Lead Engineer

Role Overview

The Lead Engineer (Mechanical Bias) is responsible for the effective delivery of mechanical engineering services within a hospital environment. This includes leadership of engineering activities, ensuring compliance with healthcare standards, and maintaining critical systems to support patient care.

The role involves working across multiple hospital sites, responding to emergencies, and participating in the on-call rota to ensure 24/7 operational resilience.

Key Responsibilities

Operational & Technical Duties

• Lead and oversee all mechanical engineering activities on-site, ensuring systems operate efficiently and safely.
• Maintain, service, and repair mechanical systems including:
  • HVAC systems
  • Heating and hot water systems
  • Steam and pressure systems (where applicable)
  • Medical gas pipeline systems (desirable)
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, HTM (Health Technical Memoranda), and hospital-specific standards.
• Carry out planned preventive maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance tasks.
• Diagnose faults and implement effective solutions to minimise downtime.
• Support lifecycle planning and asset management activities.

Leadership & Supervision

• Provide leadership and guidance to engineering staff and subcontractors.
• Ensure all work is carried out safely, efficiently, and to a high standard.
• Act as the technical lead for mechanical services on site.
• Support the Technical Supervisor and Contract Manager in delivering contract KPIs.

Compliance & Safety

• Ensure compliance with:
  • Health & Safety legislation
  • HTM guidance and NHS standards
  • Company policies and procedures
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and documentation.
• Ensure risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) are adhered to.
• Participate in audits and inspections.

Cross-Site Support

• Provide support at additional hospital site as required.
• Travel between sites to assist with maintenance, breakdowns, and project work.
• Ensure consistency of standards and practices across locations.

On-Call Duties

• Participate in the on-call rota.
• Respond to emergency callouts in a timely and professional manner.
• Provide technical support during critical incidents.

Skills & Experience Required

Essential

• Strong mechanical engineering background within building services.
• Experience in a healthcare or critical environment.
• Experience with PPM systems and reactive maintenance.
• Proven leadership or supervisory experience.
• Ability to fault-find and problem solve under pressure.
• Full UK driving licence

Desirable

• Knowledge of HTM guidelines and statutory compliance.
• Experience with medical gas systems.

• Knowledge of BMS (Building Management Systems).
• Experience working across multiple sites.
• Previous experience in a Lead Engineer role.