Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
Ready to own your future? At Scottish Water, our Modern Apprenticeships aren’t about just sitting in classrooms all day. They’re designed to get you out there, hands-on, learning real skills from the start. You’ll earn while you learn, gain industry-recognised qualifications, and build a career that actually matters.
Fresh out of school? Ready for a career switch? Whatever your story, we’ve got opportunities that challenge you, support you, and help you grow.
Join our Scientific Services team in Edinburgh from August 2025.
What does a Science Modern Apprentice do?
As a Science Modern Apprentice, you’ll be learning how we protect public health and the environment by providing safe, high-quality drinking water. Over three years, you’ll gain hands-on experience in our laboratories, developing your skills alongside expert scientists while working towards a nationally recognised qualification.
You’ll learn how to test and analyse water quality, helping to ensure accurate results and maintain essential services. From running tests to maintaining instruments, you’ll gain valuable experience in how a busy lab operates.
It’s all about teamwork. You’ll learn how to prioritise tasks, manage deadlines, and help translate complex results into clear information for customers. You’ll also be trained to meet strict quality standards, because in science, accuracy is everything.
Safety is a top priority. You’ll learn to work to the highest health and safety standards, ensuring full compliance with laws and regulations - because getting it right matters for you, the team, and Scotland’s water.
Your Journey with Us
Modern Apprenticeships combine on-the-job learning, with the opportunity to complete professional qualifications. Each apprentice has both a day-to-day line manager, and a personal assessor who supports them through their qualification and ensures their training is of the highest standard.
Over three years, you’ll receive dedicated training to become a fully qualified Scientist, gaining the skills and confidence to make a real impact.
You’ll be part of an expert, experienced team who will support you to develop your skills and knowledge while working towards a nationally recognised qualification. This is your chance to earn as you learn, working with industry-leading teams to help deliver services that are essential to the daily lives of the people of Scotland.
What’s in it for you?
You’ll challenge and stretch yourself. We’re here to help you make the most of your skills and abilities with first-class training, support, and a big investment in your development.
You will qualify with an SVQ In Applied Sciences at SCQF Level 6, with day release available for you to complete an HND at Forth Valley College.
Earn as you learn. You’ll start on £23,840, with clear, scheduled pay increases as you reach key milestones throughout your training. You’ll also be eligible for an annual bonus and a great pension scheme.
Job security. The vast majority of our apprentices choose to stay with us after completing their programmes. Many people even spend their entire careers with us! Some go on to become team leaders or managers, while others focus on honing their technical expertise.
You’ll be providing an essential service to Scotland and your local community, helping to protect our natural environment.
And the best bit? You’ll be working as part of a friendly, close-knit team that genuinely wants to see you succeed - and who make coming into work fun.
What you’ll need
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You need to be at least 17 years old by 1 August 2025.
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A responsible attitude to learning and work is essential. You’ll be someone people can trust and rely on.
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You’ll have five National 4 or 5s (or similar) in English, Maths and Science.
A Note to Women Considering an Apprenticeship
We’re proud to see more women joining our apprenticeship programmes every year - but we know there’s still work to do. Women are underrepresented in some of these roles, and we’re committed to changing that.
If you’re reading this and wondering if an apprenticeship is right for you, here’s the answer: it is. Don’t let outdated ideas about who belongs in certain jobs hold you back.
Apprenticeships are for anyone with curiosity, drive, and a willingness to learn. If that sounds like you, we’d love to see you apply.
At Scottish Water, you’ll find a supportive network of women and men who’ve got your back. Whether you’re out in the field, in the lab, or in the office, you’ll be part of a team that’s here to help you grow, succeed, and feel like you belong - because you do.
The not-so-small print
We’re accepting applications until midnight on Sunday 6 of April 2025.
There will be some fun (no, honestly!) online assessment activity during late April. Interviews will happen during May. And we’re aiming to get all our new apprentices started on the 4 of August.
For more information on our apprentice programmes and applications please visit our website: www.scottishwater.co.uk/apprentice
Start your career in Scotland’s Water Sector
Interested in learning more about apprenticeship opportunities that make a real difference? Explore hands-on roles across leading employers in Scotland’s water sector. Make an impact on communities, the environment, and public health while securing a sustainable future for Scotland. Visit www.watercareers.scot today.
A few final things worth knowing…
Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you’re interested in this job, but don’t tick all the boxes, apply anyway! We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a learning curve. So don’t rule yourself out!
Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We're also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We’re very used to making adjustments, so please don’t be afraid to ask.
As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it’s important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don’t already live here, you'll need to commit to moving here within your first three months.
Finally (finally!), candidates who haven’t submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won’t need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted.
We’re here to help. Ask us anything at [email protected]
What We Do
Water is essential to life and to the communities in which we live and work across every corner of Scotland. At Scottish Water we’re focused on delivering the highest quality drinking water ever in Scotland and returning waste water safely to the environment every day of the year.
Find out more about Scottish Water at www.scottishwater.co.uk
