Authorised Person/ Field Technician

The Oil and Pipelines Agency; Scotland; Remote; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oil and Pipelines Agency is recruiting two Authorised Person / Field Technicians to support capital projects, maintenance and site works across Scotland and Northern Ireland. One role will be NI-based and the other in Scotland, with regular travel and potential overnight stays.

You will ensure Safe System of Work requirements are implemented, inspect assets, identify defects and support the Capital and Engineering Projects team to maintain operational integrity and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Carry out first-line maintenance on fuel infrastructure, routine inspection, minor maintenance and defect rectification within competence.
• Prepare assets for planned or reactive work by coordinating with the Operating Authority and applying Safe System of Work and permit-to-work.
• Visually inspect for leaks, corrosion and mechanical damage; operate valves and perform basic maintenance.
• Escalate to specialist engineering when required and ensure all work leaves assets in a safe, documented state.
• Ensure compliance with Safe Systems of Work (SSoW) and manage permits and contractor supervision.
• Liaise with regional managers to plan resources and minimise delays and downtime.
• Act as contractor escort on Military bases for site maintenance/inspections.
• Promote safety culture and compliance with data protection, security and H&S policies.
• Identify and initiate Management of Change processes for procedural or equipment updates.

Job description

Authorised Person/ Field Technician x 2

Location: Northern Ireland & Scotland, Remote / Home based

The role:

Due to ongoing growth and investment, we are looking to recruit two Authorised Person / Field Technicians to play a key role in the safe and efficient delivery of capital and engineering projects, maintenance programmes, and site works across the OPA and MoD estates throughout Scotland and Northern Ireland. One role will be based in Northern Ireland, with the other based in Scotland.

These newly created roles will take full responsibility for ensuring that all SSoW (Safe System of Work) requirements are implemented and maintained. In addition, the post holder will provide engineering support through the inspection of assets, identifying and reporting defects, working closely with the Capital and Engineering Projects team to maintain operational integrity and compliance.

These are dual function roles where the post holder must be able to function as an Authorised Person in addition to act as a Field Technician, ensuring the Agency’s standards of inspection maintenance, and SSoW are upheld throughout OPA and MoD assets.

A strong commitment to process safety is essential, with the confidence to challenge unsafe behaviours and take immediate action when standards are not being met.

These roles are primarily focused on supporting sites across OPA’s Scottish and Northern Ireland MoD estate, with regular travel of 2 to 3 days per week (maximum), with the potential for overnight stays dependant on the applicant’s geographical location. Therefore, a full (preferably clean) driving licence is essential for the successful candidate. There may also be a requirement to provide cover at other sites located in the UK.

Responsibilities include:

• Carry out first-line maintenance activities on fuel infrastructure, undertaking routine inspection, minor maintenance and defect rectification within the individual’s competence and authorisation.
• Preparing assets for planned or reactive engineering work by coordinating with the Operating Authority, applying the agreed Safe System of Work and permit-to-work arrangements, and safely draining, isolating and venting pipelines, tanks, pumps, valves, and associated equipment as required.
• Visual inspection for leaks, corrosion, coating deterioration and mechanical damage, routine checks and operation of valves, and minor maintenance in accordance with approved procedures and manufacturers’ recommendations.
• Where work requires specialist skills or falls outside the individual’s authority or competence, the task will be escalated for specialist engineering support.
• Identify and address defects at the earliest opportunity, maintain safe asset availability and ensure the infrastructure is left in a safe, controlled and correctly documented condition following completion of the work.
• Ensure compliance with SSoW (Safe Systems of Work) by all staff detailed in the procedure, especially contract staff who may be unfamiliar with the site. Promote effective liaison with site management throughout the end-to-end defect rectification, maintenance process ensuring the required SSoW paperwork is in place prior to any commencement of work. This includes periodic visits during work to ensure compliance; this will include issuing of permits and supervision of contractors.
• Liaise with the OPA Regional Operations Manager, Maintenance Supervisor and Maintenance Planner to de-conflict works and ensure adequate resources are allocated to complete inspections and defect rectification in accordance with OPA criticality procedures.
• Schedule contractor resources and liaise with the OPA Regional Operations Manager, Engineering Supervisor and Site Operations teams to ensure induction and work control processes are executed efficiently to minimise ‘permit delays’ and down-time of the assets.
• Act as contractor escort on Military bases for site maintenance / inspections as required.
• Embrace process safety, which is the core of OPA’s culture to ensure all the activities are carried out safely and in compliance with the policies and procedures laid out and raise any concerns on safety with the line manager /supervisor.
• Ensure all tasks carried out conform to the Agency’s policies, procedures and systems; e.g. Data Protection, System Security and Health & Safety Policy.
• Ensure compliance with all aspects of JSP440 – Security, including IT.
• Willing to undertake Short Notice overtime and be part of a Rostered “On-Call” Team.
• Understand and comply with the requirements of “Control of Major Accidents and Hazards” (CoMAH) in addition any site‑specific applicable MoD regulations.
• Identify and initiate Management of Change processes where there is a change to procedures, plant & equipment, people, or substances.

Full details of the responsibilities can be found in the job description for this role, which is available to download at the top of this advert.

The candidate:

The candidate: Candidates should be an experienced Engineering Technician (preferable Mechanical) who is familiar with the maintenance and inspection of process plant, and has good working knowledge around Engineering, Maintenance, and Inspection Processes.

Ideally, you will have completed a recognised Craft Mechanical Engineering Apprenticeship with a minimum qualification of ONC or equivalent with experience in an engineering discipline with at least five years’ experience in an engineering role, preferable in a high hazard industry.

The successful candidate must be comfortable working across multiple sites or remotely, effectively managing their time and priorities to meet operational demands. Excellent organisational, communication, and administrative skills are key, as is the ability to develop strong interpersonal relationships within a safety‑critical environment. Furthermore, you will be expected to learn new processes, skills, and knowledge beyond what is expected in industry due to the requirements of our customer, the Ministry of Defence