At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering planning and support for heavy maintenance projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Company: Join a leading rail service provider focused on safety and reliability.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, pension scheme, and travel benefits.
- Other info: Collaborative team culture with opportunities for continuous improvement and career growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on safety and performance in the rail industry.
- Qualifications: City & Guilds / BTEC / NVQ Level 3 in Engineering and project experience required.
Are you an experienced Project Engineer who thrives on solving complex engineering challenges? Do you take pride in delivering high-quality work that keeps vital rail services moving across the UK? Are you ready to contribute to projects that have a real, visible impact on safety, performance, and reliability?
The Opportunity
- 12-month secondment opportunity
- 37.5 hours per week (Monday–Friday)
- Starting salary: £44,657.57 (increasing upon full competency)
- Location: Crewe depot
This is an opportunity to join a high-performing engineering environment where your work directly supports the delivery of critical heavy maintenance projects across a modern and diverse fleet.
About the Environment
Working within a busy depot, you’ll be part of a collaborative and safety-focused team delivering heavy maintenance, overhaul, and upgrade programmes on rolling stock and associated assets. The environment is fast-paced and delivery-driven, where engineering excellence, clear communication, and structured processes are critical to ensuring that vehicles return to service safely, reliably, and on time. You’ll interface daily with production teams, planners, materials, and project stakeholders—playing a central role in ensuring projects run smoothly from concept through to completion.
The Role
Reporting to the Heavy Maintenance Manager, you’ll take ownership of engineering planning and project support activities across assigned workstreams. Your focus will be on ensuring that all project documentation, instructions, and engineering inputs are in place to enable efficient and compliant delivery of maintenance activities. You’ll not only support delivery but actively look for opportunities to improve processes, reduce inefficiencies, and enhance overall project performance.
Key Responsibilities
- Project Planning & Engineering Support
- Develop and maintain detailed Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and production plans
- Create and manage heavy maintenance block cards, job packs, and technical work instructions
- Ensure all engineering documentation is accurate, up-to-date, and accessible to production teams
- Operational Delivery
- Support day-to-day production activities, ensuring alignment with project plans and timescales
- Ensure all start-of-shift and end-of-shift processes are followed consistently
- Lead and facilitate daily production meetings, tracking progress and resolving blockers
- Technical & Problem Solving
- Act as a key point of contact for technical queries, raising and closing them with internal teams and customers
- Work closely with materials and supply chain functions to resolve availability, obsolescence, or substitution issues
- Provide hands-on engineering support in resolving complex maintenance challenges
- Process Improvement & Compliance
- Ensure adherence to heavy maintenance procedures and governance requirements
- Identify opportunities to drive continuous improvement across engineering and production processes
- Support updates to engineering process documentation and standards
- Communication & Leadership
- Deliver toolbox talks and single-point lessons linked to project risks, learnings, and changes
- Build strong working relationships across production, planning, and management teams
- Support the Heavy Maintenance Manager in delivering projects safely, on time, and within scope
What You’ll Bring
- Minimum City & Guilds / BTEC / NVQ Level 3 in Engineering
- Proven experience in a project engineering or heavy maintenance environment
- Strong understanding of traction and rolling stock systems
- A proactive, problem-solving mindset with strong attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced operational setting
- A full, valid UK driving licence
- Experience gained within heavy maintenance environments across rail, HGV/PSV, or other comparable engineering sectors with transferable mechanical and diagnostic expertise would be highly beneficial.
What Success Looks Like
- Projects delivered safely, on time, and to required quality standards
- Strong collaboration between engineering, production, and materials teams
- Clear, structured documentation enabling efficient workshop delivery
- Continuous improvements identified and implemented across processes
- A positive, solutions-focused presence within the depot team
Benefits
- 25 days annual leave plus UK bank holidays
- Pension scheme
- Life assurance and healthcare cover
- Travel benefits
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Retail discount platform
Why Apply?
This is more than just a Project Engineer role—it’s an opportunity to work at the heart of heavy maintenance operations, where your decisions and input directly influence performance, safety, and reliability. You’ll be joining a team that values:
- Doing the right thing
- Taking pride in quality work
- Making a real difference through engineering
Project Engineer in Crewe employer: Ford & Stanley Talentwise
Contact Detail:
Ford & Stanley Talentwise Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Project Engineer in Crewe
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees in the industry, especially those who have worked as Project Engineers. They can provide insider info and might even refer you for the role, which can give you a leg up.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and problem-solving skills. Be ready to discuss specific engineering challenges you've faced and how you tackled them. This will show you're not just about theory but can deliver in practice.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t underestimate the power of follow-ups! After an interview, send a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation for the opportunity. It keeps you fresh in their minds and shows your enthusiasm for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to the heavy maintenance projects that keep the rail services running smoothly.
We think you need these skills to ace Project Engineer in Crewe
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in project engineering and heavy maintenance. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t hold back on showcasing relevant projects you've worked on!
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: Since this role is all about tackling complex engineering challenges, share specific examples of how you've solved problems in past projects. We love seeing a proactive mindset, so let us know how you’ve made a difference!
Keep It Clear and Concise: When writing your application, clarity is key! Use straightforward language and structure your information logically. This helps us quickly understand your qualifications and how you can contribute to our team.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website for the best chance of being noticed. It’s super easy, and it ensures your application goes directly to us. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ford & Stanley Talentwise
✨Know Your Engineering Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of traction and rolling stock systems. Be ready to discuss specific engineering challenges you've faced in the past and how you solved them. This will show that you have the technical expertise needed for the role.
✨Showcase Your Project Management Skills
Prepare examples of how you've developed and maintained Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) or managed production plans in previous roles. Highlight any experience you have with heavy maintenance projects, as this will demonstrate your ability to handle the responsibilities of the position.
✨Emphasise Communication and Collaboration
Since the role involves working closely with various teams, be ready to talk about how you've built strong working relationships in the past. Share examples of how you've facilitated meetings or resolved blockers in a team setting to showcase your leadership skills.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Process Improvements
Think of instances where you've identified inefficiencies and implemented improvements in engineering or production processes. This will show your proactive mindset and commitment to continuous improvement, which is crucial for success in this role.