Mechanical Reliability Engineer (Kent)

Southern Water; England; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading water services company is seeking a Mechanical Reliability Engineer to join their Wastewater Operations team in Kent. This hybrid role involves developing strategies for maintaining mechanical assets to improve reliability and minimize downtime. Candidates should have strong technical skills, knowledge of mechanical equipment, and a degree in Mechanical Engineering or relevant experience. The position offers a competitive salary of up to £55,000 depending on experience, with responsibilities including compliance with standards and conducting reliability studies.

Qualifications

• Full UK driving licence is essential.
• Travel across Kent sites required.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) strategies.
• Ensure compliance with reliability, legislative, and environmental standards.
• Conduct reliability studies such as FMECA and Root Cause Analysis (RCA).

Skills

Strong technical mindset and problem-solving skills

Knowledge of mechanical assets (motors, pumps, etc.)

Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent industry experience

Job description

Closing Date: 08 / 01 / 2026

Job Title : Mechanical Reliability Engineer – Kent

Location : Kent (Hybrid – 1–2 days working from home, 3–4 days travelling across Kent sites or based in an office)

Contract Type : Permanent

Hours : 37 hours per week

Salary : Up to £55,000 (dependent on experience)

About the Role

You’ll join our Wastewater Operations team, playing a key role in developing and implementing strategies that ensure our mechanical assets are maintained to the highest standards, boosting reliability and minimising downtime.

This is an exciting opportunity to help us transition from reactive maintenance to a proactive, reliability-centred approach during our AMP8 investment period.

What You Will Be Responsible For

• Design and implement Reliability-Centred Maintenance (RCM) strategies for cost-effective and efficient asset management.
• Ensure compliance with reliability, legislative, and environmental standards.
• Monitor and review maintenance strategies using asset performance data, surveillance, and KPI trends to improve uptime and efficiency.
• Conduct reliability studies such as FMECA and Root Cause Analysis (RCA) to drive performance improvements.
• Apply industry best practices in day-to-day asset engineering activities.
• Maintain detailed documentation of reliability strategies, maintenance procedures, failure analysis, and best practices.

Additional Requirements

• Full UK driving licence is essential.
• Travel across Kent sites required.

What You’ll Bring to the Role

Essential

• Strong technical mindset and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of mechanical assets such as motors, pumps, gearboxes, blowers, compressors, and generators.
• Experience in analysing, operating, and maintaining assets.
• Ability to prioritise tasks, manage time effectively, and meet deadlines.
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills.

Desirable

• Familiarity with FMECA and RCA methodologies.
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent relevant industry experience.

About Southern Water

Southern Water is at the forefront of transforming Britain’s water industry, investing significantly to enhance resilience, sustainability, and service excellence. With £7.8bn planned investment for 2025-30, this is an unparalleled opportunity to join a business committed to delivering a generational shift in the way water services are managed.

You will be joining at a time of significant change, working alongside a highly skilled leadership team with a clear vision for the future. We offer an environment where senior professionals can make a meaningful impact, influence major strategic decisions, and drive long-term value creation.

“At Southern Water, we believe diverse perspectives drive innovation. If you’re passionate about making a positive impact and think you can bring value to our team, we’d love to hear from you—even if you don’t tick every box. Your unique skills and experiences could be exactly what we need.”

If this role isn’t quite what you’re looking for but you’re keen to be contacted about opportunities at Southern Water, you can register your details here : Introduce Yourself(myworkdaysite.com-Introduce Yourself)

Our Commitment to Diversity

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, or any other protected characteristic. If you need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.