Senior Mechanical Engineer

-; Lydney; On-site; GBP 37,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading industrial firm is looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer in Caerphilly. You will lead a skilled maintenance team, ensuring plant reliability and driving continuous improvement initiatives. The ideal candidate has a mechanical engineering degree and over 5 years of supervisory experience in a heavy engineering environment. This role offers excellent benefits and opportunities for career development within a major industrial environment.

Benefits

Excellent benefits

Long-term career development

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in a supervisory or technical role within a continuous process, manufacturing, or heavy engineering environment.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation and safe working practices.
• Sound knowledge of stores, purchasing, and cost-control processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a multi-skilled maintenance team.
• Ensure maintenance and reliability programmes are delivered safely and efficiently.
• Monitor engineering KPIs including unplanned downtime and maintenance effectiveness.
• Train, mentor, and develop maintenance staff.

Skills

Leadership skills

Technical expertise in mechanical maintenance

Decision-making skills

Coaching and team development

Education

Mechanical Engineering Degree, HND or HNC

Tools

SAP maintenance systems

Job description

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Location: Caerphilly
Salary: Up to £44,000
Mon-Fri- 37.5 hours a week

Are you an experienced Mechanical Engineer with strong leadership skills and a passion for driving reliability and performance? We are recruiting for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join a major manufacturing operation in Caerphilly. This is a fantastic opportunity to take ownership of a high-performing maintenance function and play a pivotal role in site engineering performance.

The Role

As Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will provide the technical and managerial expertise required to lead a skilled maintenance team and support all mechanical functions on site. You will ensure plant reliability, deliver maintenance programmes effectively, and drive continuous improvement across engineering, safety and operational performance.

You will also deputise for the Maintenance Manager when required, contributing to long-term engineering strategy while supporting day-to-day performance and production needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, support and manage a multi-skilled maintenance team.
• Ensure maintenance and reliability programmes are delivered safely, efficiently and within budget.
• Provide technical expertise and immediate decision-making during breakdowns, prioritising safety and operational impact.
• Monitor engineering KPIs including unplanned downtime, MTBF, MTTR and maintenance effectiveness.
• Plan and allocate engineering resources to meet operational, statutory and quality requirements.
• Support production teams with technical guidance and engineering solutions.
• Maintain strong safety standards and manage relevant safety documentation and permits.
• Control engineering expenditure, including MRO budgets and spare parts usage.
• Manage contractor activity on site, ensuring compliance with permits, RAMS and safety procedures.
• Lead root cause analysis, continuous improvement, FMEA and reliability initiatives.
• Deliver plant improvement proposals, maintenance schedules and upgrade projects.
• Train, mentor and develop maintenance staff, supporting succession planning and skill enhancement.
• Maintain strong working relationships with engineering, production and quality departments.

About You

• Mechanical Engineering Degree, HND or HNC (or equivalent).
• 5+ years' experience in a supervisory or technical role within a continuous process, manufacturing or heavy engineering environment.
• Strong technical understanding of mechanical maintenance and engineering principles.
• Good knowledge of SAP maintenance systems.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation and safe working practices.
• Sound knowledge of stores, purchasing and cost-control processes.
• A resilient, proactive and solutions-oriented leader with excellent decision-making skills.
• Strong coaching, communication and team development abilities.

What's on Offer

• A challenging and rewarding leadership role within a major industrial environment.
• The opportunity to influence engineering strategy and drive continuous improvement.

Excellent benefits and long-term career development