Mechanical Operations Engineer (South East)
£55,500 to £65,500 + up to 6% bonus + company car
* Up to 10-15% additional earnings through overtime and standby
Chelmsford (South East of England)
Field‑based across the South East of England, with Chelmsford as the central compressor station.
You’ll travel to multiple sites across the area (we call this the E5 zone) 5 days a week, so you’ll need to be based locally and comfortable with regular travel. Some travel to our regional hub in Peterborough will also be required.
About us
National Gas is securing Britain’s energy. We transport gas throughout Great Britain, repair and maintain gas pipelines, and manage the meters that allow millions of homes and businesses to access the energy they need. We are the national gas network, providing secure energy to power Britain, achieve net zero, and maintain our industrial competitiveness.
About the role
You’ll be the mechanical technical authority across the area – leading safe operations, managing risk and ensuring critical assets perform at their best.
You’ll act as the Authorising Engineer, taking ownership of the permit‑to‑work system and setting the standard for control of work across the area, providing expert oversight across all operational activities.
You’ll also take ownership of the area’s key compressor assets – ensuring strategic rotating plant is maintained, reliable and available to support network demand.
This is a hands‑on leadership role where you’ll work closely with technicians and operatives to resolve defects, reduce operational risk and keep site performance at its highest standard – all while ensuring full compliance with safety and engineering requirements.
What you'll be doing
* Lead as the technical escalation point for all mechanical engineering matters
* Manage and issue permits to work across routine, non‑routine and multi‑discipline activities
* Support and coach technicians and operatives to deliver work safely and effectively
* Assess competency and carry out workplace evaluations to maintain high standards
* Use asset performance data to prioritise maintenance and interventions
* Drive resolution of defects, focusing on highest‑risk issues first
* Ensure compliance with health, safety and engineering standards at all times
* Provide technical input into design reviews, focusing on safety, practicality and whole‑life cost
* Support delivery of capital projects, ensuring safe, practical integration into live operations
* Work closely with project teams to support smooth handover of new and modified assets
* Act as Management of Change process owner, ensuring changes are risk assessed and implemented safely
* Take ownership critical compressor assets, driving reliability, availability, and performance of strategic rotating plant to support network capacity and resilience
* Act as incident controller when required and take part in a 24/7 standby rota
About you
You’ll be someone others turn to for technical direction, and you’re confident making decisions, leading from the front and getting into the detail when needed.
Visible, felt leadership is key – you set clear expectations, delegate effectively and take an active role in developing the capability of the team.
You take pride in doing things the right way – putting safety first, building strong working relationships and continuously looking for ways to improve. You’re just as comfortable on the ground with the team as you are stepping back to prioritise risk and performance.
Key requirements & experience
* HNC (or equivalent) in a mechanical engineering discipline, or significant equivalent experience
* Strong mechanical engineering knowledge and hands‑on experience
* Experience operating within a formal permit‑to‑work system
* Solid understanding of mechanical engineering standards, procedures and regulatory requirements
* Proven experience leading technical work and safely setting teams to work
* Experience managing mechanical defects, maintenance and operational risk
* Demonstrable experience of visible felt leadership, and setting clear safety and performance standards
* Experience coaching and developing technical staff
* Strong commitment to health, safety and operational excellence
* Knowledge of gas entry/exit procedures (GSMR / Network Code)
* IOSH Managing Safely (or equivalent)
* Full UK driving licence
* Degree (or equivalent) in mechanical engineering or a related discipline
* Working towards Incorporated Engineer (IEng) status
Security clearance
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at United Kingdom Security Vetting: clearance levels – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
What we offer
* Competitive salary and annual performance bonus
* Company car – subject to business mileage
* Double‑match pension scheme (max. company contribution 12%)
* Generous holiday allowance (26/28 days + bank holidays)
* Flexible benefit scheme, inc. private healthcare, dental insurance, technology plans, and more
* Financial protection with 10× salary death in service and financial support if you’re unable to work due to long‑term illness or injury
* Excellent family friendly provisions such as maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave
* Professional development opportunities inc. financial support to help you cover the cost of professional membership subscriptions
* Employee assistance programme offering free confidential professional counselling 24/7
* Inclusive, supportive, and forward‑thinking workplace
Inclusive recruitment
At National Gas, we are disability confident, and we are signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant, committed to building a workforce that represents the communities we serve. We celebrate the different experiences our colleagues bring to our organisation and strongly encourage applicants of all backgrounds to apply. Please let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments to perform your best.
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