Chief Engineer - London

Svitzer; Greater London; On-site; GBP 68,441 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension matched up to 10%

Life Coverage (4× pensionable salary)

Single Private Medical Insurance

Uniforms and PPE provided

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Svitzer is seeking a Chief Engineer for its London operation. In this hands-on role, you'll maintain and operate high-power tug machinery, ensuring operational readiness in a safety-critical environment.

The position offers a competitive salary of £68,440.88 per annum with a permanent, time-for-time contract, along with excellent benefits including pension matching and life coverage.

If you're a qualified engineer looking for real ownership and challenge, we want to hear from you!

Qualifications

• Minimum STCW III/3 Chief Engineer certification required.
• Valid ENG1 and STCW certification with a minimum of 6 months validity.
• Strong fault-finding, maintenance, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and operate high-power tug machinery in a live port environment.
• Diagnose faults and fix problems under pressure.
• Own the condition, safety, and readiness of the engine room.
• Support Master and crew to keep the tug operational.

Skills

Fault-finding skills

Maintenance skills

Problem-solving skills

Harbour towage experience

Education

STCW III/3 Chief Engineer

Job description

Not Everyone Is Cut Out to Be a Chief Engineer on Tugs – That’s Exactly the Point. Svitzer is looking for a Chief Engineer to join our London operation.

This is not a supervisory role from the sidelines. As Chief Engineer, you are hands‑on, accountable and ultimately responsible for keeping powerful tug vessels operational in a demanding, safety‑critical environment where downtime is not an option. If you want real ownership, technical challenge and responsibility, this is the role where it counts.

This Is What The Job Really Looks Like

• Maintaining and operating high‑power tug machinery in a live port environment
• Diagnosing faults and fixing problems under pressure
• Owning the condition, safety and readiness of your engine room
• Supporting the Master and crew to keep the tug operational at all times
• Working as part of a small, professional crew where trust and competence matter

Why Svitzer?

Because tug engineering should be done properly.

• 1 week on / 1 week off rotation – work hard, then properly switch off
• Modern, well‑maintained fleet – no corner‑cutting, no neglected machinery
• A company that expects high standards – and backs you to meet them
• Local technical support – close, capable, responsive

What You Get

• Competitive Salary of £68,440.88 per annum
• Permanent, Time‑for‑Time contract
• Pension matched up to 10%
• Life Coverage (4× pensionable salary) and Single Private Medical Insurance
• Uniforms and PPE provided
• Employee Assistance Programme

What You Bring

• Minimum STCW III/3 Chief Engineer
• Valid ENG1 and STCW certification (minimum 6 months validity)
• Strong fault‑finding, maintenance and problem‑solving skills
• Harbour towage or small‑vessel experience preferred
• A professional mindset and pride in safe, reliable engineering
• The right to live and work in the UK

This is a senior engineering role for someone who wants responsibility, challenge and influence – not just a job title. If that sounds like you, we want to hear from you.

Building a Diverse Workplace

In Svitzer we value the diversity of our talent and will always strive to recruit the best person for the job – we value diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to gender, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, disability, or religious beliefs. We are proud of our diversity and see it as a genuine source of strength for building high performing teams. Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.