This occupation is found in the engineering and manufacturing sector. Sectors typically include maritime, maritime defence, automotive, energy, engineering construction and general engineering maintenance industries. Lead maintenance engineering technicians typically perform a multi-disciplinary role, managing or leading other technicians. They may specialise in areas such as mechanical, electronic, or electrical engineering. Employers range from small to large businesses who deliver or require maintenance support. They include major asset owners and operators, the supply chain, contractors and sub-contractors. Typical workplaces include private and public sector manufacturing factories. They can also include dockyards and shipyards, vehicle maintenance facilities, onboard operational vehicles and vessels.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to offer engineering support, technical leadership and expertise. Examples can include support for installation, refit, overhaul, alteration, upgrading, design and maintenance. They can also provide support for testing of significant assets, systems or machinery. They assist in the delivery of complex and critical asset management programmes. These asset management programmes are often to unique specifications involving complex maintenance and planning. They analyse technical information, plan schedules, co-ordinate, lead and deliver work on time. They ensure work is completed to the required quality, following product and personnel safety processes. They provide customer liaison, leadership, support and expertise to maintenance teams on technical issues. They deal with problems that occur using a structured and controlled approach. They carry out inspections on systems, equipment and components. They may lead on the commissioning back into operation after maintenance and overhaul. They can work in office environments while conducting research or maintenance design and scheduling activities. They can be in a workshop environment or outdoors conducting maintenance and commissioning activities. Depending on the organisation, they might be expected to work flexibly, including shift work. They may also be ‘on-call’, to meet customer requirements.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with operators and maintenance teams. They also interact with shift leaders, senior engineers, senior test engineers, design engineers, quality engineers. They may work with procedure writers, procurement managers and resource allocation colleagues. Externally they liaise with customers and suppliers at operational and senior levels. Depending on the industry, they may also interact with regulators.
An employee in this occupation is responsible for the quality, safety and delivery of service. They ensure that work is delivered to the customer on time at the agreed cost. They must ensure their own work and the work of others is completed to specification. They must meet set deadlines. They must meet quality requirements and ensure that all relevant records are completed. They must work to health and safety and environmental regulations. They work alone and as part of a larger team on complex technical issues. These include supervisory duties and oversight of work completed. Depending on organisation size, they will support or lead a maintenance team. They are responsible for complying with regulatory and organisation requirements, civil or military as appropriate. For example, Office of Nuclear Regulation (ONR), Department of Environment, Maritime Pollution regulations (MARPOL). Health and Safety at Work Act, Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER). United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and the National Measurement Accreditation Service (NAMAS).
