First Line Maintenance Operator

Pennon Group · Exeter, England, United Kingdom

FULL TIME

Job Description

Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose

South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK’s most stunning landscapes.

We’re proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we’re working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.

Whether you’re starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.

Ready to make a splash?

Join our team today.

Location

Exeter

Team:

Wastewater Services (WWS) M&E

Help keep our wastewater assets running safely and reliably

We're looking for a practical, motivated and mechanically minded

First Line Maintenance Operative

to join our Mechanical & Electrical (M&E) team.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to develop a career in maintenance, engineering and asset management. You'll play a key role in carrying out planned preventative maintenance across our wastewater treatment sites and pumping stations, helping to maximise asset availability, improve reliability and support essential wastewater services.

What you'll be doing:

As a First Line Maintenance Operative, you'll support the delivery of our maintenance programme by carrying out routine inspections, maintenance activities and asset checks across our operational sites. You'll work closely with colleagues across Wastewater Operations and M&E teams, helping to ensure our assets remain safe, reliable and efficient.

Key responsibilities include

Carrying out planned preventative maintenance on mechanical assets.

Performing routine inspections, lubrication, fluid checks and equipment adjustments.

Identifying asset defects and escalating issues before they become failures.

Applying first-line maintenance techniques to improve asset reliability.

Maintaining accurate maintenance records and work completion data.

Supporting asset registration and asset data improvements through the MADE system.

Working collaboratively with workshop and mobile maintenance teams.

Adhering to all health, safety and environmental procedures.

Undertaking training and development activities to build technical knowledge and competence.

Contributing to the delivery of a safe, reliable and effective wastewater service.

What we're looking for:

We're seeking someone who enjoys hands-on work, takes pride in maintaining high standards and is keen to develop their engineering skills.

Strong mechanical aptitude.

Full UK driving licence.

A proactive and safety-focused approach to work.

Willingness to learn, develop and take responsibility for work under your control.

Good communication and teamwork skills.

Desirable

NVQ Level 2 or 3 in Mechanical Engineering, relevant experience, or willingness to achieve this within an agreed timeframe.

5 GCSEs (or equivalent) including Maths, English and Science at Grade 4/C or above.

Experience working within maintenance, engineering, utilities or operational environments.

Experience of wastewater treatment processes or pumping stations.

Understanding of maintenance schedules, safe systems of work and RAMS.

Experience using maintenance management systems and completing maintenance records.

Computer literacy and confidence using digital systems.

Why join us?

This role offers a fantastic opportunity to gain valuable engineering and maintenance experience while supporting critical wastewater infrastructure. You'll receive ongoing training and development, work alongside experienced professionals and play an important role in delivering reliable services for customers and communities.

Generous holiday allowance plus bank holidays

A discretionary Bonus

Competitive Contributory Pension

Share-save Scheme

Various health benefits

Wellbeing support programmes

A range of Group Discounts

Cycle to Work Schemes

Closing Date: 24th November 2026

We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.

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