Shift Maintenance Engineer

Whitby Seafoods Ltd; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading seafood processing company in the United Kingdom seeks a Shift Maintenance Engineer to support production with hands-on mechanical and electrical maintenance. The ideal candidate will have experience within a manufacturing environment and knowledge of fault-finding on equipment. This role offers opportunities for development and is part of a supportive engineering team in a fast-paced food manufacturing setting, ensuring efficient and safe operations.

Benefits

Opportunities for development

Supportive team environment

Varied and interesting role

Qualifications

• Hands-on maintenance experience in manufacturing or industrial environment.
• Experience with conveyors, pumps, and hydraulics.
• Basic IT skills and familiarity with maintenance systems.

Responsibilities

• Carry out planned, preventative and reactive maintenance.
• Diagnose mechanical and electrical issues.
• Support production operations safely.

Skills

Problem-solving ability

Electrical fault finding

Mechanical maintenance

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Education

Recognised engineering qualification (e.g., NVQ Level 3)

Job description

Company Description

We’re a buccaneering, privately owned, family business with almost 40 years of experience. We’re based in Whitby, a real place with a rich history as a fishing port. We also have a processing site in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland. We employ over 350 people across these two sites and produce around 8,000 tonnes of seafood.

As a company, we are obsessed with top-notch seafood and are the market leaders in quality. We are the beacon brand for scampi and are the UK’s largest buyer and processor of scampi. Simply put, we sell more scampi than anyone else anywhere else, and we are proud to sell our scampi under the Whitby brand.

We have won quite a few Great Taste awards for our products, and our flagship product, Whitby Scampi, is a famous dish in pubs, restaurants, and kitchen tables throughout the country.

We are family-owned and run, making us a strongly entrepreneurial business, and we are always looking for talented people to join us.

Role Description

We are looking for a Shift Maintenance Engineer to join our on-site engineering team in Whitby.

This is a hands‑on, multi‑skilled role supporting production through planned, preventative and reactive maintenance. While the role has historically attracted electrically biased engineers, we are equally keen to hear from mechanically biased candidates who have working electrical fault‑finding capability and a willingness to continue developing their skills.

You will be part of a supportive and experienced engineering team working in a fast‑paced food manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out planned, preventative and reactive maintenance across a wide range of production and site equipment
• Diagnose and fault find mechanical and electrical issues to minimise downtime
• Support safe and efficient operation of production lines and utilities
• Assist with installations, improvements and minor project work
• Work effectively as part of a shift team, often acting independently without direct supervision
• Ensure all work is completed in line with health, safety and food safety requirements
• Accurately record maintenance activity using site systems

Experience

• We are looking for practical, hands‑on engineering experience, ideally including:
• Experience in a maintenance role within a manufacturing or industrial environment
• Mechanical maintenance experience such as conveyors, gearboxes, pumps, bearings, pneumatics or hydraulics
• Electrical fault finding experience on industrial equipment, including motors, sensors and control circuits
• Ability to balance planned maintenance with reactive breakdowns in a live production environment
• Experience working individually or within a small team on shift
• Experience in food manufacturing is advantageous but not essential.

Knowledge and Qualifications

You will ideally have:

• A recognised engineering qualification such as an apprenticeship, NVQ Level 3, City & Guilds or BTEC in a mechanical or electrical discipline
• A multi‑skilled mindset, with a bias towards either mechanical or electrical and the willingness to develop the other
• Basic IT skills, including use of maintenance systems or computer‑based records
• An understanding of safe systems of work in a manufacturing environment
• Qualifications such as 18th Edition Wiring Regulations and 2391/2392 are desirable, but training and development can be provided for the right candidate.

Skills and Personal Attributes

• Strong problem‑solving and fault‑finding ability
• Good communication skills and a positive approach to teamwork
• Ability to use initiative and make sound decisions under pressure
• Well organised, with the ability to prioritise workload effectively
• A flexible and reliable approach to shift work

What We Offer

• A stable, long‑established employer with strong values and reputation
• A supportive engineering team with a genuine focus on development
• Opportunities to broaden skills and gain additional qualifications
• A varied and interesting role in a fast‑moving manufacturing environment