Engineering Technician (Packaging)

HEINEKEN UK; Hereford; On-site; GBP 44,000 - 49,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Pension (double-matched)

32 days holiday

Life assurance

Free drinks

Discounts

Wellbeing support

Learning & development

Job summary

HEINEKEN UK in Hereford is seeking a Technician to join our packaging production line. You will perform preventive and reactive maintenance on beverage packaging equipment, diagnosing faults and minimising downtime to keep lines running smoothly.

A multiskilled engineering background with an apprenticeship or NVQ level 3, experience with CMMS, and a continuous improvement mindset will help you excel. We offer strong benefits and a path to further development within our scale-up operations.

Qualifications

• Apprenticeship or time served as Multiskilled Engineer in mechanical/electrical areas.
• Experience in automated, safety-critical manufacturing with high-speed lines.
• Experience with planned maintenance and CMMS systems.
• Continuous improvement mindset and autonomous working style.

Responsibilities

• Perform corrective and reactive maintenance to address defects and breakdowns.
• Diagnose electrical, automation and mechanical faults to minimise downtime.
• Lead root cause analysis and implement lasting countermeasures and safety procedures.
• Drive TPM initiatives to reduce losses and promote lean practices.
• Plan and coordinate maintenance with colleagues to maximise reliability.
• Support and guide shop-floor operators, delegating tasks when required.
• Collaborate on autonomous maintenance tasks and asset issue resolution.
• Record non-conformities in CMMS to support improvement.
• Maintain high standards of cleanliness and reliability, upholding safety and quality.
• HSE standards to ensure a safe working environment.

Skills

Autonomous work

Problem-solving

Maintenance planning

Root cause analysis

Team collaboration

Education

Apprenticeship (Mechanical/Electrical)

NVQ Level 3

HND

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Function: Supply Chain - Packaging

Location: Hereford

Salary: £43,884 per annum & shift allowance of £4,769 with benefits below!

Contract: Permanent

Shift pattern: Days role, 16 out of 28 days worked in a 4 week period, mix of 8.5-hour shifts and 12 hour shifts. Work 1 in every 4 weekends.

Closing Date: 22nd August 2026.

Please note: We may close vacancies early where we receive a high number of applications, so don’t delay!

Who we are

As the UK’s leading beer, cider and pub business, we’re home to some of the world’s best-loved beers and ciders, and a leading player in the international drinks industry.

We're the name behind a host of brilliant brands, from Inch’s to Birra Moretti and many more. And with around 2,400 pubs to our name in the UK, our Star Pubs business is all about putting pubs at the centre of community life.

But we’re more than just great beers and ciders – we’re a place where passion meets purpose, careers are crafted as carefully as our brews, and enjoyment of life is part of the job.

About the role

As the Technician, you’ll work within our packaging line of production; we support the production and packaging some of the nation’s favourite cider brands, so we need to make sure our machinery is in top condition! Our technicians utilise their proactivity to identify any abnormalities on the plant; to mitigate any downtime of production whilst also working to support colleagues directly on the shop floor and monitor the overall performance of the production line. Your day to day will vary, but at its core you will:

• Perform corrective and reactive maintenance to address defects, losses and breakdowns.
• Diagnose and resolve electrical, automation and mechanical faults, ensuring minimal downtime.
• Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and implement lasting countermeasures, including risk assessments, positive interventions, safety tags, near-miss reporting and 5S activities.
• Drive Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) initiatives to eliminate losses and promote lean practices.
• Plan and coordinate maintenance activities with Maintenance colleagues, Operators and Technician’s to maximise production reliability.
• Support and guide shop-floor operators, delegating tasks when required to maintain smooth production.
• Collaborate with operators on autonomous maintenance (AM) tasks and assist the shift manager with asset-related issues affecting performance.
• Identify and record non-conformities in the CMMS to support continuous improvement.
• Maintain high standards of equipment cleanliness and reliability, contributing to site objectives for safety, quality, cost and service.
• Champion and uphold HSE standards to maintain a safe, clean and compliant working environment.

About the team

Helping millions of consumers enjoy our beers and ciders is a real team effort. As a Supply Chain colleague, you’ll be part of the biggest function in HEINEKEN UK!

From barley to bar, our Supply Chain produces high-quality beers and ciders, prioritising safety, sustainability and innovation to keep our operations running smoothly.

You’ll be based within the broader packaging team, focused on keeping our bottling, canning and other lines running smoothly and efficiently. Your role contributes to ensuring machinery is reliable, well-maintained and safe, while also anticipating future needs and driving fresh, innovative improvements to increase the site’s overall output.

Who we’re looking for

We’re seeking individuals whom, like us, are fuelled with curiosity, a drive to win and thrive in their ability to problem-solve.

As well as the above, the ideal candidate will have:

• Necessary qualifications such as a full completion of an Apprenticeship in either Mechanical/Electrical Engineering (HND or NVQ Level 3) OR time served as a Multiskilled Engineer.
• Previous experience in a highly automated, safety-critical manufacturing environment, with desirable exposure to high-speed packaging lines (particularly canning).
• Previous experience executing planned maintenance techniques and Computerised Maintenance Management (CMM) systems.
• A continuous improvement mindset
• Confidence and ability to work autonomously

If you want to grow and develop your skills, gain hands‑on experience with a wide range of technologies and sharpen your problem‑solving abilities, we want to hear from you.

Why join us?

We're all about brewing the Joy of True Togetherness, and that starts with our people.

We believe in bringing everyone together, making sure you feel supported, valued, and included from day one – because every one of our colleagues has a role to play in shaping the future of beer, cider, pubs and beyond.

It’s a brilliant time to join us. We’re pioneering in low and no alcohol products, continuing to wow the world with creative marketing campaigns, investing into pubs and brewing a better world for people and the planet.

We're a place where you can build a meaningful career, with plenty of opportunities for continuous learning and development. Our Upskill-Reskill programme makes sure you have the capabilities you need both now and, in the future, while our in‑house platform, UBrew, is packed with learning resources. For those just starting out or looking for a change, our apprenticeships let you earn valuable qualifications while you work. And for our managers and leaders, our LEAD talent programme provides the tools and guidance to inspire drive long-term success.

This is your chance to step up, raise the bar and brew a great career.

Check out the hashtag #LifeAtHEINEKENUK on LinkedIn to hear directly from our people.

Our benefits

Here’s a flavour of what we offer:

• Annual bonus
• Double-matched pension (up to 10%)
• 32 days’ holiday, plus three listed public holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day)
• Life assurance (subject to policy terms)
• Free ciders and beers (including low and zero alcohol options)
• Retail discounts
• Wellbeing support, including Mental health champions, free Counselling, access to Colleague Networks.
• Comprehensive opportunities to develop
• Option to join our Colleague Networks to connect, share and build inclusion

…and much more!