Lead Engineer

Orange Monkey Recruitment Ltd; Black Horse Drove; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

Orange Monkey Recruitment Ltd is seeking an Engineering Lead for a busy mushroom production site in Littleport, Cambridgeshire. The role combines hands-on electrical and mechanical fault-finding with team leadership and improvements.

You'll lead a team of maintenance engineers, oversee PPM and breakdowns, and drive equipment reliability while working a predominantly Monday–Friday pattern. The position is permanent with opportunities to shape engineering performance.

Qualifications

• Experience leading engineers in a manufacturing environment.
• Hands-on maintenance experience (electrical and/or mechanical).
• Experience with planned and reactive maintenance on production equipment.
• Strong communication and proactive problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Leading, supporting and developing a team of maintenance engineers.
• Overseeing planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance activities.
• Providing hands-on electrical and mechanical fault-finding support during breakdowns.
• Identifying opportunities to improve equipment reliability, efficiency and performance.
• Working closely with production teams to minimise downtime and prioritise maintenance.
• Supporting engineering projects, equipment upgrades and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinating external contractors and ensuring maintenance work is completed safely.
• Promoting high standards of health, safety and engineering compliance.

Skills

Team leadership

Maintenance

Electrical fault-finding

Mechanical fault-finding

Prioritisation

Communication

People development

Education

A Level 3 qualification in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Job description

Job Title: Engineering Lead

Location: Littleport, Cambridgeshire

Salary: £55,000

Weekday Hours: Monday to Friday, 6:30am-5:30pm (4 days per week, with a rotating day off).

Weekend Hours: 1 in 4 weekends, Saturday and Sunday, 7am-3:30pm.

Contract: Permanent

Are you an experienced Engineering Team Leader or Senior Maintenance Engineer looking for an opportunity to take the next step in your career?

We're working with an established food manufacturer in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, looking for a hands-on Engineering Lead to join its engineering team.

Offering a salary of £55,000, a predominantly Monday-to-Friday working pattern and the opportunity to lead a team of engineers, this is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys being involved technically while taking responsibility for people, performance and improvements.

Working within a busy mushroom production environment, you'll play a key role in keeping machinery running efficiently, reducing downtime and helping to develop a proactive, reliable engineering team.

The Role

• Leading, supporting and developing a team of maintenance engineers.
• Overseeing planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance activities.
• Providing hands-on electrical and mechanical fault-finding support during breakdowns.
• Identifying opportunities to improve equipment reliability, efficiency and performance.
• Working closely with production teams to minimise downtime and prioritise maintenance.
• Supporting engineering projects, equipment upgrades and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinating external contractors and ensuring maintenance work is completed safely.
• Promoting high standards of health, safety and engineering compliance.

About You

• Experience leading, supervising or mentoring engineers within a manufacturing environment.
• A Level 3 qualification in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering.
• Strong hands-on maintenance experience, including electrical and/or mechanical fault-finding.
• Experience with planned and reactive maintenance on production equipment.
• The ability to prioritise workloads and support engineers during breakdowns.
• Good communication skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• A genuine interest in developing people and improving engineering performance.

Experience within food manufacturing would be advantageous, although engineers from other manufacturing environments are also encouraged to apply.

What's on Offer?

• £55,000 salary.
• Permanent position with an established food manufacturer.
• Predominantly Monday-to-Friday working pattern.
• Regular scheduled days off during the week.
• Opportunity to lead and develop an engineering team.
• Involvement in engineering projects and continuous improvement.
• A varied role combining hands-on engineering with team leadership.

If you're an experienced Engineering Team Leader, Lead Engineer or Senior Maintenance Engineer looking for a new opportunity where you can make a genuine difference, we'd love to hear from you.