Improvement Engineer

DS Smith; Preston; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sick pay scheme

Pension & Life insurance

Share Save scheme

Income Protection

25 days holiday + Bank Holidays

Employee Assistance Programme

Virtual GP & Occupational Health

Job summary

DS Smith is seeking an experienced Improvement Engineer to enhance reliability, performance and efficiency of our high-speed finishing assets in the Conversion area. You will maintain and optimise FFGs, die-cutters and related equipment, while reducing downtime and ensuring quality.

You will work with Production and Maintenance teams to identify losses, implement sustainable improvements and support safety standards across the site.

Qualifications

• Recognised engineering qualification such as an apprenticeship, NVQ Level 3/4 or equivalent.
• Experience maintaining high-speed converting, printing, packaging or similar multi-station production machinery.
• Strong mechanical and electrical engineering skills, with servo motors, precision gearboxes, pneumatic actuators and electronic sensors.
• Experience troubleshooting automated machinery involving multiple axes, drives, PLCs and machine-control systems.
• The ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, pneumatic diagrams and mechanical drawings.

Responsibilities

• Delivering planned, preventative and corrective maintenance across the Conversion area.
• Acting as the technical subject matter expert for your assigned assets and equipment.
• Diagnosing and resolving mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and automation faults quickly and effectively.
• Maintaining and troubleshooting high-speed converting equipment from manufacturers such as Bobst, Martin/FFG, Tanabe, Gopfert and Sun Automation.
• Calibrating and maintaining print cylinders, registration systems, anilox rolls, doctor blade assemblies and rotary die-cutting cylinders to ensure precise product quality.
• Maintaining high-speed feed systems, vacuum transfer tables, folder-gluer belts and associated equipment to minimise jams and production stoppages.
• Maintaining, flushing and calibrating automated hot-melt and cold-glue systems and associated inspection sensors.
• Troubleshooting multi-axis servo drives, encoders, PLCs and automated control systems responsible for machine timing and synchronisation.
• Supporting quick changeovers by improving machine setup, recipes and adjustment processes to minimise downtime between product changes.
• Identifying and eliminating chronic equipment losses and recurring failures.
• Supporting root-cause analysis and implementing sustainable corrective actions.
• Reviewing and optimising maintenance routines to improve equipment reliability and performance.
• Working closely with Production colleagues to build strong relationships and minimise disruption to manufacturing.
• Accurately recording maintenance activity, findings, spare parts and corrective actions within the CMMS.
• Supporting continuous improvement, Maintenance Excellence and reliability-focused projects.
• Ensuring all maintenance activities are carried out safely and in line with site procedures and engineering standards.

Skills

Maintenance engineering

Mechanical engineering

Electrical engineering

Automation

PLC troubleshooting

Root cause analysis

CMMS usage

Education

Engineering qualification (apprenticeship/NVQ/City & Guilds)

NVQ Level 3/4 or equivalent

Mechatronics/maintenance background

Tools

Siemens PLCs

Rockwell/Allen-Bradley

HMI systems

EtherNet/IP/Profibus

CMMS

Job description

Improvement Engineer

Burscough
Monday - Friday (40 hours per week)
£57,500

As a Improvement Engineer you will play a key role in improving the reliability, performance and efficiency of our production assets. Working within the Conversion area, you will use your technical expertise and problem-solving skills to identify recurring issues, reduce downtime and deliver sustainable improvements.

You will be responsible for the maintenance and optimisation of high-speed finishing equipment downstream from the corrugator, including Flexo Folder Gluers (FFGs), Rotary Die Cutters and Flatbed Die Cutters. Your focus will be on keeping equipment running safely and efficiently while ensuring the accuracy, quality and consistency of finished products.

Working closely with Production and Maintenance teams, you will help identify chronic losses, resolve recurring equipment issues and deliver improvements that increase uptime and reduce waste.

The salary package includes compensation for undertaking up to 20 night and weekend holiday cover shifts annually. Any holiday cover hours worked in excess of the employee's standard weekly contracted hours will be paid at the applicable overtime rate.

Your responsibilities

• Delivering planned, preventative and corrective maintenance across the Conversion area.


• Acting as the technical subject matter expert for your assigned assets and equipment.


• Diagnosing and resolving mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and automation faults quickly and effectively.


• Maintaining and troubleshooting high-speed converting equipment from manufacturers such as Bobst, Martin/FFG, Tanabe, Gopfert and Sun Automation.


• Calibrating and maintaining print cylinders, registration systems, anilox rolls, doctor blade assemblies and rotary die-cutting cylinders to ensure precise product quality.


• Maintaining high-speed feed systems, vacuum transfer tables, folder-gluer belts and associated equipment to minimise jams and production stoppages.


• Maintaining, flushing and calibrating automated hot-melt and cold-glue systems and associated inspection sensors.


• Troubleshooting multi-axis servo drives, encoders, PLCs and automated control systems responsible for machine timing and synchronisation.


• Supporting quick changeovers by improving machine setup, recipes and adjustment processes to minimise downtime between product changes.


• Identifying and eliminating chronic equipment losses and recurring failures.


• Supporting root-cause analysis and implementing sustainable corrective actions.


• Reviewing and optimising maintenance routines to improve equipment reliability and performance.


• Working closely with Production colleagues to build strong relationships and minimise disruption to manufacturing.


• Accurately recording maintenance activity, findings, spare parts and corrective actions within the CMMS.


• Supporting continuous improvement, Maintenance Excellence and reliability-focused projects.


• Ensuring all maintenance activities are carried out safely and in line with site procedures and engineering standards.

Qualifications

• A recognised engineering qualification such as an apprenticeship, NVQ Level 3/4 or equivalent in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics or Maintenance Engineering.


• Experience maintaining high-speed converting, printing, packaging or similar multi-station production machinery.


• Strong mechanical and electrical engineering skills, with experience of servo motors, precision gearboxes, pneumatic actuators and electronic sensors.


• Experience troubleshooting automated machinery involving multiple axes, drives, PLCs and machine-control systems.


• The ability to read and interpret electrical schematics, pneumatic diagrams and mechanical drawings.


• Experience with precision mechanical adjustment and alignment, using tools such as dial indicators, calipers and gauges.


• An understanding of machine timing, synchronisation and registration within high-speed production equipment.


• Experience working with industrial networks such as EtherNet/IP or Profibus would be advantageous.


• Experience with PLCs and HMI systems, with Siemens, Rockwell/Allen-Bradley or similar platforms desirable.


• Experience maintaining or troubleshooting automated strapping, bundling or palletising equipment would be beneficial.


• Experience using a CMMS to manage preventative maintenance, work orders and spare parts.


• A strong focus on safety, quality and continuous improvement.


• A proactive approach to problem-solving, with the ability to identify the root cause of issues rather than simply fixing the immediate problem.


• The ability to work effectively with both Maintenance and Production teams.

What we can offer you

• Competitive salary


• Qualifying Sick Pay scheme


• Pension scheme & Life insurance


• Share Save scheme


• Income Protection


• 25 days holiday plus Bank Holidays


• Employee Assistance Programme


• Virtual GP, Occupational Health & free Flu vaccine


• Cycle to Work and shopping discounts

About Us

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.