Maintenance Technician; Mechanical Bias

Position Overview

Multiskilled Maintenance Technician (Mechanical Bias) responsible for ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operation of plant assets within a high‑hazard chemical manufacturing environment. Provides mechanical expertise while supporting electrical, instrumentation, and control tasks within competency limits.

• Perform planned preventive maintenance (PPM) on mechanical equipment such as pumps, vessels, pipework, gearboxes, compressors, boilers, rotating equipment, and mechanical seals.
• Diagnose and repair mechanical faults safely and efficiently, minimising downtime.
• Support basic electrical and instrumentation maintenance tasks within competency limits (e.g., fault finding, isolations under supervision, low‑complexity repairs).
• Ensure all work complies with site safety procedures, permit‑to‑work systems, and relevant UK legislation.

• Respond promptly to breakdowns and process interruptions.
• Assist operations teams with safe start‑up, shutdown, testing, and commissioning of plant equipment.
• Participate in root cause analysis (RCA) for repetitive equipment failures.

• Ensure maintenance activities meet COMAH safety requirements.
• Complete accurate maintenance records in the site’s CMMS (SAP).
• Support statutory inspections and audits under PSSR, LOLER, DSEAR, ATEX, and insurance requirements.

• Identify and support reliability improvements for plant equipment.
• Participate in improvement projects, shutdowns/turnarounds, and equipment upgrades.
• Contribute to the development of maintenance procedures, SOPs, and safe systems of work.

• Work collaboratively with operations, engineering, contractors, and technical teams.
• Provide technical mentoring to apprentices and less experienced technicians.
• Attend toolbox talks, shift handovers, and team meetings as required.

Must be able to work on a COMAH upper‑tier chemical plant with hazardous substances, pressurised systems, and high‑risk energy sources.

• Participation in a 7‑day shift pattern and on‑call rota.
• Competent use of site permit systems: PTW, confined space, hot work, process & electrical isolations, first breaks.
• Ability to wear all required PPE, including respiratory protection (subject to face‑fit).
• Knowledge of site utilities (steam, condensate, cooling water, compressed air, etc.).
• Experience with process equipment such as batch reactors, heat exchangers, storage tanks, filtration & transfer systems, boilers, and bio‑plant or effluent treatment systems (if applicable).

• Mechanical fitting, alignment, and assembly skills.
• Pump strip‑down and rebuild (centrifugal, positive displacement).
• Pipework installation and repair (flanged, threaded, welded—depending on qualifications).
• Mechanical seal replacement and troubleshooting.
• Rotating equipment maintenance.
• Basic machining or workshop skills (drilling, grinding, tapping).
• Pressure systems awareness.

• Ability to read electrical drawings and P&IDs.
• Basic fault finding on motors, sensors, switches, and control panels.
• Understanding of isolations and lockout‑tagout (LOTO).
• Competence in instrumentation basics (pressure, flow, temperature transmitters) desirable.

• Strong understanding of process safety (COMAH, DSEAR).
• Knowledge of LOLER, PUWER, COSHH, and Permit‑to‑Work systems.
• Hazard identification and risk assessment skills.

• CMMS proficiency (SAP).
• Good problem‑solving and diagnostic skills.
• Ability to work independently or as part of a team.
• Effective communication skills for cross‑functional working.

• Time‑served mechanical apprenticeship or equivalent NVQ Level 3 qualification.
• Demonstrable experience as a maintenance technician in a chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, or related heavy industry environment.
• Strong mechanical skill base with some electrical/instrumentation exposure.
• Experience with hazardous area equipment or regulated environments.

• HNC/HND or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering or similar discipline.
• COMPEX (EX01‑04) competence – advantageous.
• BOAS / steam boiler experience.
• MEWP, forklift, scaffold awareness, or rigging qualifications.
• Experience with permit writing and isolations.
• Training or mentoring experience.