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- Tasks: Maintain grounds and ensure cleanliness across our MoD Eskmeals site.
- Company: Join QinetiQ, a leader in defence technology and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holiday, health plans, and employee discounts.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while working in a supportive and dynamic team.
- Qualifications: Experience in grounds maintenance and a full UK driving licence required.
- Other info: Flexible working hours and opportunities for training and development.
The predicted salary is between 24000 - 36000 £ per year.
Job Title: Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative
Location: Eskmeals, England, United Kingdom
Role Type: Permanent – Full Time
Package: Competitive Salary + Benefits
Role ID: 18834
Are you ready to be part of the future? At QinetiQ, we’re not just imagining tomorrow; we’re creating it. From cutting-edge defence technology to ground-breaking innovations, our mission is to empower and protect lives.
Join us as a Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative at our MoD Eskmeals site, where you’ll play a key role in keeping our facilities operating safely, efficiently and to the highest standards.
The Role
As a Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative, you’ll make a real difference by ensuring our site always looks its best and remains safe for all who work and visit. The role is approximately 80% grounds maintenance and 20% cleaning, offering a great variety of work across the site.
Day-to-day, you’ll take pride in maintaining the grounds and outdoor spaces, carrying out scheduled maintenance tasks, and ensuring buildings and communal areas remain clean and functional. You’ll be part of a supportive team, but also trusted to work autonomously, managing your own workload and taking ownership of your areas of responsibility.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Delivering general grounds maintenance services across the site
- Supporting specialist grounds activities including grass cutting, spraying and tree management
- Operating and maintaining grounds equipment such as ride-on mowers
- Carrying out cleaning duties across offices, workshops, accommodation and shared spaces
- Ensuring the safe use and storage of tools, materials and cleaning substances
- Completing site records, basic administration tasks and reporting issues promptly
Essential experience of the Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative:
- Proven experience in a grounds maintenance role
- Ability to work safely at height and use associated access equipment
- General administration skills with basic computer literacy (Microsoft Office or similar)
- Strong awareness of health, safety and environmental standards
- Excellent teamwork and communication skills
- A proactive and flexible approach to work
Experience or tickets for ride-on mowers or spraying would be beneficial but are not essential, training can be provided for the right candidate.
Essential qualifications for the Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative:
- Full UK driving licence
- Manual handling awareness and appreciation of associated risks
- Ability to safely deploy equipment and cleaning materials
We value difference and we don’t have a fixed idea when it comes to background or education, if you can demonstrate the right level of experience and a willingness to learn, we’d love to hear from you.
This role is full-time and permanent, based at MoD Eskmeals. Working hours: Monday to Thursday, 07:30–16:30; Friday, 07:30–12:00
MoD Eskmeals
Our Eskmeals facility in Cumbria plays an important role in defence research and testing, with extensive outdoor ranges and specialised environments supporting UK Defence programmes. You’ll be joining a skilled and dedicated team working to maintain a safe, clean and efficient site that supports critical national capability.
Why Join QinetiQ?
As we continue to grow into new markets around the world, there’s never been a more exciting time to join QinetiQ. The formula for success is our appetite for innovation and having the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges.
As a QinetiQ employee, you’ll experience a unique working environment where teams from different backgrounds, disciplines and experiences collaborate openly as we undertake this exciting and rewarding journey. Through teamwork, shared perspectives and innovative thinking, you’ll help us discover new ways of solving complex problems, all in a diverse and inclusive environment where you can be authentic, feel valued and realise your full potential.
- Matched contribution pension scheme with life assurance
- Generous holiday allowance with the option to purchase additional days
- Options to join Health Cash Plan, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance
- Employee discount portal – from travel insurance and cinema tickets to restaurants and retail
- We proudly support the Armed Forces community as a Gold Award holder in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme
- Volunteering opportunities to support charities and local communities
Our Recruitment Process
We aim to make our recruitment process as inclusive as possible, ensuring everyone feels valued and supported. If you have a disability or health condition that may affect your performance in any assessment, please let your recruiter know so we can make reasonable adjustments.
Please note that all applicants for this role must be eligible for SC clearance, as a minimum.
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Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative employer: QINETIQ LIMITED
Contact Detail:
QINETIQ LIMITED Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company! Research QinetiQ and their values. When you understand what they stand for, you can tailor your conversation to show how you fit into their mission.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Connect with current employees on LinkedIn or attend local job fairs. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to insider tips or even a referral!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the interview by practising common questions related to grounds maintenance and cleaning. Think about your past experiences and how they relate to the role at QinetiQ.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at QinetiQ.
We think you need these skills to ace Grounds Maintenance & Cleaning Operative
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Experience: When applying, make sure to highlight your previous experience in grounds maintenance. We want to see how you've tackled similar tasks before, so don’t hold back on the details!
Tailor Your Application: Take a moment to tailor your application to the role. Use keywords from the job description to show us you understand what we're looking for. It’ll help your application stand out!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate straightforward communication, so avoid fluff and get straight to the good stuff about your skills and experiences.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us directly. Plus, it’s super easy to navigate!
How to prepare for a job interview at QINETIQ LIMITED
✨Know Your Grounds
Familiarise yourself with the specific grounds maintenance tasks mentioned in the job description. Be ready to discuss your previous experience with grass cutting, tree management, and using grounds equipment like ride-on mowers. Showing that you understand the role will impress the interviewers.
✨Safety First
Since health and safety are crucial in this role, brush up on relevant safety standards and practices. Be prepared to talk about how you've ensured safety in past roles, especially when working at height or using cleaning substances. This shows you take responsibility seriously.
✨Team Player with Independence
Highlight your ability to work both as part of a team and independently. Share examples of how you've successfully managed your workload and taken ownership of your responsibilities. This will demonstrate that you can thrive in their supportive yet autonomous environment.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare some thoughtful questions about the role and the team dynamics. Inquire about the types of projects you might be involved in or how the team collaborates on maintenance tasks. This shows your genuine interest in the position and helps you assess if it's the right fit for you.
