Mechanical Engineer

Staffing Lab Ltd; Kendal; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job description

Location: Kendal, Cumbria - Must be in commutable distance

Salary: £42,000 – £46,000 per annum; inclusive of shift allowance

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Working Pattern: Three-shift rotating pattern (3SR)

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Job Description

We are recruiting for a Mechanical Maintenance Engineer to join an established and growing food manufacturing business based in Kendal, Cumbria.

The company produces specialist nutritional products for customers in the UK and international markets, operating within a fast-paced manufacturing environment where equipment reliability, product quality and safety are key priorities.

This role will involve carrying out planned and reactive maintenance across a range of process equipment, diagnosing mechanical faults and supporting production teams to minimise downtime and maintain efficient operations.

The successful candidate will be a time-served engineer with strong mechanical maintenance and fault-finding skills, able to work independently while supporting colleagues across engineering and production.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out reactive and proactive maintenance across a variety of production and process equipment.
• Complete planned preventative maintenance (PPM) activities in line with maintenance schedules.
• Diagnose and resolve equipment breakdowns efficiently to minimise production downtime.
• Identify faults, establish root causes and implement effective repairs.
• Support production team leaders and operators to maintain production efficiency and equipment reliability.
• Maintain accurate records of breakdowns, repairs and preventative maintenance activities.
• Ensure engineering paperwork and maintenance documentation are completed and kept up to date.
• Follow all health and safety procedures, safe systems of work and relevant site requirements.
• Use appropriate personal protective equipment and ensure risks to yourself and others are minimised.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across engineering, production and other departments.
• Adapt to changing operational requirements and provide support where needed.

Key Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• NVQ Level 3 or equivalent qualification in Engineering Maintenance, Manufacturing or a relevant engineering discipline.
• A time-served engineering or mechanical fitting background.
• Previous experience in mechanical maintenance within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong fault-finding and troubleshooting skills.
• Experience carrying out both planned preventative maintenance and reactive breakdown repairs.
• Knowledge of engineering controls, fault analysis and problem-solving techniques.
• Good organisational and communication skills.
• The ability to work effectively within a multi-skilled engineering team.
• A self-motivated approach, with the ability to work independently and with limited supervision.
• Flexibility to meet operational requirements and work within a rotating shift pattern.
• At least two years' experience in a mechanical engineering or manufacturing maintenance role.
• Some electrical knowledge or training.
• Experience working with hydraulic systems.
• Experience maintaining process equipment within food or other manufacturing environments.
• Good IT skills and the ability to learn new maintenance systems and procedures.