Lead Engineer

Bakkavor Group; Edithmead; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK fresh prepared food manufacturer is seeking a Lead Engineer in Highbridge to maintain production efficiency through planned and reactive maintenance. Candidates should have an engineering apprenticeship, strong electrical and mechanical skills, and a commitment to continuous improvement. This role offers up to £60,900 and benefits, including life assurance and a discount platform. The position is site-based with a rotating shift pattern.

Benefits

Life Assurance (1 x salary)

21 days holiday

Stakeholder Pension Scheme

MyBargains Discount Platform

Qualifications

• In Maths & English at grade C or above, achieve within 24 months.
• Supervisory experience required.
• Knowledge of IT systems.

Responsibilities

• Maintain production assets to maximise efficiency.
• Conduct planned, predictive, and reactive maintenance.
• Collaborate with teams to improve performance.

Skills

Electrical systems

Mechanical systems

Communication Skills

Teamwork

Planning works and writing reports

Education

Engineering apprenticeship (C&G / EAL NVQ Level 3 / 4)

Current Edition of IET Wiring Regulations

Food Safety Qualification (Level 2)

Tools

CMMS

Job description

Lead Engineer

We rise to challenges together

Salary: Up to £60,900 depending on experience

Benefits: Life Assurance (1 x salary), MyBargains Discount Platform, A Range of voluntary benefits (holiday purchase scheme, additional life assurance, dental & hospital cash plans)

Location: Highbridge, TA9 4JR

Ways of Working: Site based

Shift Pattern: 4 on 4 off rotating days and nights / 06:00–18:00 / 18:00–06:00

Contract: Permanent

Why join us?

We're ready for anything. We thrive on challenge and change. The fast‑paced, high‑pressure environment of our 24/7 operation keeps us agile and offers a wide range of career opportunities to explore. We encourage everyone to push their limits, work hard, and demonstrate resilience. It’s thrilling. By mentoring and role‑modeling our success and innovation, we’ll continue to diversify, grow as individuals, and succeed together. We're proud to offer you a career with significant potential for development.

What we do.

We're the market leader in the UK fresh prepared food industry – supplying meals, salads, desserts, pizza and bread to leading grocery retailers including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury's and Waitrose. Our Bakkavor site in Highbridge, which is one of our four Desserts sites in the UK, specialises in Cheesecake and Tarts, working closely with our sister site in Devizes that specialises in baked goods.

About the role.

We're looking for a Lead Engineer to maintain production assets to maximise efficiency through planned, predictive, and reactive maintenance. Support machinery setups, changeovers, and equipment installation or removal. Collaborate with teams to improve performance and drive continuous improvement.

Accountabilities

• Prepare for food and drink maintenance work.
• Conduct planned maintenance of food and drink processing and packaging assets.
• Conduct predictive maintenance of food and drink processing and packaging assets (condition‑based monitoring).
• Respond to breakdowns of food and drink processing and packaging assets; conduct reactive maintenance or corrective actions to resolve deviation.
• Identify faults (electrical, mechanical, instrumentation, automation, and pneumatics) on food and drink processing and packaging assets, action as required.
• Lead or support food and drink operational teams with machinery changeovers and set‑ups.
• Manufacture and repair component parts for food and drink processing and packaging assets.
• Contribute to continuous improvement projects to optimise food and drink assets or processes. For example, participate in failure investigations to ensure process effectiveness and to contribute to and implement practical engineering solutions for efficiency and profitability.
• Contribute to technical performance reviews in collaboration with other functions and stakeholders.
• Maintain engineering documentation for food and drink maintenance work.
• Support maintenance and operational team members in developing engineering technical competence.
• Ensure availability and performance of maintenance tools and equipment.
• Contribute to food and drink internal and external audits.
• Point of contact at weekends and when the site Engineering Section Manager for Nights is on holiday.
• Carry out escalation procedures to the Factory Maintenance Managers, and the site Engineering Manager when necessary.

About you

Functional Skills: Level 2

• In Maths & English at grade C or above, achieve within 24 months.
• Engineering apprenticeship (C&G / EAL NVQ Level 3 / 4 or OAL FDEM Diploma).
• Current Edition of IET Wiring Regulations (C&G Level 3, achieve within 12 months).
• Food Safety Qualification (Level 2, achieve within 12 months).

Application of Safety, Health and Environmental legislation and procedures.

Supervisory experience.

Communication Skills.

Teamwork.

Planning works and writing reports.

Verify assets meet performance criteria after work.

Reading and adhering to site SOPs.

Fault finding

Electrical & or Mechanical systems.

CMMS experience (achieve within 12 months).

Multi-skilled capability with electrical bias (achieve within 48 months).

Contractor control (achieve within 12 months).

Hygienic engineering.

Carry out actions from CMMS (achieve within 1 month).

Safety, Health and Environmental awareness.

Knowledge of IT systems.

Knowledge of effective teamworking.

Mechanical principals, safety and control systems.

Planning works and writing reports.

Asset performance measures.

Knowledge of CMMS

F&D assets, welding, machining, turning, hydraulic, pneumatic & thermodynamics systems and / or, electrical principals, motors, motor control circuits, motion control, encoders, PLCs, sensors.

Knowledge of spare parts management systems.

What you'll receive

As an equal opportunity employer, we're committed to providing a safe and rewarding environment for you to thrive in. This is why we work hard to deliver benefits, rewards and wellbeing offerings that are important to you.

• Life Assurance (1 x salary)
• 21 days holiday
• Staff Shop
• Stakeholder Pension Scheme
• MyBargains Discount Platform
• Personal Accident Insurance