Senior Site Engineer

Our client’s site near Ipswich in Suffolk is the first semi closed hydroponic glasshouse in the UK and is the size of over ten football pitches. They are on route to producing over 3.5 million kilos of tomatoes during 2024 with a significant focus on quality and environmental processes, using cutting-edge technology to create the best growing conditions to produce the best possible tasty tomatoes. Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture, which is a method of growing plants without soil using mineral nutrient solutions as a water solvent in a neutral growing media. As the business grows, they will help bring more than 70 new, local jobs to the area and provide locally grown tomatoes for the UK market all year round.

Due to their ongoing growth, they are looking for a Senior Site Engineer to join their hugely innovative business.

The Key Aims of the Role:

• To be responsible for all equipment, processes and controls on the site.
• To support your team and production colleagues across the site to minimise down time whilst observing safe working practices and hygiene controls.
• To work with internal and external colleagues to continually improve the maintenance service on site.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Monitor equipment and plant performance and follow maintenance plans, carry out planned routine and non-routine maintenance tasks which will ensure site performance is maintained at a high level.
• Provide reactive maintenance support to the site audited standards including BRC
• Perform engineering corrective actions to support the Production and Operations teams in ensuring that safe product is produced in line with legislation, audit and customer standards
• Maintain communication with operators in all departments to ensure any potential maintenance issues are highlighted and addressed at the earliest opportunity
• During equipment inspection or following maintenance work, report any conditions which may adversely impact on finished product quality
• Assist NPD and Production and Operations teams in setting up for new products and processes
• Supported by the Operation Director negotiate and agree service contract terms & conditions for key site equipment
• Champion a safe working culture and ensure compliance with all health and safety policies / procedures and safe systems of work.
• Ensure adequate maintenance of boiler, standby generators and irrigation plant and equipment along with all packing machinery
• Ensure refrigerated units are working correctly & arrange service and repairs
• Carry out all site repairs to the highest standard and maintain the site appearance
• Responsible for the maintenance of site ground works, weed control drainage and services

What We Want to See From You:

• 17th or 18th Edition wiring regulation qualification
• Ideally an HNC/HND (or equivalent) in an Engineering Discipline
• Minimum of 5 years recent and relevant work experience within a production or manufacturing environment
• NVQ Level 3 or Time Served Electrical or Mechanical
• Demonstrate competent numeracy and literacy skills
• Competent knowledge of MS Office (Word and Excel)
• Ability to work at heights and in confined spaces
• Able to work as a key individual that is part of a growing and a positive work team