EC&I Engineer

Location: Balsham

EC&I Engineer Eccles Monday to Friday - Flexible Time From £60,000 to £70,000 My client, who is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, polymer additives and precursors, is looking for an experienced EC&I Engineer to join their team.

The Role:

Provide Electrical, Control & Instrumentation engineering expertise to support plant operations, new projects, and ongoing maintenance in a highly regulated top-tier COMAH environment. The role is instrumental in ensuring the reliability, safety, and compliance of all EC&I systems on site, aligning with business objectives and HSE requirements. Responsibilities: EC&I Technical Leadership Serve as the site's Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Electrical, Control, and Instrumentation matters, ensuring safe, reliable, and compliant operation of plant equipment.

Develop and maintain site EC&I standards (including ATEX, DSEAR, SIL, functional safety, etc.) in alignment with industry best practices and legal requirements. Project Management Lead or support EC&I projects from concept through commissioning, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery. Coordinate with internal teams (Operations, Maintenance, HSE, etc.) and external contractors to define scopes of work, manage schedules, and track budgets. Oversee design, installation, and commissioning of new EC&I systems, ensuring compliance with COMAH and other regulatory requirements.

Maintenance & Reliability Provide technical guidance to maintenance teams on preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance of electrical and instrumentation assets. Support day-to-day troubleshooting and fault-finding across a range of systems (e.g., PLCs, DCS, safety instrumented systems, field instrumentation). Drive reliability improvements through root cause analysis (RCA) and continuous improvement methodologies. COMAH & Regulatory Compliance Collaborate closely with the HSE team to ensure EC&I operations and projects satisfy COMAH, ATEX, DSEAR, and other relevant regulations.

Maintain and develop safety instrumented systems (SIS), ensuring proper documentation, proof testing, and compliance with IEC 61508/61511. Participate in COMAH-related activities, including audits, hazard studies (HAZOP/LOPA), safety reports, and regulator inspections. Standards & Documentation Establish and maintain EC&I technical documentation (e.g., drawings, loop diagrams, schematics) and ensure compliance with site change control procedures. Implement standards for the management of safety-critical systems, ensuring appropriate performance levels (e.g., SIL determinations) are met.

Support development of site procedures, work instructions, and best practices in line with company policies and legal obligations. Continuous Improvement Identify and implement opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce cost, and improve safety within EC&I disciplines. Keep abreast of emerging technologies, standards, and best practices; recommend upgrades and innovations to maintain a competitive edge. Promote a culture of continuous improvement, sharing knowledge, and mentoring other engineering team members.

Contractor & Stakeholder Management Manage EC&I contractors and vendors, including selection, contract negotiation, and oversight of quality control. Liaise with external stakeholders (e.g., HSE, Environment Agency) and represent the site's EC&I interests in audits or inspections. Collaborate with internal stakeholders such as Operations, R&D, QA, and other engineering functions to align priorities and deliver effective solutions. Budget & Resource Management Support the Engineering Manager in developing and managing budgets related to EC&I projects and maintenance activities.

Monitor spending against budget, ensuring cost-effective solutions without compromising safety or performance. Proactively plan resource needs and schedule work to minimize downtime and disruption to production. The Candidate:
Education & Certifications Bachelor's degree in electrical, Control & Instrumentation Engineering (or a related discipline). Chartered Engineer (CEng) status preferred or working towards it. Experience 5-10 years of EC&I engineering experience within a high-hazard chemical, petrochemical, or similar industrial environment. Proven track record in executing and commissioning EC&I projects, including cost control and contractor management. Familiarity with COMAH regulations and major hazard site requirements.

Technical Skills Strong knowledge of process control systems (PLC, DCS), instrumentation calibration, loop checking, and functional safety (IEC 61508/61511). Understanding of electrical distribution systems (Low/High Voltage), BS7671 wiring regulations, and relevant directives. Proficiency in computer-aided design (CAD) software and maintenance systems (e.g., CMMS/Agility). Regulatory & Compliance Knowledge Working knowledge of DSEAR, ATEX, and other UK/EU legislation affecting chemical manufacturing sites.

Experience with hazard assessments (e.g., HAZOP, LOPA) and risk…