Automation Maintenance Engineer - (Pool)

Royal Mail Group; Chester; Hybrid; GBP 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading postal service provider in Chester is recruiting for an Automation Maintenance Technician to maintain automation assets and ensure operational efficiency. Candidates should have an engineering qualification (at least ONC or NVQ Level 3) and experience with automation systems. The role includes flexible shifts and key responsibilities like preventative and corrective maintenance, improving equipment performance, and working on continuous improvement projects. The position offers a competitive salary and additional benefits.

Benefits

£1,500 welcome bonus

Defined contribution pension scheme

Night shift allowance

Annual leave including bank holidays

Qualifications

• Experience in multi-skilled engineering with automation systems.
• Ability to perform preventative, predictive and corrective maintenance.
• Full UK driving licence for occasional travel.

Responsibilities

• Ensure availability and performance of automation assets.
• Perform maintenance tasks.
• Identify and rectify automation breakdowns.
• Improve equipment performance.
• Work on continuous improvement projects.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Health & Safety understanding

Communication

Education

ONC Electrical Engineering / NVQ Level 3

Tools

Program Logic Controllers (PLC)

Job description

We are now recruiting for Automation Maintenance Technician at our Chester Mail Centre, Chester West Employment Park, Chester, CH1 4PA site.

Salary: £53,195 per annum, plus night shift allowance, 22.5 days annual leave with bank holidays and a defined contribution pension scheme. A weekend supplement for Saturday (£51 per attendance) and Sunday (£102 per attendance) shift attendance is applicable. You may be eligible for a welcome bonus of £1,500. Payments are made in instalments and subject to terms and conditions.

Shift attendance equates to 40 hours per week (excluding meal breaks) – Various.

The successful candidate will be required to cover the Chester Mail Centre shift rotation system, as outlined below with some degree of voluntary flexibility to meet our 24/7 operational needs on occasion, including voluntary overtime coverage and occasional shift pattern flexibility. This role is a Pool position, requiring significant adaptability / flexibility as you’ll be stepping in for other Technicians during their Annual Leave or Sick leave. Outside of these periods, your standard shift will be the day shift, typically from 06:00 to 14:30, Monday to Friday.

The role will require cover on early, late and night shifts.

• Earlies – Mon to Fri 06:30 to 14:10, Sat 06:30 to 18:30 but may be 10:00 to 22:00 depending on who takes leave as it is a split shift, plus Sunday 06:40 to 19:00
• Lates – Mon to Fri 14:00 to 21:59
• Nights – Sun 19:00 to 06:40, Mon to Fri 21:45 to 06:40

Royal Mail is engaged in one of the biggest technological changes in its history, transitioning to a predominantly mechanised parcel sortation process. It’s a very exciting time to join us! To facilitate this change, a huge organisation wide investment in new parcel processing technology is in progress, with the necessary associated investment in engineering. You’ll have a unique opportunity to be a part of this exciting programme, creating a delivery service provider for the future and able to meet customer demand in the emerging e‑commerce society. A significant opportunity for anyone wishing to further their careers through dedicated commitment.

The Role

Responsible for ensuring availability and performance of automation assets through completion of effective maintenance procedures.

Key aspects of the role include:

• Perform maintenance tasks, including preventative, predictive and corrective maintenance.
• Perform continuous improvement activities.
• Provide effective and efficient support to the Engineering Manager, Maintenance Team Leader and Engineering Team Coaches, including completion of end of shift reports, fault logging and data entry.
• Identify the root cause of automation breakdowns and prioritise corrective actions to meet operational processing requirements.
• Monitor equipment performance and improve automation outputs in collaboration with operational stakeholders.
• Identify and work on continuous improvement projects, conception to implementation ownership, for machinery in the Hub/ Mail Centre.
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team to achieve common goals.

About you

As an experienced multi‑skilled engineer you’ll be qualified in electrical and mechanical engineering (minimum ONC Electrical Engineering / NVQ Level 3 – or equivalent). Understanding Health & Safety legislation, you’ll have first‑hand experience of maintaining automation equipment, ideally Programme Logic Controllers (PLC), along with a flexible approach and the ability to communicate complex issues effectively.

You are required to have a full UK driving licence as on occasion you may be asked to travel to other sites.

What happens next?

After initial application, any shortlisted candidates will be required to attend an interview, incorporating practical and verbal assessments. You’ll also be asked to supply proof of any quoted formal qualifications at this interview.

About Us

Five centuries in business has made Royal Mail more than a household name. We connect companies, customers, and communities across the country, delivering a one‑price‑goes‑anywhere, universal postal service to more than 29 million addresses across the UK.

Our market is changing, but as one of the UK’s leading companies we are focused on achieving our vision of being recognised as the best delivery company in the UK and across Europe. We want to be more commercial, flexible, and efficient and are employing our strong brand and a range of new products and services to achieve this.

Any applicant will be expected to fully embrace RM core values and actively contribute to its positive culture.

Job reference number: 326974

Royal Mail are proud of our diverse employee network groups and the active role they play to support belonging and encourage a positive work environment. We are firmly committed to inclusion and passionate about our people representing the communities we serve.

We are happy to support your need for any adjustments during the application and hiring process. Please share the details within your application if required.

We are Forces family friendly and a Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from ex‑Armed Forces personnel, reservists, veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.

For more information on Royal Mail Group and our values please visit https://www.internationaldistributionsservices.com/en/about-us/.

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