Electrical Engineer in Southampton

We have multiple clients across the UK currently looking for E&I / EC&I / C&I or Multi-Skilled Engineers that are Electrician Bias. You would need prior experience in an industrial setting. Some of the key locations are: Cambridge, Suffolk, Norwich, Manchester. However, if you are open to relocation or actively looking for a similar role anywhere in the UK, do apply; we have a very big team with clients all over the country looking for strong EC&I professionals.

Below is an example of the type of positions we have available:

• EC&I Technical Leadership
  • Serve as the site’s Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Electrical, Control, and Instrumentation matters, ensuring safe, reliable, and compliant operation of plant equipment.
  • Develop and maintain site EC&I standards (including ATEX, DSEAR, SIL, functional safety, etc.) in alignment with industry best practices and legal requirements.
• Project Management
  • Lead or support EC&I projects from concept through commissioning, ensuring on-time, on-budget delivery.
  • Coordinate with internal teams (Operations, Maintenance, HSE, etc.) and external contractors to define scopes of work, manage schedules, and track budgets.
  • Oversee design, installation, and commissioning of new EC&I systems, ensuring compliance with COMAH and other regulatory requirements.
• Maintenance & Reliability
  • Provide technical guidance to maintenance teams on preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance of electrical and instrumentation assets.
  • Support day-to-day troubleshooting and fault-finding across a range of systems (e.g., PLCs, DCS, safety instrumented systems, field instrumentation).
  • Drive reliability improvements through root cause analysis (RCA) and continuous improvement methodologies.
• COMAH & Regulatory Compliance
  • Collaborate closely with the HSE team to ensure EC&I operations and projects satisfy COMAH, ATEX, DSEAR, and other relevant regulations.
  • Maintain and develop safety instrumented systems (SIS), ensuring proper documentation, proof testing, and compliance with IEC 61508 / 61511.
  • Participate in COMAH-related activities, including audits, hazard studies (HAZOP / LOPA), safety reports, and regulator inspections.
• Standards & Documentation
  • Establish and maintain EC&I technical documentation (e.g., drawings, loop diagrams, schematics) and ensure compliance with site change control procedures.
  • Implement standards for the management of safety-critical systems, ensuring appropriate performance levels (e.g., SIL determinations) are met.
  • Support development of site procedures, work instructions, and best practices in line with company policies and legal obligations.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Identify and implement opportunities to enhance efficiency, reduce cost, and improve safety within EC&I disciplines.
  • Keep abreast of emerging technologies, standards, and best practices; recommend upgrades and innovations to maintain a competitive edge.
  • Promote a culture of continuous improvement, sharing knowledge, and mentoring other engineering team members.
• Contractor & Stakeholder Management
  • Manage EC&I contractors and vendors, including selection, contract negotiation, and oversight of quality control.
  • Liaise with external stakeholders (e.g., HSE, Environment Agency) and represent the site’s EC&I interests in audits or inspections.
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders such as Operations, R&D, QA, and other engineering functions to align priorities and deliver effective solutions.
• Budget & Resource Management
  • Support the Engineering Manager in developing and managing budgets related to EC&I projects and maintenance activities.
  • Monitor spending against budget, ensuring cost-effective solutions without compromising safety or performance.
  • Proactively plan resource needs and schedule work to minimize downtime and disruption to production.

Key Requirements

• Education & Certifications
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Control & Instrumentation Engineering (or a related discipline).
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng) status preferred or working towards it.
• Experience
  • 5–10 years of EC&I engineering experience within a high-hazard chemical, petrochemical, or similar industrial environment.
  • Proven track record in executing and commissioning EC&I projects, including cost control and contractor management.
  • Familiarity with COMAH regulations and major hazard site requirements.
• Technical Skills
  • Strong knowledge of process control systems (PLC, DCS), instrumentation calibration, loop checking, and functional safety (IEC 61508 / 61511).
  • Understanding of electrical distribution systems (Low / High Voltage), BS7671 wiring regulations, and relevant directives.
  • Proficiency in computer-aided design (CAD) software and maintenance systems (e.g., CMMS / Agility).

Open to candidates willing to relocate within the UK. Visa sponsorship unfortunately not possible to non-EU nationals.