Environmental Adviser - Specialist Service Delivery

Overview

Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland. It’s not every job where you make a difference for the people of Scotland but it’s what’s behind every job here. Our work keeps Scotland’s water flowing, from reservoir to tap – and from sewer to treatment plant. Do your bit by joining us as a Specialist Service Delivery (SSD) Environmental Advisor. This role, within the Specialist Service Delivery Environment Team, is crucial for supporting the delivery of our Capital Investment portfolio in planned infrastructure development.

Our advisors take charge of all environmental aspects of project delivery, managing archaeology, ecology, land use and designated site/structure sensitivities, and advising on post-completion biodiversity enhancements. As part of the team, you will engage directly with key stakeholders (e.g., Nature Scot, SEPA, Historic Environment Scotland) to secure the permissions and licenses essential to support the construction of critical infrastructure. The post-holder will also provide specialised technical support for assessing environmental risk on operational sites and collaborate closely with colleagues in the Planning and Land teams to ensure the seamless delivery of projects.

This position is largely desk-based but occasional site visits will be required. Scottish Water operates a hybrid working policy, combining both home and office working.

• You will have a solid understanding of environmental legislation relevant to the construction industry in Scotland and experience in assessing environmental impact for various types of development.
• You will have a proven ability to apply appropriate mitigation measures to manage risks and have confidence in influencing design choices to facilitate construction. The successful applicant will coordinate specialist contractors and work harmoniously as part of a multi-disciplinary team to ensure successful project delivery.
• Additionally, you will be an organisational guru, with the ability to demonstrate good interpersonal skills and strong IT skills, with experience using specialist software such as ArcGIS.
• Lastly, a degree-level qualification in a relevant environmental discipline is essential.
• Beyond that, we’re looking for a few ‘nice-to-haves’. A post-graduate degree in Environmental Management or a related field is a plus and experience as an Ecological or Environmental Clerk of Works (ECoW/EnvCoW) is highly desirable.
• Professional membership in a relevant environmental discipline, and experience obtaining protected species licenses in the UK would be great. Lastly, experience working in the water industry, utilities, or construction would also be beneficial.

While the work we do is important, we know it’s not the only thing that matters. That’s why we make sure you have everything you need to find a good work-life balance. You’ll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays), and the opportunity to buy up to five more if you need a little extra time.

You can also take paid time off to volunteer in your community. When it comes to major life events we have family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave. As for the everyday, we embrace flexible working. For your future, there’s our pension (the ‘know-what-you’ll-get-when-you-retire’ kind), as well as life assurance. As for some nice extras? You can expect an annual company bonus.

Not to mention access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.

This role will be a Grade 6. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £36,410. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £46,990. We operate Balanced Hybrid working at Scottish Water and we encourage people to work half their time in a Scottish Water location.

If you’re interested in this role – or know someone else who might be - we’ll be accepting applications until midnight on the 2nd March 2026
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Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional, and will be confirmed…