At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to enhance asset reliability and operational performance across water systems.
- Company: Join United Utilities, a key player in the UK's water industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy 26-30 days holiday, generous pension contributions, and healthcare benefits.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on essential services while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Chartered Engineer with strong leadership and operational engineering experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Ready to shape the engineering performance of one of the UK’s most critical operational networks? At United Utilities, we’re strengthening the technical capability that underpins safe, reliable and efficient service delivery — and we need a leader who can bring clarity, discipline and engineering excellence to our operational environments. This is your opportunity to take a pivotal role where your expertise will directly influence asset reliability, operational performance and the day‑to‑day experience of colleagues across water, wastewater and network systems.
Your mission
- Provide technical leadership, governance and direction to county‑based engineering teams working across operational sites.
- Drive structured problem solving, root cause analysis and engineering best practice to ensure assets operate safely, efficiently and reliably.
- Lead the identification and delivery of operational improvements that reduce OPEX, enhance performance and strengthen plant reliability.
- Lead and line‑manage county‑based operational engineers, ensuring clear priorities, balanced workloads and strong technical development.
- Provide hands‑on engineering expertise to support troubleshooting, fault resolution and optimisation across water, wastewater and sludge assets.
- Drive structured root cause analysis for high‑impact failures, repeating faults, compliance risks and reliability issues.
- Lead OPEX reduction initiatives through engineering optimisation, process efficiency improvements and reliability‑centred maintenance.
- Develop and embed operational engineering standards and processes to ensure consistency across counties.
- Coach engineers in problem‑solving tools including 5 Whys, DMAIC, FMEA and RCA.
- Work closely with operational site teams, County Engineering Managers and maintenance colleagues to identify improvement opportunities and optimise asset performance.
- Ensure consistent application of engineering governance, including technical assessment, sign‑off, safety compliance and assurance.
- Champion safe working practices aligned to CDM, DSEAR, PUWER, LOLER and other statutory requirements.
- Lead engineering investigations, including data analysis, asset performance reviews and development of actionable improvement plans.
- Promote reliability engineering techniques such as condition monitoring, criticality assessments and failure mode analysis.
- Report performance outcomes including OPEX avoidance, reliability improvements and delivery of annual engineering targets.
- Coordinate cross‑county collaboration, sharing best practice and embedding standardised solutions.
- Act as Subject Matter Expert for operational engineering, deputising for senior engineering leaders when required.
- Build strong cross‑functional relationships with operational, maintenance, design and commercial teams to support aligned asset strategies.
- Ensure engineering outputs — reports, RCA findings, technical notes and specifications are accurate, clear and compliant with quality management requirements.
What We’re Looking For
- Chartered Engineer or equivalent experience with commitment to professional registration.
- Strong leadership capability with experience managing and developing distributed technical teams.
- Significant operational engineering experience within the water industry or similar asset‑intensive sectors.
- Demonstrable expertise in root cause analysis, reliability engineering and structured problem solving.
- Proven track record delivering operational improvements and OPEX reduction initiatives.
- Strong understanding of operational environments across water and wastewater treatment sites.
- Excellent working knowledge of CDM, DSEAR, PUWER, LOLER, MHSWA and other statutory regulations.
- Experience applying engineering governance, quality assurance and technical standards.
- Ability to influence and collaborate with operational leaders, maintenance teams and external partners.
- Skilled in analysing performance data, asset trends and operational KPIs to inform engineering decisions.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to translate complex engineering issues for non‑technical audiences.
- Ability to lead multi‑disciplinary investigations and manage engineering activity autonomously.
- High emotional intelligence, resilience and the ability to operate under pressure across multiple live operational issues.
What You’ll Get
- 26–30 days holiday + bank holidays
- Up to 14% employer pension contribution
- £5,000 car allowance
- Up to 20% bonus
- Healthcare, wellbeing benefits, discounts and more
If you’re ready to lead operational engineering excellence, strengthen asset reliability and drive meaningful improvements across our operational network, we’d love to welcome your expertise to United Utilities.
Locations
Operational Engineering Lead in Cheshire, Warrington employer: United Utilities
At United Utilities, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters collaboration and innovation within the water industry. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through comprehensive training programmes and leadership opportunities, ensuring that our team members can thrive in their careers while contributing to the vital services we provide. With competitive benefits including generous holiday allowances, substantial pension contributions, and a focus on wellbeing, we create an environment where our employees feel valued and empowered to make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Operational Engineering Lead in Cheshire, Warrington
✨Join Engineering Meetups!
Get yourself along to local engineering meetups or tech conferences. These are great places to connect with like-minded folks and industry leaders who might just have a lead on that full-time Operational Engineering Lead role you’re after at United Utilities.
✨Show Off Your Projects!
Don’t be shy about showcasing your engineering projects. Whether it’s a funky app, a mechanical design, or a complex algorithm, having a solid portfolio on platforms like GitHub can really make you stand out. Plus, it gives potential employers at United Utilities a taste of what you can bring to the table!
✨Engage with Online Communities
Dive into engineering forums and online communities, like Reddit or specific engineering Discord channels. Sharing your insights, asking questions, and being active can help you build connections that might lead to job opportunities at United Utilities.
✨Apply Through Company Websites
When you spot a role like Operational Engineering Lead at United Utilities, apply directly through their website. Often, this can show your genuine interest in the company and you might just get noticed quicker than via typical job boards.
We think you need these skills to ace Operational Engineering Lead in Cheshire, Warrington
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Expertise:When applying for an engineering role like Operational Engineering Lead, it’s essential to highlight your technical skills. Include any relevant software or tools you're proficient in on your CV—think CAD software, simulation tools, or programming languages. Don't skimp on any engineering projects you've worked on that demonstrate your ability to solve complex problems.
Focus on Results and Impact:In the engineering world, we love numbers and real-world impact. Quantify your achievements wherever possible—like reducing costs by a certain percentage, improving efficiency, or successfully completing a project ahead of schedule. This gives your future employers at United Utilities a clear picture of the value you can bring.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to express your passion for engineering and explain why you’re drawn to United Utilities specifically. Share what aspects of their work excite you and how your values align with theirs. This is your chance to show a bit of personality while keeping it professional!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you have any engineering certifications, especially ones that are recognised in your field, make sure to feature them prominently on your CV. They demonstrate not just your knowledge, but also your commitment to professional development, which is something we at StudySmarter value highly.
How to prepare for a job interview at United Utilities
✨Brush Up on Core Engineering Principles
Before heading into the interview with United Utilities, make sure you're solid on the fundamental engineering principles relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss concepts such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, or structural analysis, depending on the specifics mentioned in the job description. Don’t skip any hands-on projects or coursework; these can be excellent talking points!
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
Expect technical questions or case studies during your interview—after all, engineering is all about solving problems! Prepare a few examples of how you've tackled engineering challenges in the past, whether at university or in any practical experience. Practising with mock technical interviews can really help you articulate your thought process and solutions.
✨Relate Your Experience to the Role
In a full-time role, employers like United Utilities want to see that you can adapt and grow within their team. Be ready to discuss how your previous internships, projects, or studies relate directly to the work you'll be doing. Highlight specific experiences that showcase your collaborative skills and how you've successfully worked within a team environment.
✨Know Your Tools and Software
Most engineering roles require familiarity with specific tools and software. Prepare to talk about your proficiency with programmes like AutoCAD, MATLAB, or SolidWorks if they’re relevant to the role. Even better, have examples of projects where you’ve used these tools, as it'll demonstrate your hands-on experience and readiness for the job.
