At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead engineering teams to ensure safe and reliable food manufacturing processes.
- Company: Vibrant Foods, a leading South Asian food group with a rich cultural legacy.
- Benefits: 33 days annual leave, matched pension contributions, private healthcare, and volunteering days.
- Other info: Dynamic work environment with opportunities for personal development and innovation.
- Why this job: Join a passionate team and make a real impact in the food industry.
- Qualifications: Level 3 in Electrical Engineering and extensive leadership experience in manufacturing.
The predicted salary is between 38250 - 46750 £ per year.
Vibrant Foods is one of Europe's largest South Asian food groups, bringing together a portfolio of well-established heritage brands, including East End, TRS, Fudco, Cofresh, and Everest.
Headquartered in Watford, with three manufacturing facilities across the Midlands, the company is dedicated to creating authentic, flavour-led food experiences that celebrate South Asian heritage while meeting the growing demand for plant-based and vegetarian products.
The business combines a rich cultural legacy with a modern, growth-focused approach, supplying both retail and foodservice markets across the UK and internationally.
Its purpose is to create adventures in flavour that bring people together by connecting consumers with foods rooted in taste, heritage, and culture.
At the heart of Vibrant Foods is a people-focused culture underpinned by five core values:
Swift, Passionate, Inclusive, Collaborative, and Empowered .
Employees are encouraged to share ideas, work collaboratively to solve challenges, and take ownership of their work.
This creates an agile, supportive environment where innovation, continuous improvement, and personal development are actively encouraged.
- Job title -
- Lead Engineer (Electrical Bias)
- Salary
- Working pattern -
- Monday to Friday dayshift (flexible hours) and occasional out-of-hours work
- Reporting to -
- Head of Engineering
- Role Purpose
To provide leadership and technical expertise across two food manufacturing sites, ensuring safe, reliable and compliant performance of assets and infrastructure.
With an electrical bias, the role also oversees mechanical performance, develops engineering capability and drives continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the Head of Engineering with leadership, direction and technical oversight across two manufacturing sites.
- Develop engineers and apprentices, establishing competency frameworks, standards, procedures and best practice.
- Drive a proactive engineering culture focused on safety, reliability, operational excellence and continuous improvement.
- Provide technical leadership for electrical and mechanical systems, including HV/LV, power distribution, automation and controls.
- Lead complex fault investigations and root-cause analysis, and develop preventative, predictive and reliability-centred maintenance strategies.
- Support capital projects, commissioning, shutdowns and plant upgrades, managing contractors and specialist suppliers.
- Monitor asset performance, KPIs, budgets and maintenance effectiveness to improve reliability, sustainability and cost.
- Deputise for the Head of Engineering and coordinate multi site maintenance planning and resources.
- Act as Electrical Duty Holder for both sites, maintaining safe systems for isolation, permits, switching and authorisations.
Person Specification
- Level 3 minimum in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
- Extensive senior engineering leadership experience in manufacturing, FMCG, food production or industry.
- Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams, with strong coaching and people management.
- Strong electrical background covering HV/LV systems, power distribution, automation and control systems.
- Sound understanding of mechanical systems, maintenance, statutory compliance and engineering standards.
- Proven experience managing engineering budgets, contractors and maintenance performance.
- Excellent fault-finding, problem-solving, decision-making and cross-functional communication skills.
- Experience as an Electrical Duty Holder or Senior Authorised Person.
- Food manufacturing or FMCG experience; steam boiler care experience is advantageous.
Benefits Full of Flavour
At Vibrant Foods, we believe great benefits are an essential ingredient in a rewarding career. Here's a taste of what you can enjoy:
- 33 days' annual leave
- Plenty of time to relax, recharge and enjoy life outside work.
- Pension contributions matched up to 5%
- Contribute 5% and we'll match it - giving you a total pension contribution of 10%.
- Private healthcare eligibility
- Access additional support to help you look after your health and wellbeing.
- Volunteering days
- Take time away from your usual role to support the causes and communities that matter to you.
- Free on-site parking
- Making your daily journey a little easier.
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Lead Engineer in Leicester employer: Vibrant Foods
Vibrant Foods is an exceptional employer that fosters a people-focused culture, encouraging collaboration and innovation among its employees. With a commitment to personal development and a range of attractive benefits, including generous annual leave and matched pension contributions, working as a Category Buyer in West Bromwich or Leicester offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a company that celebrates South Asian heritage while prioritising employee wellbeing and growth.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Lead Engineer in Leicester
✨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 Lead Engineer role you’re after at Vibrant Foods.
✨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 Vibrant Foods 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 Vibrant Foods.
✨Apply Through Company Websites
When you spot a role like Lead Engineer at Vibrant Foods, 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 Lead Engineer in Leicester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Expertise:When applying for an engineering role like Lead Engineer, 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 Vibrant Foods 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 Vibrant Foods 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 Vibrant Foods
✨Brush Up on Core Engineering Principles
Before heading into the interview with Vibrant Foods, 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 Vibrant Foods 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.
