Mechanical Engineer - 32863
Number of jobs available: 3
Region: London, South East
City/Town: Oxford, Sunbury-on-Thames
Building/Site: DEFRA GRP EA OSNEY YARD OFFICE, OX2 0AX, DEFRA GRP EA SUNBURY DEPOT, TW16 6AH
Grade: Staff Grade 4
Post Type: Permanent
Role Type: Operational Delivery
Working Pattern: Full Time, Compressed Hours
Salary Minimum: £34,320
Closing Date: 05/03/2026, 23:55 hours
Job Description
Want to make a difference and help water conveyance within Thames area's Flood and Coastal Risk Management (FCRM)? Predominantly working across Thames and parts of Hertfordshire and North London, MEICA Engineers provide vital, in‑house maintenance and repairs on equipment ranging from 1940's pumps and Navigable Locks up to the very latest PLC‑controlled systems.
As a MEICA Mechanical Engineer your day‑to‑day role will see you travelling across the region (work vehicle provided) conducting routine maintenance activities, reactive maintenance and attending breakdowns. Additionally you will carry out small projects such as gearbox and drive system replacements.
These posts are full‑time. The team currently works a 9‑day fortnight with every other Friday off.
You will be required to take on an Incident Response role as part of your contract. Typically, this will be on‑call MEICA on a 6‑week rotation.
Everyone starting in a new role with the Environment Agency will be welcomed into the team and given all the training and support needed to succeed. You will be provided with a van, all the necessary tools, and Personal Protective Equipment to enable you to complete your job safely.
The Team
The Field MEICA team is an integral part of the Local FCRM Operations department, undertaking asset management, maintenance and incident response. We are a small team of mechanically skilled members.
The team supports both flood risk management and waterways, providing mechanical assistance to the business, ensuring our assets are operating, fit for purpose and safe.
Experience / Skills Required
Essential
* Ability to work effectively with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. Actively encourage others to consider diversity issues in their work
* Ability to work in a small, dispersed team, potentially the sole engineer on site
* Able to make informed, effective, engineering decisions and repairs in a timely manner
* Able to confidently access assemblies or platforms using ladders and stairwells
* Use supplied Personal Electronic Devices to accurately record maintenance activities, faults and repairs
* Ability to work in all weather conditions in a mix of urban and rural environments
* A valid UK manual driving licence
* Ability to travel to your base depot within 60 minutes to meet urgent business needs
Desirable
* Experience of Hydraulic and mechanical drive systems
* NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in a Mechanical Engineering discipline
* Nationally recognised Welding qualification
Contact and Additional Information
You’ll have an EA Office base location at either Osney Yard, Oxford or Sunbury Depot, Sunbury-on-Thames. We use smart tools to stay connected and reduce travel, some travel and overnights may be required.
The Sunbury Depot location base attracts outer London weighting allowance.
Please read the Candidate / Additional Information Pack for information. Any queries, contact steve.scott@environment-agency.gov.uk
Applications are "blind" assessed using your answers to the competency questions.
Interviews will be held via MS Teams or at Sunbury Depot within two weeks of the closing date.
If you consent to being held on a reserve list, we'll hold your details for 6 months and may offer you an alternative post.
Competence 1: Takes Decisions and Solves Problems
Description: Finds and delivers optimal solutions by effectively analysing all the information, probing to develop alternatives and taking sound and timely decisions.
Question: Tell us of a time when you were presented with a fault that you had not come across before. Explain your thought process (failure diagnosis) and how you resolved the issue.
Competence 2: Influences and Persuades Others
Description: Presenting a case in a convincing and attractive way that will win people over, encouraging them to follow plans willingly; often succeeding where logic and reason alone would fail.
Question: In this role you could encounter members of the public, including residents near our structures, as well as colleagues from other teams. Sometimes they will be unhappy about matters unrelated to your role but will look to you for answers. Using an example, if possible, explain how you would look to resolve a potentially hostile situation.
Competence 3: Achieves Results
Description: Sets and delivers high work standards, demonstrates the drive to meet targets. Prioritises and organises tasks and resources to ensure timely achievement of results.
Question: Field MEICA is a small Engineering team that works across a large geographical area, supporting numerous other departments. You will interact with these other teams on a daily basis. Give an example of when you needed to quickly build rapport with a stranger(s) to achieve a result.
Role Specific License Requirements
Full UK manual driving licence
Legal and Diversity Statements
If you are applying from the Civil Service please note that the Environment Agency is not a part of HM Civil Service and you would not be a Crown Servant in the event of being appointed. Therefore, you will not be eligible for continuous service. For applicants who currently work in local government or other bodies listed in the Redundancy Payments (Continuity of Employment in Local Government etc) (Modification) Order 1999, you may be eligible for continuous service for the purpose of calculating any future redundancy payment. If you are unsure of your status then you should contact your own HR Team.
We are fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome flexible working patterns for all our vacancies, including job share, so please include clearly any information regarding your preferred working arrangements on your application.
We also have a Guaranteed Interview Policy to support those with a disability who are seeking employment. We have committed to guaranteeing an interview to anyone with a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
The Environment Agency, as a Non-Departmental Public Body, is committed to providing value for money and utilises Central Government frameworks and contracts for all external recruitment needs. For this reason, we are unable to engage with the market directly through post, email or phone calls. Should you wish to become a support supplier on one of these frameworks or contracts please visit for more information.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Although the Environment Agency is a non-departmental public body sponsored by Defra, we subscribe to and align with the candidate guidance on the use of artificial intelligence found on the. Please review for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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