Health & Safety officer (part-time) in Northampton

A great opportunity now exists to join our growing team at our R&D facility, right outside the iconic F1 circuit here in Silverstone. If you have a passion for Health & Safety within an automotive engineering, manufacturing and R&D centre of excellence, and you have the required skills, knowledge and experience to fulfil the role of Health & Safety Officer, then please apply today.

Purpose of the Job

The Health & Safety Officer will provide operational leadership, on a part-time basis for health, safety and environmental compliance across our engineering, testing, prototype build and office environments. This is a hands-on role suited to an experienced professional who can work autonomously in an SME setting, balancing legal compliance, risk management and safety culture development in a fast-paced, high-technology R&D and manufacturing environment.

Key responsibilities

• Governance, Compliance & Leadership: Operate as the company’s competent person for Health & Safety under UK legislation, ensuring compliance with all statutory obligations and industry best practice. Develop, maintain and continuously improve the company’s Health & Safety Management System. Provide professional advice to the Head of HR, senior leadership and engineering managers on health, safety and regulatory matters. Monitor and interpret changes in legislation and ensure timely implementation across the business. Lead and conduct risk assessments and method statements (RAMS) for engineering, test, workshop, high-voltage and prototype build activities.
• Safety Management for: High-voltage systems, Mechanical and electrical testing environments, Manual handling and workshop operations, Contractor and visitor safety. Ensure suitable controls are implemented, monitored and reviewed. Lead investigations into accidents, incidents and near misses, ensuring root cause analysis and effective corrective and preventative actions. Maintain statutory records and reporting, including RIDDOR where applicable. Prepare safety performance reports, trend analysis and compliance dashboards for senior management.
• Training & Safety Culture: Develop and deliver targeted H&S training and briefings including: Induction training, Workshop and test safety, Fire safety and emergency response. Promote a positive safety culture through engagement, communication and continuous improvement initiatives. Conduct planned and ad-hoc safety inspections and internal audits. Support external audits, customer assessments and regulatory inspections. Contribute to the development of systems aligned to ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 (where applicable). Support wellbeing initiatives including ergonomic assessments, occupational health coordination and mental wellbeing programmes. Lead and support the development of the company’s Environmental Management System (EMS) in line with ISO 14001. Identify and manage environmental risks and impacts, including: Waste management and recycling, Energy use and sustainability initiatives, Hazardous materials handling and disposal, Environmental compliance obligations. Support environmental audits, customer assessments and continuous improvement plans.

Competencies, Skills and Experience

• Strong working knowledge of UK Health & Safety legislation, including: Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations, COSHH, PUWER, LOLER, RIDDOR.
• Proven experience in a technical, engineering, manufacturing or R&D environment.
• Ability to operate autonomously in an SME, managing priorities with minimal supervision.
• Experience conducting accident investigations and formal risk assessments.
• Confident communicator with the ability to influence engineers, managers and senior leadership.
• Strong report writing, documentation and organisational skills.
• Attention to detail, identifying potential hazards and ensuring that all safety measures are implemented correctly and consistently.
• Experience in automotive, EV, high-voltage, defence or regulated industrial environments.
• Familiarity with ISO 45001 / ISO 14001 frameworks.
• Experience supporting customer, regulatory or defence-sector audits.

Qualifications

• NEBOSH Certificate or Diploma (preferred).
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g. IOSH) desirable.

Working Pattern

This role is offered on a part-time basis (22.5 hours per week / 3 days). Flexibility in working days can be agreed, subject to business needs, periods of operational audits, and risk activities etc.