General Operative

Balfour Beatty plc; Hereford; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Smart working up to 40% remote

25 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Job summary

Balfour Beatty Rail is recruiting for a General Operative/Machine Operator to set up, operate and monitor production machinery, ensuring efficiency and adherence to safety, quality and productivity standards.

The role requires attention to detail, following procedures, and maintaining a safe working environment while contributing to continuous improvement initiatives and team goals.

Qualifications

• Experience operating production machinery in a manufacturing environment.
• Good understanding of health and safety procedures.
• Ability to read and follow work instructions and technical documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and quality standards.
• Good problem-solving skills and mechanical aptitude.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

• Set up and operate production machinery in accordance with operating procedures.
• Monitor machine performance and adjust to maintain product quality.
• Conduct routine inspections and basic maintenance of equipment.
• Identify and report machine faults, breakdowns, or safety concerns.
• Record production data, downtime and quality checks accurately.
• Follow production schedules and work instructions to achieve output targets.

Skills

Safety awareness

Reliability and punctuality

Attention to detail

Teamwork

Communication skills

Time management

Continuous improvement mindset

Education

GCSEs in Mathematics and English

Job description

About The Role

Balfour Beatty Rail are recruiting for a General Operative/Machine Operator to be responsible for setting up, operating, monitoring, and maintaining manufacturing machinery to ensure efficient production while meeting quality, safety, and productivity standards.

The role requires attention to detail, adherence to company procedures, and a commitment to maintaining a safe working environment.

What you'll be doing

• Set up and operate production machinery in accordance with operating procedures.
• Monitor machine performance and make adjustments as required to maintain product quality.
• Conduct routine inspections and basic maintenance of equipment.
• Identify and report machine faults, breakdowns, or safety concerns.
• Ensure products meet quality specifications and company standards.
• Record production data, downtime, and quality checks accurately.
• Follow production schedules and work instructions to achieve output targets.
• Maintain a clean and organised work area in line with housekeeping standards.
• Comply with all health, safety, and environmental regulations.
• Assist with continuous improvement initiatives to increase efficiency and reduce waste.
• Support team members and work collaboratively to achieve departmental goals.

Who we're looking for

• Previous experience operating machinery in a manufacturing or production environment.
• Good understanding of health and safety procedures.
• Ability to read and follow work instructions and technical documentation.
• Strong attention to detail and quality standards.
• Good problem-solving skills and mechanical aptitude.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Desirable

Relevant Manufacturing, Engineering, Or Technical Qualifications Are Advantageous.

• Forklift truck licence.
• Experience with CNC, fabrication, or automated production equipment.
• Engineering or manufacturing qualification.
• GCSEs (or equivalent) in Mathematics and English preferred.

Working Conditions

• Factory or workshop environment.
• May involve shift work, overtime, and weekend working as required.
• Requires standing for extended periods and manual handling activities.

Key Competencies

• Safety awareness
• Reliability and punctuality
• Attention to detail
• Teamwork
• Communication skills
• Time management
• Continuous improvement mindset

Why work for us

Day in, day out, our teams deliver some of the UK’s most ambitious, exciting and meaningful projects; developing, building and maintaining the vital infrastructure that supports national economies and strengthens communities.

Benefits

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn’t rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. You’ll have the freedom to shape the package that’s right for you and your life. Here are some of our key benefits:

• Smart working, giving you more flexibility such as staggered start and finish times, with up to 40% remote working, where roles allow.
• 25 days paid annual leave (pro rata)
• Family friendly policies which include 28 weeks full pay for maternity/adoption leave and four weeks full pay for paternity/partners leave
• Pension, share incentive plan, volunteering leave, recognition schemes and much more…

About Us

Balfour Beatty works at the heart of the UK’s rail networks – designing, enhancing and maintaining thousands of miles of the railways that connect communities and underpin growth.

From feasibility studies, planning and design through to implementation and asset management, we provide multi-disciplinary rail infrastructure services across the lifecycle of rail assets. Our expertise covers electrification, track, power, civils, specialist rail plant, railway systems and technologies.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan, we are growing our diverse workforce and developing our inclusive culture where everyone is able to thrive and reach their full potential, regardless of their identity or background. To find out how we are making this a reality, visit www.balfourbeatty.com/diversityandinclusion

To help and support us with our desired commitment to create an inclusive culture we are members of WISE, enei, Business Disability Forum and the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE). In 2020, we signed the Audeliss and Involve Open Letter to demonstrate our commitment to taking key long term and sustainable actions on Black Inclusion. Balfour Beatty is also a Gold Award holder in the Ministry of Defence 'Employer Recognition Scheme' and actively encourage applications from Armed Forces personnel, veterans and reservists.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are committed to working with people who have disabilities and long-term health conditions to remove barriers for them in obtaining employment. We are also committed to offering applicants with a disability an interview if they meet the minimum requirements for the role. For more info, visit: https://disabilityconfident.campaign.gov.uk/

We are looking to continually improve our resourcing process and ensure that it is fair and inclusive for all. If you have any feedback on the process, please share this with us at: [e-mail]