Manufacturing Engineer

Description:

Manufacturing Engineer – Night Shift
Location: Colchester
Salary: £45,000–£48,000 per annum (inclusive of night shift premium)
Overtime: Paid at a fixed rate of £22.70 per hour
Hours: 45 hours per week, working 9:30 PM–6:30 AM
About the Role:
A well-established food manufacturing business is looking for a hands-on Manufacturing Engineer to support and improve night shift operations. You’ll help keep production lines running efficiently, reduce downtime, and maintain high standards of food safety and quality.
This is a fast-paced, shop-floor-based role where you’ll work closely with operators and team leaders, taking ownership of machinery performance and shift operations during the night shift. A UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential due to the site location.
If you are a hands-on engineer who enjoys solving problems, taking ownership and working as part of a close-knit team, we would like to hear from you.
Benefits:
* 33 days annual leave, 3 days reserved for Christmas shutdown
* Enhanced sick pay after one year of service
* Night shift health & wellbeing support
* Staff discount on products
* Employee discount platform
* Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and HR support
* Free onsite parking
* PPE provided
* Family-owned business with a strong culture and clear values
* Varied role with responsibility and autonomy
* Call-out and overtime opportunities available
Key Responsibilities:
* Respond quickly and effectively to equipment breakdowns, diagnosing and resolving electrical and mechanical faults.
* Carry out planned preventative maintenance activities.
* Support production teams in achieving shift performance targets.
* Maintain and improve equipment reliability.
* Assist with continuous improvement projects and equipment upgrades
* Ensure engineering work is completed safely and in line with food manufacturing standards.
* Maintain accurate maintenance records and shift handovers.
* Act as the primary engineering contact during the night shift.
* Work closely with the Manufacturing Shift Manager to ensure the factory operates safely, efficiently and delivers the production plan.
Requirements:
* Food/FMCG Industry Experience highly desirable: Minimum 2–3 years of engineering experience within food manufacturing, high-speed packaging, or Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).
* Hands-on Mechanical & Electrical Skills: Good understanding of both electrical and mechanical systems with confident troubleshooting PLC-controlled systems, automated conveyors, and pneumatic machinery on the factory floor.
* Root Cause Analysis: Proven ability to quickly diagnose mechanical failures and implement long-term preventive actions.
* SME Mindset: Highly adaptable, self-motivated, and comfortable wearing multiple hats in a fast-paced, smaller business environment.
* Local Commute: Ability to reliably commute to the factory site in Essex.
Desirable:
* Apprentice trained or recognised engineering qualification, electrically biased with mechanical maintenance capability, Formal training in HACCP principles or food hygiene.
* Experience in configuring dispersion tables, radial feeders, and pool/weigh hoppers for maximum throughput.
* Experience in diagnosing and fixing jaw-seal issues, back-seal alignment, and gas-flush settings on modern bagmakers (e.g., Ishida Inspira or Atlas series)