There’s No Us Without U. Care with Us, for Today and Tomorrow There's no life without water, and at Urban Utilities, we live and breathe that knowledge every single day. It's why our people are so passionate about what they do and how they do it. And it's why we need people like YOU . Come shape our future with us and make a real and lasting impact across our teams. Your Opportunity We are excited to be recruiting for an accomplished scientific professional for a newly established role in Urban Utilities – Scientific Advisor Environmental Contaminants . This senior position sits in our Trade Partnering division, which provides enterprise-wide leadership in managing source control and contaminants of concern across our commercial customer base. The division plays a critical role in identifying, characterising, and mitigating chemical and environmental risks that could impact our operations or create a business or community liability. As the Senior Advisor - Environmental Contaminants, you will advanced scientific investigations into priority and emerging contaminants, applying rigorous analytical frameworks to understand their occurrence, fate, transport pathways, and environmental or public health implications. You will design and oversee targeted sampling programs, conduct or interpret specialised analyses, and generate evidence‑based recommendations to guide strategic decision-making across the organisation. In this role, you will also contribute to the scientific body of knowledge through high‑quality publications, technical papers, and conference presentations. Collaboration is central—you will work closely with multidisciplinary internal teams and maintain strong relationships with regulators, research institutions, and industry peers to ensure Urban Utilities remains at the forefront of contaminant science and risk management. Some of your accountabilities will include: Lead complex scientific assessments, integrating analytical results, field data, and predictive modelling to deepen our understanding of environmental contaminants and their system-level impacts. Maintain expertise in emerging contaminants—including PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors, heavy metals, and industrial chemicals—and evaluate their environmental behaviour, toxicological profiles, and regulatory trajectories. Conduct quantitative and qualitative risk assessments to evaluate impacts on human health, ecosystems, asset integrity, and operational performance. Provide scientific guidance to internal partners to support coherent contaminant management strategies. Build and sustain collaborative relationships with water utilities, research organisations, and academic partners to support joint research, data-sharing, and continuous improvement initiatives. About You: We are seeking a scientific leader who combines deep theoretical expertise with practical field experience. The ideal candidate will bring: Relevant tertiary qualifications in Environmental Science, Environmental Chemistry, Toxicology, Applied Environmental Research, or related disciplines, and/or specialised expertise in contaminants of concern. Demonstrated experience in contaminant research, including field sampling, analytical method development or interpretation, and investigation of emerging contaminants such as PFAS, microplastics, pharmaceuticals, or heavy metals. Demonstrated applied experience conducting field investigations, including environmental sampling (e.g., wastewater, trade waste, soils, sediments, surface water), site inspections, source tracking, and implementing or validating sampling methodologies in operational environments. A strong scientific mindset - skilled in critical analysis, data interrogation, environmental forensics, and problem-solving within complex operational environments. Excellent stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate scientific findings into actionable guidance for operational, regulatory, and strategic audiences. Willingness to undertake duties involving close contact with raw wastewater, with immunisations (e.g., Hepatitis A/B, Tetanus) required under Urban Utilities’ Immunisation Policy. Ability to participate in an on‑call roster, an inherent requirement of this position. Further details will be provided during the recruitment process. At UU, we celebrate diversity. We genuinely believe that bringing together diversity of thoughts, perspectives and expressions is key and crucial to our success as a business. You might find you meet some, but not all, of the job requirements for this role. We’d still encourage you to apply as we we’re looking for the right human being for this role - it’s about so much more than ticking all the boxes! Why Urban Utilities? At Urban Utilities, the work we do is about so much more than the bottom line. We're a leading provider of world-class drinking water and wastewater services to the vibrant communities of Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Somerset, and Scenic Rim. As we continue to grow, we're committed to planning ahead and shaping a sustainable future around water for generations to come. At the core of our work lies genuine care: for our team, our customers, communities, and the environment. From the flush of a toilet to major infrastructure projects and residential developments, we're dedicated to being there every step of the way. Our HQ is in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, but you'll find us all over SEQ - working in cool places like the SAS Laboratory in Darra, field-based depots in Eagle Farm, Acacia Ridge, Bundamba, and wastewater treatment plants dotted across the region. We know the chance to thrive, and progress comes hand in hand with the support to balance work with life. So, you’ll access an increasingly diverse range of benefits and initiatives that’ll help you bring the best you. Speaking of which, here’s just a sample of the benefits we offer our team: Generous Salary Packaging options, including novated leases Corporate discounts across Health insurance, technology and more 18 weeks of paid parental leave, 15 days personal leave including two proactive wellbeing days, and an additional day of leave each year to connect with friends and family Flexibility at UU depends on the type of work you do but could include options such as, 9-day fortnights and flexible days. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you! Urban Utilities is an endorsed employer for all women. See our range of benefits and policies directly at WORK180 Visit our website to learn more about us at www.urbanutilities.com.au How to apply Click on the ‘Apply” to complete your application. Please note: applicants will be required to undergo a Pre-employment medical, which may include Drug and Alcohol testing, as well as other background checks as part of the recruitment process for this role. For further information please contact our Talent team at careers@urbanutilities.com.au
