Opportunity

​Job Description

Immediate start ongoing contract PAYE £13.42 per hour, all hours worked (days)

Job Title: Mechanical Technician

Base Location: Stafford

JOB PURPOSE

The role of the Mechanical Technician is to provide serviceable equipment in a timely and efficient manner whilst complying with legislative and organisational standards for Air, Land and Maritime environments.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE JOB

1. Work in accordance with individual skill sets and training ensuring that the correct knowledge is maintain and current1.

2. Upon arrival of equipment carry out a survey, in-depth diagnosis to component level and test to assess the initial condition and serviceability.

3. Assist in the creation of costings and bill of material to complete each task for the customer approval.

4. Carry out maintenance, modification or repair of equipment and test to ensure full serviceability achieved.

5. Complete all relevant paperwork as required to meet internal and legal obligations, for example, F731 and JAMES form 7.

6. Ensure all work undertaken follows the relevant procedures as defined in the DECA business system and complies with all statutory requirements such as COSHH.

7. Manage own time and workload to meet the requirements of the teams supply plan, satisfying the business and customer delivery requirements.

8. Assist colleagues and apprentices by sharing experience and knowledge as required.

9. Carry out all work in accordance with the specified Approved Source Information (ASI) in either hard copy and/or online.

10. Ensure all relevant mandatory training is kept up to date.

11. Ensure tool control is maintained in accordance with the DECA business system.

12. Maintain work area to the required level of cleanliness to avoid Foreign Object Damage (FOD) and understand why this is important.

13. Display a high degree of personal professionalism in all aspects of the role.

1 In the interest of safety and airworthiness there is a chain of individual responsibilities for the maintenance work and a system of recording work carried out. Once signed maintenance documents constitute legally binding certificates. Human nature may give rise to an error ( a genuine mistake) or a violation (a deliberate deviation from a rule or procedure). If the business supplies the correct tools, documents, processes and procedure and the individual choses to deliberately deviate from the aforementioned, they may be liable to prosecution.

14. Where circumstances allow, carry out tasks off site at customer locations and/or remote unmanned sites as part of a team or autonomously.

15. When interacting internally and externally with visitors and potential customers and when working off site portray and display the DECA Purpose, Values and Aims at all times.

16. Show a willingness to undertake training internally or externally in support of new or emergent tasks.

17. Training of apprentices and new starters.

18. If required, stand in as team leader to cover a short term absence which may be annual leave, sickness or temporary secondment when team working offsite to maintain an effective focal point for the team.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

· Must be able to follow mechanical test procedures using a variety of specialist and general purpose test equipment.

· Ability to diagnose mechanical faults down to component level.

· Knowledge of how to carry out repairs and modifications to a wide range of equipment, varying in complexity and age.

· Have an understanding of, and the ability to interpret, complex circuit diagrams and technical drawings.

· Have an excellent understanding of practical and theoretical mechanics from basic to a complex level.

· Understand the dangers of safely testing and working on live equipment, which can include high levels of current and voltage, high pressure fluids, air and gasses.

· Exhibit and maintain a broad skill set thus enabling the required flexibility to maintain the capability to work on a diverse range of equipment.

· Essential to possess a working knowledge of Microsoft Office and internal IT systems such as JAMES.

· Be trained to the appropriate level in the use of MHE required to carry out tasks in compliance of all processes and risk assessments.

· Ability to identify trends or common faults.

· Knowledge all relevant internal and external policies and processes.

INTELLECTUAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB

· Carrying out fault finding on complex equipment with no or minimal guidance from the ASI using engineering knowledge and best practice techniques.

· Identifying the root cause of problems, not just addressing the symptoms.

· Having to react to customers operational requirements resulting in unplanned work being scheduled with no or minimal notice. At its extreme this can mean a turn around time measured in hours rather than days. A large degree of autonomy is placed on the technician to fulfil work in a timely manner, planning it within the overall needs of the team and the business.

· Having to confirm serviceability of equipment worked by others of an equivalent grade technicians, and authorising the workl carried out.

· Certifying equipment that will be used in the process to decide if an aircraft if fit for flight.

COMMUNICATION DEMANDS OF THE JOB

· Be able to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing with internal and external contacts at various levels using email, telephone and face-to-face.

· Advise first line customers on faults over the phone, without being onsite to see equipment.

· Exchange knowledge with other technicians.

· Off site visits as Subject Matter Experts in support of the DECA commercial team in pursuance of new and emerging work.

· Frequent face-to-face customer interaction onsite at DECA.

· Liaise with customer site management whilst working alone offsite.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

· Lifting – most tasks are themselves physically heavy, others require weights to be moved as part of the test procedure.

· The majority of tasks require manual dexterity, sometimes resulting in physical stress and tiredness.

· Virtually all tasks require the use of fuels, oils and lubricants and are subject to high levels of noise with the resultant need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

· Cryogenic tasks have particular hazards such as the use of and handling Nitrogen and Oxygen both in gaseous and liquid forms.

· Emotional demands include:

· Pressure of making accurate decisions within a tight time frame.

· Responsibility of being liable for the serviceability and reliability of the equipment.

· The burden of highlighting poor procedures or bad practices to colleagues and customers.

· Testing cylinders and pressure vessels using extreme pressures up to and including 10,000 psi.

· Responsibility of talking to customers/engineers both within our business and externally, some of which being senior officials of the MOD and other external clients.

· Working in confined spaces inside equipment and through small hatches in bulkheads.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

· The main body of the work carried out at Stafford is contained within Building 10,and building 34A although all tasks can be anywhere across the DECA site. This building is only heated for part of the year and temperatures can vary wildly, lighting is not always adequate and additional lighting maybe required. Most tasks require the use of some form of Petroleum, Oils or Lubricants (POL), paints, adhesives and solvents, the use of which is controlled and all relevant safety equipment and PPE is provided. There are however several process rooms and satellite areas which have different environmental considerations. These are:

· Air Separation Unit Test area (building 34a). This area is not currently air conditioned and is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. This area can contain liquid oxygen and nitrogen. There is a drench shower to use in emergencies where a total body flush is required, but this is outside so is obviously cold in the winter. All relevant safety equipment and PPE/RPE is provided.

· Generator Run Up Bay. This bay has no air conditioning so temperatures vary being hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The room is also very noisy. All relevant safety equipment and PPE is provided.

· Some equipment is too large to run and test inside and therefore has to be tested outside all year round in all weather conditions.

· With electronic equipment there is a need to work in a Static Handling Area (SHA) to avoid damage caused through electrostatic discharge. This requires knowledge and use of procedures and tools appropriate to the task.

· Off site locations at various military sites as requested by customers which maybe inside or outside and have restricted access to washroom/WC facilities.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

· Have completed a recognised relevant Mechanical Engineering apprenticeship or similar accredited training. Served in a similar military repair role should be deemed sufficient if proof of experience could be verified.

· Experience working with one or more in hydraulics, pneumatics and/or refrigeration.

· Possess a working knowledge of Microsoft Office etc.