Operator

yorkshirewater.com; Bradford; On-site; GBP 20,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional water service provider is seeking Pumping Operators to join their Wastewater Service Delivery team in Bradford. The role includes maintaining critical assets and ensuring compliance with regulations. Candidates must enjoy working outdoors, possess relevant problem-solving skills, and have a full driving licence. Training will be provided, ensuring operators can work safely and independently while actively contributing to environmental well-being.

Qualifications

• Essential to work outdoors and be hands-on.
• Must be a resilient self-starter with good time management.
• Need to report unsafe practices confidently.
• Valid driving licence required.
• Completion of medical for confined spaces is essential.

Responsibilities

• React to alarms and pollution incidents.
• Perform grounds and site maintenance.
• Ensure compliance with health and safety policies.
• Conduct regular site visits for compliance checks.

Skills

Practical mindset

Good problem-solver

Time management

IT systems usage

Communication

Job description

Location:

We currently recruiting for Pumping Operators to join our Pumping department in our Wastewater Service Delivery business area maintaining our sites in the Bradford area. Your base location will be Marley STW and you should live within a reasonable commuting distance of this location.

Hours of work:

In this role, flexibility is crucial. You’ll be working 37 hours per week, and once fully trained and assessed for independent working, you will be expected to participate in an out of hours standby rota which will include evenings, weekends, and overnight callouts. This is done in a planned & scheduled way so you will have visibility of exactly when you will be on call (typically 1 week in every 8). In addition to standby, you will be expected to work some weekends, which currently sits at one weekend in every 8 weeks.

What we do:

Everyone has an idea of what a water company does. Here in Yorkshire, we make sure that over 5.4 million people living in the region and the millions of people who visit our region each year, can rely on our services, and have clean and safe drinking water on tap and that their wastewater is taken away. But for us, it’s so much more than this.

We look after communities, protect the environment, and plan to look after Yorkshire’s water, today, tomorrow 24/7, 365 days a year. We provide essential water and wastewater services to every corner of the Yorkshire region, and play a key role in the region’s health, wellbeing, and prosperity.

New environmental legislation, unprecedented levels of investment and changing expectations from customers means that this is an exciting time to discover opportunities within the water industry. Process & Pumping are a key part of how we plan to meet the changing expectations of customers and regulators.

Where you fit in:

As our Pumping Operator, you will work as part of an operational team to deliver exceptional performance against stretching targets whilst ensuring regulatory compliance and driving customer confidence and satisfaction. You will also be expected to undertake reactive and proactive site visits to ensure our most critical assets meet regulatory compliance thus protecting our environment from pollution.

As an Operator, you will take personal responsibility for yourself and others regarding health and safety to ensure compliance with Yorkshire Water's Health and Safety policies whilst undertaking basic grounds maintenance, site maintenance and general housekeeping duties.

Your duties will include tasks such as reacting to RTS alarms and pollutions incidents, gathering evidence at suspected pollution incidents, lifting, checking, and unblocking pumps, and raising follow‑on work for our operation and maintenance teams.

Full training on all mandatory courses will be provided to allow you to work safely and independently and a company van, tools, equipment, Toughbook, mobile phone, sat nav and all corporate clothing will be provided.

What skills and experience you will need:

• It is essential that you have a practical mindset, enjoy working outdoors in all weathers and be comfortable taking a hands‑on approach to work tasks.
• The role involves working alone and as part of a team in all weathers, so you should be a resilient self‑starter with good time management and the ability to efficiently manage your own workload.
• You should be prepared to challenge unsafe working practices and be confident in reporting these to management.
• You should also be a good problem‑solver, decision maker, communicator and one who displays exemplary attitudes and behaviours.
• Previous experience of using IT systems such as word is essential as you will be capturing necessary site information on electronic devices.
• You will be required to travel to various operational sites as part of your daily activities. Therefore, a full valid driving licence is a requirement of this role (with no more than 6 points on your licence).
• This role has a requirement to carry out occasional work in confined spaces so the successful completion of a medical performed by our Occupational Health Department and the relevant training course is essential. The successful candidate must pass strict medical criteria including, BMI, vision, blood pressure, hearing, and Spirometry tests to ensure your full safety when working in hazardous environments.
• Knowledge and/ or previous experience of Wastewater Pumping is desirable.
• Although we operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it’s important to us that we support flexible working patterns and job share options (when we can), to help you make the best of both your work and home life. We know that juggling childcare responsibilities or getting that ideal work/life balance isn’t always easy!

Do we sound like your cup of tea?

If you’ve got experience working in a field-based role and want to help us deliver great service for our customers whilst looking after the environment, then be sure to apply today to find out what a career with Yorkshire Water can offer you.

If you feel this opportunity is suitable and you match the skills required, then please apply on-line and complete the application process and submitting your CV, outlining your key reasons for applying for the role.

Advert closing date:

28th January 2026

Interviews:

TBC

If successful for the role, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks that will include a Basic Disclosure Check, carried out through a Third‑Party Company, prior to commencing employment. Depending on the role, you may also be required to go through the security vetting process for either a Counter Terrorist Check or Security Check clearance.

All our roles are subject to a medical questionnaire, and further medicals when required.

We are committed to removing barriers and ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. We offer a range of adjustments to make your application experience as comfortable and straightforward as possible.

If you have an accessibility need, disability, or condition that requires changes to the recruitment process, please include this information in your application. We will then discuss any reasonable adjustments required.

Kelda Group reserve the right to close this position before the published closing date, should the need occur. We therefore advise that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible.