Graduate Data Scientist

Who are United Utilities?

United Utilities is responsible for water and wastewater services in the North West of England. From 2025-2030 we will undertake the largest investment in water and wastewater services in the North West in 100 years - that's more than £13 billion worth of investments. Now, more than ever, we need inspiring future talent to help make the North West stronger, greener, and healthier.

Whatever area of our business your interests lie in, our 3-year graduate programme will give you first-class training and support, together with an in-depth understanding of your chosen business area – so that you can develop the skills you need to progress your career as you make a real contribution to the communities we serve. You might enter our scheme as a graduate, but one thing's for sure, before long you'll be heading into your next role as a technical, operational or people leader

Working in the North West means there's a lot of ground to cover. You could have the opportunity to work in the heart of the Lake District, or you could sample a taste of city life. As well as our main office in Warrington we also recruit for a variety of roles based across the North West; we have 575 wastewater treatment works and 96 water treatment works in areas from Crewe in Cheshire to Carlisle in Cumbria. 

Whichever scheme you join, you’ll be at the heart of bringing innovation and positive change to the water industry. Ready to flow into your future with us?

The Role

Join United Utilities’ 3-year Graduate Programme in our Data & Analytics team and kickstart your career!  This role will give you the opportunity to learn skills and deliver data products using leading business intelligence and advanced analytics technologies including PowerBI, Python, R and SQL. You’ll be encouraged and supported to develop important skills for a Data Scientist such as connecting to different data sources and manipulating different data types into useful formats, analysing and visualising data, utilising machine learning and artificial intelligence and statistical methods to create insight from data. Driving value from our data is key to us delivering services and to improving our performance. This is your chance to make a real impact, improve efficiency, and help shape a sustainable future. Start living your future today!

What will I be doing?

• Work with business teams to identify requirements and understand where analytic insight can add value.
• Develop analytic insight based on functional designs and user requirements
• Develop a technical understanding and knowledge of key infrastructure and analytics tools
• Develop analytical models and visualisations to support strategic and operational decision making
• Communicate findings via data visualisation to a range of technical and non-technical audiences
• Implement data models and data quality business rules and front-end user experience
• Ensure compliance to relevant corporate policies regarding data security and processing
• Build statistical models from the data and follow best coding practices
• Adhere to ethics framework for data analytics
• Adopt a culture of continuous improvement
• Work in an open, transparent and collaborative manner, sharing good practice and seeking to continuously improve the quality of outputs
• Develop services that are automated, reliable and secure
• Work closely with data architects, data engineers, data managers, data owners and data developers
• Recommend and implement ways to improve data efficiency performance and reliability

What do I need to be successful?

We require our graduates to have a minimum 2:1 degree in Data Science, Mathematics, or a related field.

You will also need:

• Strong technical skills in programming, statistical analysis, and data visualisation.
• Critical thinking and proactive problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Collaboration skills to work across different teams and achieve goals.
• Flexibility to work in various teams and travel if needed.

• Embrace challenges and be resourceful.

Additional Information

Our recruitment process requires you to complete:

• An Online application form
• Online tests
• Online MS Teams Interview and then Assessment Centre

Please note that you must be available to attend an in-person recruitment stage during the period 17th November – 19th December

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse environment. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout your recruitment journey, please let us know. If you are offered a job with us, a number of pre-employment checks need to be carried out before your appointment can be confirmed. Any offer of employment with United Utilities will be subject to a satisfactory checking report from Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland.

Application deadline: 13th October 2025 – please apply early as deadlines are subject to change

Based on current immigration guidelines this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship

Why choose United Utilities for your graduate journey?

Competitive Salary and Benefits: We offer a competitive starting salary of £31,250 which is reviewed each year and will increase annually throughout your graduate scheme, 26 days of annual leave (increasing to 30 days after four years), plus bank holidays. Up to £500 reimbursed towards driving lessons and test which can be backdated*.  Our benefits package includes private healthcare, discounted gym membership, flexible holidays, and an award-winning pension scheme.

*subject to time restriction and providing valid receipt

Career Progression Opportunities: Our graduate scheme offers clear pathways for advancement, structured programmes, and mentorship to help you develop into an outstanding leader. You’ll receive a tailored development programme, with opportunities for placements in other areas of the business.

Personal and Professional Development: You’ll have the chance to work within a highly motivated team, gaining a wealth of experience and creating a fantastic professional network. From specialist training to mentoring and coaching to internal support networks