Project Engineer

Location: Derby
Salary: Up to £50,000

Overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a mechanically-biased Project Engineer to join a specialist engineering business supporting the rail sector. This is a diverse role that combines project engineering, product support, engineering assessment activities and the management of return-to-service and repair activities.

The successful candidate will be responsible for driving investigations into returned products, defining repair scopes, supporting workshop activities, coordinating suppliers and ensuring technical documentation and procedures are maintained to a high standard.

This role would suit an engineer who enjoys being close to the product, is comfortable operating in a small team, and has a practical understanding of engineering, maintenance, overhaul and refurbishment activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate Return Material Authorisation (RMA) activities from initial receipt through to closure.
• Assess returned products and components, identify failure modes and determine appropriate repair or overhaul solutions.
• Define repair scopes, technical requirements and work packages for workshop execution.
• Liaise with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders throughout the investigation and repair process.
• Produce, review and maintain engineering procedures, work instructions and technical documentation.
• Support the creation and maintenance of overhaul instructions and repair documentation.
• Coordinate tooling requirements and support workshop operations where required.
• Assist with engineering investigations, root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Support engineering change implementation and configuration management activities.
• Work closely with procurement and supply chain teams to source components, manage suppliers and support repair activities.
• Ensure all activities comply with relevant quality, safety and rail industry requirements.
• Provide technical support across engineering, operations and customer-facing activities.

Essential Requirements

• HNC or HND in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Predominantly mechanical engineering background with a practical understanding of electrical systems.
• Previous experience within the rail industry, rolling stock sector or rail supply chain.
• Experience carrying out engineering assessments, investigations and defining technical scopes of work.
• Proven experience authoring engineering procedures, work instructions or technical documentation.
• Knowledge of maintenance, repair, overhaul or refurbishment activities.
• Experience working with suppliers, procurement teams or external subcontractors.
• Strong fault-finding, investigation and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, specifications and technical documentation.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a small engineering team.
• Previous practical, workshop, manufacturing or maintenance experience with engineering products or equipment.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience producing overhaul instructions or maintenance procedures.
• Previous involvement in engineering change activities, ECNs/ECRs or configuration management.
• Experience managing Bills of Materials (BoMs).
• Knowledge of RMA, warranty or product support processes.
• Experience within a depot, workshop, manufacturing or overhaul environment.
• Familiarity with ERP systems such as SAP, IFS or Microsoft Dynamics.
• Experience supporting mechanically biased products within a regulated engineering sector.

Personal Attributes

• Practical and hands-on approach to engineering.
• Comfortable balancing technical and operational responsibilities.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Capable of working in a fast-paced SME environment.
• Willingness to support wider business activities when required.
• Proactive, organised and solutions-focused mindset.