Automation Maintenance Engineer

James and James Fulfilment; Northampton; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

up to 5% matched pension

Enhanced maternity pay

Mental Health Support

Life assurance

Summer and Christmas parties

Job summary

James and James Fulfilment is seeking an Automated Packing Machine Engineer to keep our automated packing and sorter machines running safely, reliably and at full output at our Northampton site. Youll diagnose faults, fix where possible and escalate when needed to minimise downtime and keep the operation moving.

Alongside reactive fault response, youll plan and carry out scheduled maintenance and cleaning to keep machines in optimum condition and reduce breakdowns.

Qualifications

• Background in mechanical and/or electrical maintenance with hands-on experience.
• Experience with PLC-controlled automation and fault diagnosis in continuous processes.
• Ability to read electrical/mechanical drawings and manuals.
• COSHH awareness and safe working practices around machinery.

Responsibilities

• Act as first responder for faults on automated packing and sorter lines and restore safe running quickly.
• Carry out hands-on mechanical, electrical and PLC fault repairs.
• Escalate unresolved faults with clear details to ensure prompt support.
• Follow safe procedures around moving machinery and conveyors.
• Log faults and repairs for trends and prevention.
• Perform planned preventative maintenance on packing machines.
• Manage spares stock to enable on-the-spot repairs.
• Follow SOPs, maintenance schedules and safety checklists.
• Monitor machine status and inform on throughput impact to operations.

Skills

Mechanical maintenance

Electrical maintenance

PLC fault diagnosis

Electrical drawings

Hand tools

Safety procedures

COSHH certification

Education

Apprenticeship / NVQ / BTEC

Tools

PLC fault diagnosis tools

Electrical testing tools

Conveyor equipment knowledge

Job description

We're looking for an Automated Packing Machine Engineer to keep our automated packing and sorter machines running safely, reliably and at full output. You'll be first on scene when a machine faults or fails - diagnosing the problem quickly, fixing it where you can, and escalating when you can't, so downtime is kept to a minimum and the operation keeps moving.

Alongside reactive fault response, you'll plan and carry out scheduled maintenance and cleaning to keep the machines in optimum condition, reducing the change of breakdowns in the first place.

Location:On site at our Fulfilment Centre in Northampton

Working Hours:10am - 6pm, Monday to Friday with flexibility required

Who are we?

At J&J Global Fulfilment we help hundreds of eCommerce brands grow and scale globally. Our team is fast, supportive and proud of the work we do. We believe in teamwork, respect, safety, and celebrating success together. Following a merger at the end of 2025 with QLS Group we are building on our established presence in the UK, Europe, and the USA.

Why work for us?

• up to 5% matched pension
• Enhanced maternity pay
• Mental Health Support - we have a team of trained Mental Health First Aiders, to support you when you may need it
• Life assurance
• Summer and Christmas parties

What you'll be doing...

• Acting as first responder to fault alerts and machine errors on automated packing and sorter lines, diagnosing the issue and restoring safe running as quickly as possible
• Carrying out hands-on repairs on mechanical, electrical and PLC- controlled faults
• Escalating faults you can't resolve yourself to our Site Services Manager or the machine vendor, with clear, accurate fault detail so the right help arrives first time
• Following safe working procedures around moving machinery, conveyors and electrical systems at all times
• Logging every fault and repair accurately, so recurring issues can be identified and designed out
• Carrying out planned preventative maintenance, inspections and basic servicing on packing machines to a set schedule
• Managing spares and consumables stock for common faults, so repairs can happen on the spot rather than waiting on parts
• Following documented maintenance scheduled, SOPs and safety checklists
• Monitoring machine status hour by hour during your shift and reporting anything affecting throughput to the Head of Operations immediately
• Liaising with the Operations teams to keep them updated on equipment status and expected repair times
• Supporting the Site Services Manager with wider site maintenance activity, including MHE servicing and call-outs, compactor and baler maintenance, and insurance inspections

What you'll bring...

• A background in mechanical and / or electrical maintenance - apprenticeship, NVQ / BTEC, military technical grade, or equivalent hands-on experience
• Experience with PLC- controlled automation and fault diagnosis in a contiuous process or production environment
• Relevant experience with material handling, flow, capacity visualisation and monitoring
• A solid grasp of how automated conveyor, packing or sortation equipment works - or the ability to pick up new machines quickly
• Confidence reading electrical and mechanical drawings, schematics and equipment manuals
• Safe, confident use of hand tools, basic disagnotic equipment and PPE
• Comfort working in a fast-paced fulfilment / warehouse environment, often under time pressure
• Clear written and verbal communication
• A COSHH certification is highly desirable

Our hiring process

• To maintain impartiality in the selection process and prevent bias from influencing shortlisting decisions, all applicants are systematically reviewed blindly by anonymising CVs
• If you're shortlisted, you'll have a screening call with Steph, our Talent Manager
• You'll have an interview or two on site, with our Operations Team and Site Services Manager
• You get offered the job and start your amazing new role

At James and James, we welcome and value diversity. We believe in fair hiring practices and are dedicated to considering all candidates equally, regardless of their race, colour, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected status.

Should you require any reasonable adjustment for the role or interview process please email us and we'd be happy to discuss these with you.