Engineering Degree Chemical L6 Apprentice

Ready to kick-start your future in engineering? 

Join us as a Level 6 Chemical/Process Engineering Apprentice and you’ll gain hands-on experience supporting the UK’s largest water and wastewater provider. Work with skilled engineers and earn a Level 6 Science Industry Process and Plant Engineering degree, opening the door to a long-term career. 

What you’ll be doing as a Chemical/Process Engineering Apprentice:  

• Assist in designing and optimising water and wastewater treatment processes to meet regulatory and environmental standards 
• Provide operational support by monitoring performance, troubleshooting issues, and implementing improvements 
• Contribute to multidisciplinary project teams with planning, risk assessment, and technical documentation 
• Collect and analyse operational data to ensure compliance and identify efficiency opportunities 
• Follow Health, Safety & Environment protocols, aligning work with CDM regulations and sustainability goals 

Where you’ll work: 

Location: Clearwater Court Reading- Hybrid   

Hours: 36-hour week over four working days plus one training day  

Start date: September 2026 

Training and qualification: You’ll study with Teesside University, a leading UK engineering training provider, through fully online delivery with a 3-day block at the start of each semester, weekly 2-hour online sessions, and optional bi-annual industry days on campus in Middlesbrough. 

Qualification achieved: Level 6 Science Industry Process and Plant Engineer Degree 

Duration: Permanent contract with a 60 month structured programme 
  
What you should bring to the role 

• Holds 5 GCSE’s including Maths and English (grade 9-4 / A-C)  
• 96+ UCAS points, including Level 3 Maths (A-Level or BTEC Engineering Unit 7 – Calculus for solving engineering problems) 
• Travel across Thames Water sites required  
• Good communication and time management skills 
• Works well within a team as well as independently  

What’s in it for you? 

• Excellent salary: £23,500 annum 
• Annual Leave: 24 days holiday per year increasing to 28 with the length of service (plus bank holidays) 
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets         
• Generous Pension Scheme through AON 
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to physiotherapy and counselling, to Cycle to Work schemes, shopping vouchers and life assurance. 

Find out more about our benefits and perks 

Who are we?  

We’re the UK’s largest water and wastewater company, with more than 16 million customers relying on us every day to supply water for their taps and toilets. We want to build a better future for all, helping our customers, communities, people, and the planet to thrive. It’s a big job and we’ve got a long way to go, so we need help from passionate and skilled people, committed to making a difference and getting us to where we want to be in the years and decades to come. 
Learn more about our purpose and values  

Working at Thames Water  

Thames Water is a unique, rewarding, and diverse place to work, where every day you can make a difference, yet no day is the same. As part of our family, you’ll enjoy meaningful career opportunities, flexible working arrangements and excellent benefits. 

If you’re looking for a sustainable and successful career where you can make a daily difference to millions of people’s lives while helping to protect the world of water for future generations, we’ll be here to support you every step of the way. 
Together, we can build a better future for our customers, our region, and our planet. 

Real purpose, real support, real opportunities. Come and join the Thames Water family. Why choose us? Learn more. 

We’re committed to being a great, diverse, and inclusive place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and want to ensure you feel supported throughout the recruitment process. If you need any adjustments, whether that’s extra time, accessible formats, or anything else just let us know, we’re here to help and support. 

When a crisis happens, we all rally around to support our customers. As part of Team Thames, you’ll have the opportunity to sign up to support our customers on the frontline as an ambassador. Full training will be given for what is undoubtedly an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s also a great opportunity to learn more about our business and meet colleagues. 

Disclaimer: due to the high volume of applications we receive, we may close the advert earlier than the advertised date, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.