner
- Makes Relationships Court
- Creates Clarity
- Adaptable Thinker
- Delivers Outcomes
Qualifications
Have (or be on target to achieve) at least a 2:2 degree in a numerical, engineering or science-related discipline, such as (but not limited to), engineering, environmental science or geography. As this is a graduate programme, you must have graduated already, or be due to graduate in 2025, and have no more than three years’ work experience following your graduation.
Benefits
Why You Should Join Us:
We’re forward-thinking, creative, innovative, and ambitious. We constantly push the boundaries and embrace new ways of working.
With us, your work matters, your voice is heard, and your impact is felt. Ours is a culture of trust, flexibility, autonomy, collaboration, and innovation. We all want positive change for water customers, the environment, and the future of water.
But for us, change is more than what happens on the outside – we’ve always pushed boundaries internally, too. From becoming the first Civil Service organisation to achieve ‘Smarter Working’ status, to gaining our prestigious ‘Smarter Working Maturity’ award, we’ve consistently demonstrated our commitment to embracing innovative ways of working. Our people do their best work when given freedom over where, when, and how they work. Which is why we trust our teams to balance meaningful collaboration in the office with the flexibility of working from home.
You will also benefit from:
- Excellent employer pension contributions of 28.97% (around £8,980 for this role). You can find further details about pension schemes under Terms and Conditions in the Candidate Pack.
- 27.5 days leave (25 days annual leave + 2.5 days privilege leave) increasing to max 32.5 days with each year of service, plus bank holidays
- Access to exclusive discounts on a variety of goods and services, including retail outlets,
theatre tickets, holidays, insurance, and a gym membership - Flexible working arrangements that suit your lifestyle
- Fees paid for membership of relevant professional bodies
- Up to 3 volunteering days per year
- Recognition vouchers scheme
- Generous shared parental leave and pay
- Enhanced sick pay
- Regular development opportunities
- Health and wellbeing initiatives
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- Season ticket loan for home-to-office travel
- Free eye tests and contribution to lenses/spectacles for VDU users
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to apply
Apply through the Civil Service Jobs website where you’ll be asked to create an account and complete an application form. If you’re unable to make an electronic application, please contact earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk and we will support you in completing your application.
Please ensure you have submitted your application in full ahead of the deadline listed below. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to consider late applications.
Selection timetable
- Closing date: 23.55 on 02 March 2025
- Video Interviews Close: 09 March 2025
- Birmingham Assessment Centre: Week commencing 07 April 2025 (please note that assessment centre will be held in Birmingham for both London and Birmingham location preferences).
Assessment process
The selection process includes;
- A candidate application form assessing the qualification requirements, along with some of the skills, experience and knowledge requitements. The application form will also assess some of our attributes and SAILOR values outlined in the table below.
- Video interview assessing SAILOR values and the attributes set out in the table below.
- Successful candidates will then be invited to an assessment centre, week commencing 7th April 2025. The in-person assessment centre will assess the criteria outlined in the table below.
The assessment centre includes;
- A group exercise
- An interview
- A Presentation (topic to be shared in advance)
- A written assessment
Please ensure that anything submitted as part of your application is factually accurate, and you are not presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by AI, as your own.
Please note that if a high volume of candidates meet the minimum pass mark at sift stage, we will only progress the highest scoring candidates to interview. Candidates not invited to interview, who have achieved the minimum pass mark, will be placed ‘on hold’ until the final stage of the assessment process is completed. Should the role/s remain unfilled, candidates placed ‘on hold’ may be invited to interview in merit order.
If the assessment process identifies more appointable candidates than roles available, a reserve list will be created for 12 months from which further appointments in merit order can be made.
Please ensure anything you present in your interview answers is factually accurate, and you are not presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by AI, as your own. You may expect follow up questions.
If you have any queries about any aspect of this role, selection process, or you require any reasonable adjustments please email earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk.
Please read the attached “Candidate Information Pack” for details on terms and conditions.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name :earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk
- Email :earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email :earlycareers@ofwat.gov.uk
Further information
Complaints procedure – The process of recruitment and assessment embraces the principles of fair and open competition and best practice. The first is to maintain the principle of selection for appointment to the Civil Service on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Recruitment Principles. The second is to promote an understanding of the https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-code/the-civil-service-code which sets out the constitutional framework in which all civil servants work and the values they are expected to uphold, and to hear and determine appeals made under it. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact recruitment@ofwat.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from us, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at info@csc.gov.uk
Attachments
Candidate Information Pack, Technical Scientist Graduate Programme, Jan 25.dotx Opens in new window(pdf, 849kB)
