Lead Mechanical Engineer

Balfour Beatty plc; Leiston; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Medical health cover

Company car or car allowance

Discretionary annual bonus

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Job summary

Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering is recruiting a Lead Mechanical Engineer for the Sizewell C Ground Engineering team in Leiston, Suffolk. You will lead mechanical plant maintenance across piling rigs and related equipment, ensuring safe, reliable operation and compliance with RAMS and OEM standards.

The role requires supervising mechanical engineers, coordinating across multiple sites, and delivering high-quality workmanship while supporting the project programme and cost targets.

Qualifications

• Significant experience with heavy construction plant, piling rigs, or similar equipment.
• Proven experience in a supervisory or lead mechanical engineering role.
• Strong diagnostic capability across mechanical, hydraulic, and associated plant systems.
• Sound understanding of plant maintenance best practice and health and safety legislation.
• Ability to lead teams across multiple sites within a joint venture or complex project environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• NVQ Level 3 construction plant maintenance or related discipline.
• CPCS or NPORS qualifications would be advantageous.
• IOSH Managing Safely or OEM training desirable.
• Results-driven, collaborative, customer-focused approach with continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate mechanical maintenance and repair activities across project plant and equipment.
• Ensure plant equipment is safe, compliant, reliable, and operating to optimal performance levels.
• Oversee planned preventative maintenance programmes and effective breakdown response.
• Provide technical guidance for complex mechanical and hydraulic faults.
• Ensure inspection, maintenance, and repair works comply with RAMS, OEM guidance and standards.
• Supervise, direct, and support mechanical engineers, fitters, subcontractors and plant teams.
• Allocate work, manage priorities, and optimise resources across fronts.
• Promote high workmanship standards, safety, and right-first-time delivery.
• Maintain maintenance documentation and reports for leadership teams.

Skills

Heavy construction plant

Supervisory/lead engineering

Mechanical/hydraulic diagnostics

Health & safety compliance

Team leadership across sites

Stakeholder management

Effective communication

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Construction Plant Maintenance or equivalent

CPCS/NPORS qualifications

IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent

Job description

About the role

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Lead Mechanical Engineer to join our Ground Engineering team working on the Sizewell C project in Leiston, Suffolk.

Be part of this ‘once in a generation’ project that will deliver clean energy to 6 million homes for the next 60 years. Sizewell C will see the creation of a 3.2 Gigawatt nuclear power station on the Suffolk coast to provide reliable load low-carbon electricity.

The Civil Works Alliance is an extended delivery enterprise involving Sizewell C and three international construction companies: Balfour Beatty, Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke.

We are more than just an alliance; we are bringing together a single delivery organisation with years of learning and experience from other major complex infrastructure programmes worldwide.

Role purpose: To lead, manage and coordinate all mechanical plant engineering activities across the project, ensuring the safe, efficient and reliable operation of piling rigs and associated plant equipment. The role provides technical leadership, supervises mechanical teams and ensures all maintenance, inspection and repair activities are delivered in line with project requirements, OEM standards and Balfour Beatty policies

What you'll be doing

The successful candidate will have the following accountabilities:

• Lead and coordinate mechanical maintenance and repair activities across project plant and equipment;
• Ensure plant equipment is safe, compliant, reliable, and operating to optimal performance levels;
• Oversee planned preventative maintenance programmes and effective breakdown response;
• Provide technical guidance and support for complex mechanical, hydraulic, and associated system faults;
• Ensure inspection, maintenance, and repair works are completed in line with RAMS, OEM guidance, and company standards;
• Supervise, direct, and support mechanical engineers, fitters, subcontractors, and plant teams;
• Allocate work, manage priorities, and ensure efficient use of resources across multiple work fronts;
• Promote high standards of workmanship, safety, mentoring, and “right first time” delivery;
• Ensure full compliance with health, safety, environmental, quality, and maintenance documentation requirements;
• Support plant operations in line with project programme, cost, quality, and performance targets;
• Monitor plant performance, defects, downtime, and repair trends to identify improvements and inform decision-making;
• Provide accurate maintenance records, inspection reports, job tracking updates, and regular reports to project and plant leadership teams.

Who we're looking for

The successful candidate will have the following qualities, skills and experience:

• Significant experience working with heavy construction plant, piling rigs, or similar specialist equipment;
• Proven experience in a supervisory or lead mechanical engineering role;
• Strong diagnostic capability across mechanical, hydraulic, and associated plant systems;
• Sound understanding of plant maintenance best practice and health and safety legislation;
• Ability to lead teams across multiple sites and work effectively within a joint venture or complex project environment;
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to engage across teams and suppliers;
• NVQ Level 3, or equivalent, in Construction Plant Maintenance, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline;
• Relevant CPCS or NPORS qualifications would be advantageous;
• IOSH Managing Safely, OEM training, or other relevant plant training would be desirable;
• A results-driven, collaborative, customer-focused approach, with a commitment to excellence and continuous improvement.

Why work for us

Our people are our biggest asset and we focus on recruiting, training and developing the people who can apply innovation to deliver the infrastructure of the future. We nurture these talents, offer a great benefits package in addition to a competitive base salary and continually invest in developing the skills of our people at every level.

Some of our key benefits are:

• An attractive/negotiated salary;
• Medical health cover;
• Company car or car allowance;
• Discretionary annual bonus;
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays;
• Pension savings schemes;
• Enhanced maternity/paternity and family friendly policies;
• Access to our Refer and Earn scheme;
• Discretionary annual salary reviews.

About us

Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering is one of the UK’s leading specialist geo-technical contractors, providing innovative piling and ground improvement solutions across all sectors.

Our comprehensive ground engineering capabilities, equipment and experience provide the solid foundations for infrastructure and buildings of any height, ranging from city skyscrapers to cross-country rail and road projects.

Our reputation as one of the UK’s leading specialist geo-technical contractors is earned through the delivery of ground engineering solutions on some of the UK’s largest and most prestigious projects including HS2, The Shard, Wembley Stadium, Reading Station Viaduct, Marble Arch Place, Battersea Power Station redevelopment and the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement project.

Diversity and inclusion

At Balfour Beatty, we believe that diversity and inclusion are essential components of any successful, happy workplace. Through our Value Everyone D&I 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

We are 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/

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