Rail Service Techician – Field Service Engineer

Skilled Plant Technician / Field Service Engineer – Rail Maintenance
£58,000 – £59,000 Basic Salary + Paid Overtime + Company Van & Fuel Card + Excellent Benefits
Permanent | Full-Time | Field-Based – Swindon, Wiltshire & Surrounding Areas
 
Experienced Rail Engineer Looking for Your Next Career Opportunity?
We’re recruiting an experienced Skilled Plant Technician / Field Service Engineer to join a specialist rail engineering operation maintaining and repairing large On-Track Maintenance Trains.
 
This is an excellent opportunity for a technically experienced Mechanical, Electrical or Multi-Skilled Engineer looking for a highly rewarding position offering an excellent salary, flexible working arrangements and long-term career development.
 
Previous rail engineering experience is highly desirable, particularly experience maintaining On-Track Machines (OTMs), On-Track Plant (OTP) or other specialist railway engineering equipment.
 
However, we will also consider technically strong engineers from heavy plant, HGV, agricultural machinery, industrial maintenance, heavy engineering and military engineering backgrounds who have transferable maintenance and diagnostic skills.
 
Full training on the specialist equipment and relevant rail competencies will be provided.
 
Salary & Benefits

• £58,000 – £59,000 basic salary, depending on experience
• Paid overtime opportunities
• Company van and fuel card
• Travel time included within your working day
• Flexible working arrangements – manage your daily schedule
• Company credit card for authorised business expenses
• Company-paid hotel accommodation when required
• Work mobile phone with hotel-booking app
• 5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days’ annual leave + 8 Bank Holidays
• Health Cash Plan
• All specialist tools provided
• Full PPE and uniform
• Structured technical training and rail competency development
• Regular performance and salary reviews
• Long-term career progression opportunities
• Permanent, full-time employment

The Role:
 
As a Skilled Plant Technician / Field Service Engineer, you’ll provide specialist technical maintenance, advanced fault finding and repair support for a fleet of On-Track Maintenance Trains.
These substantial machines are used to maintain railway infrastructure and incorporate complex mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and electronic systems.
 
This is a technically demanding position involving a combination of planned maintenance, major repairs, modifications, inspections and diagnosing complex engineering faults.
You’ll play an important role in ensuring the machines remain safe, reliable and available for operational use.
 
Unlike a traditional workshop-based position, this is a mobile field engineering role, travelling directly to the machines wherever they’re operating or located within your geographical area.
 
Your Working Day – Home-Based Start & Flexible Hours
One of the major attractions of this opportunity is the flexibility and independence it offers.
 
You’ll start your working day from home, travelling directly to the location of the maintenance train using your company van.
Your normal working arrangements will include:

• Your geographical patch will primarily cover Swindon, Wiltshire and surrounding areas.
• Travel to your allocated machine will normally be no more than approximately two hours each way.
• Travelling time forms part of your working day, rather than being additional unpaid commuting time.
• You’ll be expected to arrive on site by 9am at the latest.
• Depending on travelling distances and maintenance requirements, you’ll typically spend approximately 5-6 hours on site.
• You’ll have the flexibility to manage your daily schedule, including when you leave home and finish, provided your allocated engineering tasks are completed and operational requirements are met.

For example:
If your allocated machine is two hours from home, you could leave at 7am, arrive on site by 9am, complete your maintenance and repair activities and then travel home.
 
The emphasis is on completing your work safely and efficiently, maintaining equipment reliability and managing your time effectively.
Overnight Accommodation & Travel Expenses
 
We appreciate that travelling up to two hours each way isn’t always practical.
Where your allocated machine is towards the outer limits of your geographical patch, you’ll have the option of staying overnight rather than travelling home each evening.
 
The company makes this straightforward by providing:

• A work mobile phone with a dedicated hotel-booking app, linked directly to the company’s accommodation account.
• The ability to book approved hotels directly, with accommodation costs charged to the company.
• A company credit card for authorised business expenses.
• A company van and fuel card for business travel.

You’ll normally work within your allocated geographical area. However, there may occasionally be a requirement to support machines further afield, provide holiday cover or assist with operational maintenance requirements.
This may involve travelling outside your usual patch and staying away overnight.
 
These situations are expected to be infrequent, but applicants should be comfortable with occasional travel and overnight stays when required.
Key Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will include:

• Carrying out planned preventative maintenance, servicing and inspections on specialist On-Track Maintenance Trains.
• Undertaking scheduled maintenance programmes, including annual maintenance and major repairs.
• Performing advanced mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic and electronic fault finding.
• Diagnosing complex engineering faults and implementing effective repair solutions.
• Carrying out equipment modifications, adjustments and component replacements.
• Investigating recurring faults and supporting improvements in machine reliability.
• Ensuring maintenance and repairs are completed in accordance with agreed engineering standards and schedules.
• Supporting the operational availability, performance and condition of the machines.
• Providing technical assistance to maintenance engineers and other engineering colleagues.
• Undertaking independent field service repairs at various locations when required.
• Operating machinery for maintenance and testing purposes where trained and authorised.
• Identifying defects and completing repairs within your level of competency.
• Ordering parts, equipment and materials required for maintenance activities.
• Completing accurate maintenance records, technical reports and documentation.
• Maintaining high standards of housekeeping and 5S.
• Working in accordance with rail safety procedures, risk assessments and safe systems of work.

Working Hours & Rota:
 
The position normally operates on a roster of approximately 160 hours over a four-week period