Fleet Technician

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to 29 days annual leave

LGPS pension

Travel, lifestyle, health & wellbeing

Annual pay progression

Training & development

Career development opportunities

Staff networks

Flexible working options

Job summary

Suffolk County Council is seeking a Fleet Technician to join the Phoenix House Workshops in Ipswich. You will maintain and repair the county’s fleet of light vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, fire appliances and specialist equipment to ensure frontline teams are ready for emergencies.

The role requires significant commercial vehicle experience, a City and Guilds/NVQ Level 3 in vehicle maintenance, and a UK Cat C (Class 2) licence.

Qualifications

• Significant experience maintaining and repairing commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
• City and Guilds/NVQ Level 3 in vehicle maintenance and repair; apprenticeship advantageous.
• Full UK driving licence including Category C (Class 2).
• Willingness to participate in the emergency call-out rota and live within approx. 1 hour of Phoenix House.
• Strong diagnostic, analytical and safety-focused skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and repair Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service fleet including light vehicles, HGVs, fire appliances and specialist equipment.
• Carry out major overhauls at Phoenix House or inspect and repair vehicles at fire stations across Suffolk.
• Diagnose faults using diagnostics and CAN Bus and interpret wiring diagrams.
• Contribute to 24/7 emergency call-out rota to maximise vehicle availability.
• Ensure safe working practices and continuous improvement within the Workshops Team.

Skills

Commercial vehicle maintenance

UK Cat C (Class 2) licence

Diagnostic & fault finding

Problem solving

Flexible/call-out rota

Equality & inclusion

Health & safety

Education

City and Guilds/NVQ Level 3 in vehicle maintenance

Job description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Phoenix House, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 5NP - Onsite
• Salary: £35,570 - £42,123 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

Quality, reliability and innovation is at the heart of everything we do at Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. We're looking for a skilled and motivated Fleet Technician to help maintain and develop our specialist fleet and operational equipment, ensuring our firefighters have the vehicles and resources they need to protect Suffolk's communities. If you're passionate about vehicle maintenance, thrive on solving technical challenges, and want to play a vital role in supporting frontline emergency services, we'd love to hear from you.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

This is a varied and rewarding role where no two days are the same. You'll be responsible for maintaining and repairing Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service's fleet of light vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, fire appliances and specialist operational equipment. Your work may involve carrying out major overhauls within the workshop at Phoenix House or travelling across Suffolk to inspect, service and repair vehicles and equipment at fire stations.

Working with a unique fleet, you'll be encouraged to think creatively and develop innovative solutions to bespoke engineering challenges. Many of the vehicles and equipment used within the fire sector are highly specialised, providing opportunities to apply your technical expertise in ways that go beyond a traditional commercial vehicle workshop environment.

Using your extensive experience in commercial vehicle maintenance and repair, you'll carry out servicing and repairs on fire appliances and the specialist equipment they carry. Your diagnostic skills will be key in identifying and resolving faults efficiently, ensuring our fleet remains safe, reliable and ready to support firefighters responding to emergency incidents across Suffolk.

The role also requires a strong understanding of electrical and electronic systems. You'll use your experience to diagnose complex faults, interpret wiring diagrams and work with modern vehicle technologies, including CAN Bus systems.

As part of the Workshops Team, you'll contribute to a 24-hour emergency call-out service operating 365 days a year. This vital service helps maximise vehicle and equipment availability, ensuring operational crews have the resources they need to protect Suffolk's communities.

Due to participation in the emergency call-out rota, you must live within approximately one hour's travel time of Phoenix House Workshops. This ensures a prompt response to urgent vehicle and equipment defects, helping to maintain operational resilience and public safety across the county.

You will need

• Significant experience maintaining and repairing commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.
• A City and Guilds or NVQ Level 3 qualification in vehicle maintenance and repair. A completed apprenticeship would be advantageous.
• A full UK driving licence, including Category C (Class 2).
• A flexible approach to work and willingness to participate in the call-out rota. You must live within approximately one hour of Phoenix House Workshops.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical and diagnostic skills.
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• A positive attitude, willingness to learn, and commitment to continuous improvement.
• A good understanding of safe working practices, including working at height, with lifting equipment, inspection pits and controlled substances.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the How to apply section towards the bottom of this advert.

The team

The Fleet Team plays a vital role in supporting Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service's response to incidents and major emergencies across the county. Responsible for maintaining a wide range of vehicles and operational equipment, the team helps ensure that firefighters have the reliable resources they need to protect Suffolk's communities.

Based at Phoenix House Workshops, our close-knit team of 11 skilled professionals looks after everything from fire appliances, pumps and ladders to rescue and firefighting equipment. Through their expertise and dedication, they help keep essential assets operational, safe and ready for action.

We are proud of the service we provide and the difference we make behind the scenes. There is a real sense of achievement in knowing that every vehicle and piece of equipment we maintain directly supports frontline emergency response. When a fire appliance heads out on blue lights, our team knows it has played a crucial part in making that response possible.

The Workshops Team is committed to upholding the values and culture of Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. We work collaboratively, support one another, and strive to deliver the highest standards in everything we do.

Empowering Everyone

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Kelvin Todd (Workshop Manager) for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 341436 or emailing [e-mail]

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .

Closing date: 11.30pm, 13 October 2026

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Onsite