Compliance & Safety Engineer in Bury St Edmunds

The Opportunity

Compliance and Safety Engineer supporting an Upper Tier COMAH establishment, responsible for the design, integration, and effectiveness of the Safety Management System (SMS) and for independent assurance that process safety and environmental control systems operate as intended across the site. Accountable for ensuring that site arrangements described in the COMAH Safety Report, Environmental Permit, and internal standards are implemented, integrated, and effective across all departments.

What you’ll be doing

• Safety Management System (SMS) Implementation and administration: Support design, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Site SMS. Provide assurance that SMS elements are effectively implemented across Engineering, Operations, Projects, and Support Functions. Verify that systems, procedures, and standards are operating as described in the Safety Report. Test SMS effectiveness through reviews, audits, performance indicators, and sampling. Identify gaps and ensure they are reported and addressed.
• Process Safety Compliance and Assurance: Provide independent assurance that process safety and environmental controls are functioning as intended. Verify safety-critical and environmentally-critical controls are implemented and maintained. Review risk assessments (e.g., HAZOP, LOPA) to ensure outputs embedded into procedures and operations. Challenge controls relying on assumptions, informal practices, or inconsistent application.
• Cross‑Departmental Integration & Governance: Ensure compliance requirements are integrated into engineering, operational and project activities. Lead Management of Change (MoC) review to confirm risks are controlled before changes. Verify roles, responsibilities, and accountabilities for safety-critical activities. Support consistent application of site standards and performance expectations. Embed a human-factors approach across the site.
• Regulatory & Permit Compliance: Support compliance with COMAH and Environmental Permit requirements. Ensure permit conditions relating to emissions, containment, and monitoring are embedded into controls. Prepare for inspections, focusing on system effectiveness. Track regulatory actions, recommendations, and commitments.
• Documentation, Evidence & Assurance: Review and assure quality and consistency of compliance-critical documentation. Maintain the COMAH Safety Report and Environmental Permit schedules. Ensure evidence of compliance is structured and auditable. Support internal audits, inspections and reviews of compliance systems.
• Continuous Improvement & Learning: Identify systemic weaknesses through incidents, audits and performance trends. Develop compliance and process safety performance indicators. Translate investigation findings into learning materials and improvements. Support competence and awareness activities.

What we’re looking for

We seek a candidate with genuine passion, teamwork skills and dedication.

Education & Training

• Degree in Chemical, Process, Environmental Engineering or related Science.
• Training in key process safety methods (e.g., HAZOP, LOPA, SIL / Functional Safety).
• Understanding of COMAH regulations and regulatory expectations.
• Environmental management awareness (e.g., ISO 14001).
• Desirable: Postgraduate qualification in process safety, environmental management, or risk. Lead/internal auditor qualification or human factors training. NEBOSH General Certificate. IOSH Managing Safety membership. Degree in Chemistry or similar scientific background.

Knowledge & Experience

• Experience in a COMAH or other major hazard regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of Safety Management Systems and practical application.
• Experience reviewing or assuring compliance with process safety and environmental requirements.
• Understanding of how engineering, operations, maintenance, and projects interact within an SMS.
• Familiarity with regulatory inspections, audits and compliance assurance activities.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Generous holiday entitlement with option to purchase additional days.
• Discretionary annual bonus.
• Private medical and dental schemes.
• Pension scheme with 9% employer contribution.
• Life assurance, group income protection, SAYE schemes and free shares.

Other

We encourage flexible working and support a healthy work/life balance. We also provide wellbeing initiatives and opportunities for community and charity involvement.

Agency Notice: We kindly request not to contact us by recruitment agencies. We have a preferred supplier list and high volumes of speculative calls from agencies impact our efficiency. Please respect our wishes.