At a Glance
- Tasks: Keep heavy plant moving by monitoring and improving equipment reliability.
- Company: Join Tarmac, a leader in the heavy industry with a people-first culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy bonuses, enhanced holidays, pension schemes, and exclusive discounts.
- Other info: Hybrid role with opportunities for career growth and community involvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on plant performance and safety while developing your skills.
- Qualifications: Mechanical experience in heavy industry and strong diagnostic skills required.
The predicted salary is between 34470 - 42130 £ per year.
Are you a hands-on mechanical expert with a passion for reliability and precision? Do you thrive in heavy industry where your skills directly impact performance, uptime and safety? We’re looking for a Lubrication Technician / Mechanical Craftsperson who can spot issues before they become failures, drive improvements, and play a critical role in keeping a large-scale quarry operation running at its best.
Do you understand lubrication as a reliability discipline, not just a task? Can you diagnose, analyse and act on plant condition data? Are you comfortable working both on the tools and with systems/reporting? Would you like the chance to make a visible impact on plant performance? If so, this role could be for you!
What You’ll Be Doing
- You’ll be at the heart of plant reliability, monitoring, analysing and improving the condition of critical equipment across the site.
- Driving proactive maintenance through condition monitoring and lubrication excellence.
- Inspecting plant and recording defects in CMMS systems (e.g. SAP).
- Analysing trends to predict failures before they occur.
- Developing and refining preventative maintenance strategies, FMEAs and condition monitoring techniques.
- Raising and managing work orders to ensure timely intervention.
- Supporting RCA investigations and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Carrying out minor repairs within your competence.
- Working closely with operations and maintenance teams to ensure clear communication of plant condition.
- Contributing to budget planning through accurate condition reporting.
- Helping introduce new technologies and best practice in lubrication.
This is a hybrid hands-on and analytical role, combining site inspections with office-based planning and reporting.
What We’re Looking For
- You’ll bring strong mechanical experience from a heavy industrial environment such as quarrying, mining, cement, manufacturing or similar.
- Proven expertise in industrial lubrication systems.
- Strong fault-finding and diagnostic skills.
- Experience with preventative maintenance and condition monitoring.
- Ability to collect, interpret and act on data.
- Knowledge of COSHH, HSE standards and safe working practices.
- Experience using CMMS systems (ideally SAP).
- Excellent organisation and report writing skills.
- A proactive, ownership-driven mindset.
- The confidence to work independently and influence others.
- Mechanical apprenticeship (advantageous).
- ONC/HNC in Mechanical Engineering (preferred).
- NEBOSH / IOSH (preferred).
Why This Role Matters
This isn’t just maintenance - it’s about preventing downtime, improving reliability and protecting critical assets. Your work will directly influence plant performance, safety and operational efficiency.
Location
Based at Tarmac Tunstead Quarry, Buxton this role is easily accessible from Derby, Macclesfield, Stockport, Glossop, Chesterfield, Leek, Ashbourne, Bakewell, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent and the surrounding areas.
Why Tarmac
We don't just offer a job, we offer a career. Alongside this role, you'll have access to industry-leading rewards, development opportunities, and a culture that puts people first, including:
- Bonus scheme.
- Enhanced holiday entitlement.
- Contributory pension scheme.
- Access to the Tarmac Reward website with discounts on retailers, holidays, etc.
- Access to our Employee Assistance helpline for free and confidential advice.
- Access to join our Employee Communities (employee networks) we currently have nine communities inc. (REACH) Religious, Ethnic, Cultural Heritage, LGBTQ+, Parents.
Mechanical Craftperson (Lubrication) employer: Tarmac
At Tarmac, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work culture at our Ballidon Quarry near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. With industry-leading rewards, comprehensive training and development opportunities, and a commitment to employee wellbeing, we empower our Multi Skilled Operatives to thrive in their roles while fostering a collaborative environment that values diversity and personal growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Mechanical Craftperson (Lubrication)
✨Get Your Hands Dirty at Engineering Events
Join local engineering meetups or industry conferences related to mechanical engineering. Whether it's a workshop or a career fair, these events are goldmines for networking and getting a foot in the door. Plus, you can showcase your passion and enthusiasm directly to potential employers like Tarmac.
✨Connect with Professors & Peers
Tap into your university’s resources—professors often have connections in the industry. Don’t be shy to ask about potential openings or recommendations. Your classmates might also know of companies hiring. Often, it’s who you know that gets you in front of the right people!
✨Highlight Your Projects and Practical Experience
When you land those interviews, make sure to talk about your hands-on projects or internships. Whether it's a design project or hands-on experience with CAD software, specific examples will make you stand out. Companies like Tarmac love to hear about practical applications of your skills.
✨Apply Directly on Company Websites
Check out the careers page of Tarmac and apply directly through there. It shows initiative and interest in their specific values. Plus, you'll often find openings that aren't advertised on job boards, giving you a better chance to land that full-time gig!
We think you need these skills to ace Mechanical Craftperson (Lubrication)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Technical Expertise:In mechanical engineering, it’s vital to highlight your technical skills and projects. Make sure to include relevant software proficiency (like CAD tools) in your CV. If you've worked on specific engineering projects, detail your key contributions — we want to see how you’ve applied your skills in a practical setting!
Focus on Problem-Solving Examples:Employers in mechanical engineering love to see how you handle challenges. Use your cover letter to share specific instances where you’ve solved a complex problem or improved a design. This will show us you're not just knowledgeable but also capable of applying that knowledge effectively.
Highlight Relevant Certifications:Include any relevant certifications or training that can set you apart from the competition. Whether it's coursework from your degree, a recognised certification, or extra training in new technologies, we love to see candidates who continuously improve their skill set. This tells us you're serious about your career in engineering!
Tailor Your CV for the Role:Don’t forget to customise your CV for Tarmac and the Mechanical Craftperson (Lubrication) role specifically. Pull examples from your experience that align with the job description — it shows us you've done your research and are genuinely interested in becoming part of the team. We recommend applying through our website to ensure your application gets to the right people!
How to prepare for a job interview at Tarmac
✨Brush Up on Your CAD Skills
Since mechanical engineering often involves design processes, be ready to showcase your proficiency in CAD software like SolidWorks or AutoCAD. Bring along a digital portfolio or even some sketches that demonstrate your design capabilities — it’s a great way to show what you can bring to the table at Tarmac.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect technical questions that test your understanding of engineering principles and problem-solving skills. You might get hypothetical scenarios where you need to design a component or troubleshoot a mechanical system. Practising these types of questions will give you the confidence to tackle whatever comes your way!
✨Show Your Team Spirit
As a full-time mechanical engineer, collaboration is key! Be ready to share examples of past team projects or any experiences where you contributed to solving a complex problem with others. Demonstrating your ability to work in a team will resonate well with the interviewers at Tarmac.
✨Discuss Your Future Goals
Since this is a full-time position, your long-term vision is important. Be open about your career aspirations, whether it’s mastering a specific tool or leading projects. This shows that you're committed not just to learning but also to growing with Tarmac, making you a more appealing candidate.
