Mechanical Engineer

KHR Recruitment Specialists; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Completion bonus £5k

Enhanced pension

Holiday allowance

Onsite facilities

Job summary

KHR Recruitment Specialists, on behalf of a leading international manufacturing organisation near Maidstone, seeks a Mechanical Engineer for an 18-month fixed-term contract. You will drive asset reliability, maintenance strategies and continuous improvement across a complex plant.

Responsibilities include preventative/predictive maintenance, RCFA investigations, and delivering reliability improvements to maximise availability, efficiency and safety, in collaboration with Engineering and

Qualifications

• HNC in Mechanical Engineering and proven experience in a mechanical/reliability role.
• Experience leading RCFA, FMEA, or structured problem solving.
• Knowledge of condition monitoring techniques and PM/CMMS tools.
• Strong analytical, organizational and cross-functional communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop, review and optimise preventative/predictive maintenance programmes.
• Lead RCFA investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Coordinate condition monitoring activities and maintenance scheduling.
• Support plant shutdowns and MoC activities, ensuring safety compliance.
• Analyse equipment performance data to identify trends and improvements.

Skills

Maintenance planning

Root Cause Analysis

Condition monitoring

Vibration analysis

Lubrication management

Oil analysis

Thermal imaging

SAP PM / CMMS

Analytical thinking

Health and safety awareness

Education

HNC in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SAP PM

Job description

Role: Mechanical Engineer 18-Month Fixed-Term Contract

Hours: Monday to Friday, 08:00 - 16:30

Location: Outskirts of Maidstone

Contract Type: Full-time, 18-Month Fixed-Term Contract

£5,000 completion bonus

KHR is partnering with a leading international manufacturing organisation to recruit an experienced Mechanical Engineer to join their Reliability team on an 18-month fixed-term contract. As the Mechanical Engineer, this is an excellent opportunity for a proactive engineering professional to play a pivotal role in improving asset reliability, developing maintenance strategies, mechanical maintenance, and driving continuous improvement across a complex manufacturing environment.

The Mechanical Engineer will work closely with both Engineering and Operations teams, enhancing equipment performance through preventative/predictive maintenance, leading root cause investigations, and implementing reliability improvements that maximise plant availability, efficiency, and safety.

Key Mechanical Engineer Responsibilities

• Develop, review, and optimise preventative and predictive maintenance programmes to improve equipment reliability.
• Lead root cause investigations into recurring equipment failures, ensuring corrective actions are implemented and tracked to completion.
• Step in for the plant Mechanical Engineer when needed
• Coordinate condition monitoring activities, including vibration analysis, oil analysis, thermal imaging, and lubrication programmes.
• Work collaboratively with maintenance planning teams to ensure maintenance schedules, spare parts, and Bills of Materials are accurate and effective.
• Carry out equipment criticality assessments and use findings to develop appropriate maintenance strategies.
• Identify and deliver engineering improvement projects that enhance reliability, safety, and operational performance.
• Analyse equipment performance data using SAP PM and other maintenance systems to identify trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain engineering standards, technical documentation, and maintenance procedures in line with company and ISO requirements.
• Support Management of Change (MoC) activities, engineering risk assessments, and safe systems of work.
• Provide technical support during planned shutdowns and assist with resolving complex equipment issues.
• Participate in the engineering on-call rota to support critical plant requirements.

What We're Looking For

• HNC in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Proven experience in a Mechanical Engineer or Reliability Engineer or similar engineering role within a manufacturing or process environment.
• Strong knowledge of preventative and predictive maintenance techniques.
• Experience leading Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA), FMEA, or other structured problem-solving methodologies.
• Familiarity with condition monitoring techniques, including vibration analysis, lubrication management, oil analysis, or thermal imaging.
• Experience using SAP PM or another Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS).
• Strong analytical, organisational, and communication skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Good understanding of engineering standards, risk assessments, and health and safety legislation.

On top of a competitive base salary, you will receive a £5,000 completion bonus, an enhanced company pension, holiday allowance, and other benefits, including full access to onsite facilities (gym and canteen).