Shift Technician

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Shift Technician to join our Production team at our Rushden site.

Reporting to the Shift Manager, the Shift Technician plays a key role in supporting the safe, efficient and reliable operation of production machinery and associated equipment.

The role is responsible for providing technical support in both reactive and preventative situations, ensuring that production machinery and ancillary equipment are correctly set up, optimised and maintained to achieve required production, quality and efficiency standards.

Working closely with the Shift Manager, Setters, Engineering and Technical teams, the Shift Technician will troubleshoot production issues, support mould and material trials, optimise machine performance and contribute to the ongoing development of skills and technical capability across the shift.

The role also supports continuous improvement by monitoring equipment performance, identifying recurring issues and recommending improvements to plant, processes and operating conditions.

Key Responsibilities

· Ensure production machines and ancillary equipment are set up safely and to the required standard within appropriate timeframes.

· Provide technical troubleshooting support and respond to prioritised production and equipment issues as directed by the Shift Manager.

· Support the Shift Manager in maintaining efficient and effective shift operations and provide cover for the Shift Manager when required.

· Identify, investigate and resolve processing and production issues to minimise downtime, waste and loss of efficiency.

· Ensure processing, maintenance and equipment issues are accurately recorded and reported to enable recurring problems to be identified and eliminated.

· Support accurate shift recording systems, including machine and shift logbooks, work records, records of achievement and use of spare parts.

· Be fully competent in all duties and technical requirements associated with the Setter Level 3 role.

· Conduct mould trials and support the successful introduction of new moulds into production.

· Liaise with the Shift Manager and Setters to identify, categorise and resolve production deficiencies.

· Support Technical with mould, neck, material and other production trials as required.

· Optimise machine cycle times and troubleshoot issues affecting achievement of budgeted or target cycle times.

· Review and update machine setting sheets following successful optimisation to ensure accurate settings are available for future production runs.

· Set up and optimise downstream equipment, including bottle testers, vision systems and skimmers, to achieve required product specifications and quality standards.

· Set up cobots and auto-packers to the required packing specification, including loading and applying the appropriate recipes.

· Support the Shift Manager in developing the technical skills and capability of employees on shift, taking advantage of appropriate training and development opportunities.

· Monitor equipment and process performance and make recommendations for improvements.

· Promote and maintain high standards of health, safety, quality and operational discipline at all times.

· Demonstrate a proactive, flexible and collaborative approach and undertake other reasonable duties appropriate to the role as required.

Qualifications and Experience

· Strong technical experience within a manufacturing or production environment.

· Demonstrable experience of production machinery set-up, fault finding and process optimisation.

· Competent to Setter Level 3 standard, or able to demonstrate equivalent technical knowledge and experience.

· Experience of troubleshooting production and processing issues.

· Experience of mould changes, mould trials and production optimisation.

· Good understanding of machine cycle optimisation and the relationship between machine settings, efficiency, waste and product quality.

· Experience of setting up and optimising ancillary/downstream production equipment.

· Experience of automated packing equipment, cobots or similar automation would be advantageous.

· Experience of supporting or developing the technical skills of colleagues would be advantageous.

Skills and Attributes

· Strong technical fault-finding and problem-solving skills.

· Able to respond effectively to production issues and prioritise workload in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

· Strong attention to detail with an emphasis on accurate recording and reporting.

· Proactive approach to identifying and resolving recurring production problems.

· Good communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with Production, Engineering, Technical and Quality teams.

· Able to coach, support and share technical knowledge with colleagues.

· Demonstrates a strong commitment to health and safety, quality and compliance with approved operating procedures.

· Flexible, dependable and able to remain effective under operational pressure.

· Continuous improvement mindset with a focus on efficiency, quality and waste reduction.

Additional Requirements

· Ability to work the site's established continental shift pattern, including both day and night shifts.

· Ability to provide appropriate support and cover for the Shift Manager when required.

· Willingness to undertake relevant training and development to maintain and enhance technical competence.

· Ability to work effectively within a fast-paced manufacturing environment and respond flexibly to operational requirements.

Pay: From £30,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• Sick pay

Work Location: In person