Maintenance Engineer

Axion Recruitment Limited; Swan Green; On-site; GBP 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Axion Recruitment Limited is seeking a Maintenance Engineer for a Knutsford, UK site. The role covers planned and preventative maintenance on plant and equipment within a food manufacturing environment, working 06:00–16:00 on all-day shifts.

The successful candidate will diagnose faults, ensure documentation is up to date, and drive improvements to production efficiency. Relevant experience in food manufacturing and a solid knowledge of machinery and safety regulations are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in maintaining plant and equipment.
• Experience in the food industry preferred.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation.
• Strong understanding of machinery and systems.
• Apprenticeship or recognised engineering qualification.
• Electrical regulations knowledge (IEE) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• React to breakdowns and prioritise with production management.
• Improve plant/equipment through continuous improvement projects.
• Suggest ideas to improve efficiency.
• Maintain plant/equipment and complete maintenance paperwork.
• Maintain health and safety standards.
• Attend meetings and training sessions as required.
• Perform reasonable tasks requested by management.
• Maintain buildings, services and utilities.
• Conduct fault finding and root cause analysis.

Skills

Maintenance experience

Food industry experience

Health & safety knowledge

Machinery knowledge

Engineering qualification

Apprenticeship background

Education

Engineering apprenticeship

Job description

Maintenance Engineer

• Knutsford, UK


• Up to £45.000, depending on experience


• All day shifts, 06:00 - 16:00 with 2 half hour breaks, 5 on, 3 off.

Our Client is a family-owned food manufacturing business specialising in the production, packaging, and nationwide distribution of fresh bean sprouts for the retail, catering, and food-processing sectors.

Founded in 1987, the company supplies high-quality beansprouts, operating its own growing, packing, and chilled distribution facilities.

This role focuses on maintaining safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations within a manufacturing environment. Working as part of a cross-functional team, the position delivers planned and preventative maintenance, resolves technical issues, and drives continuous improvement initiatives. The role involves diagnosing faults, maintaining mechanical and/ or electrical equipment, and ensuring all systems and documentation remain up to date in line with company standards. It also contributes to optimising plant performance, improving production efficiency, and ideas and suggestions for continuous improvements. Close engagement with production teams, maintenance functions, and external suppliers is required to ensure issues are addressed promptly.

Key Responsibilities

• React to breakdown situations immediately and in order of priority. If multiple breakdowns, discuss priority with production management.


• Enhance the Company's plant and equipment through continuous improvement and formal designated projects


• Continuous improvement, ideas and suggestions to improve efficiency.


• Maintain the Company's plant and equipment to an acceptable level of efficiency, complete paperwork and records of all maintenance work.


• Maintain health and safety standards.


• Attend meetings, discussions and training sessions as required.


• Carry out all reasonable tasks as requested by management diligently and in a professional manner.


• Maintain buildings and infrastructure, services and supplies.


• Fault finding, root cause analysis & improvement ideas.

Requirements

• Previous experience with maintaining plant and equipment.


• Previous Food Industry experience


• A working knowledge of Health and Safety legislation


• A good knowledge of machinery is essential.


• Timed served apprentice or recognised qualifications in an engineering discipline.


• Electricians - up to date & good working knowledge of current I.E.E. Regulations.

Relevant Job Titles: Maintenance Engineer, Maintenance Technician, Service Engineer, Commissioning Engineer, Automation Engineer, Automation Technician.

This role is commutable from: Knutsford, Chester, Manchester, Macclesfield and Warrington.

All applicants must live in the UK and be eligible to work and live in the UK. Please note, our client is unable to offer Sponsorship or Visa support for this role.