Project Engineer

Role: Project Engineer

Location: Preston, PR2 - Site-based with travel to project locations as required

Hours: Monday - Friday, 40 hours per week

Salary: £65,000 per annum, dependant on experience. Plus car allowance.

The Role:

The Project Engineer plays a critical dual role within the site: acting as a key support to the Head of Site Operations in the day-to-day running of each operational site, while taking full ownership of the capital investment project pipeline. The role is responsible for identifying, developing, and delivering capital investment projects that drive measurable improvement to the site P&L - reducing costs, increasing throughput, improving reliability, and enabling future growth.

The Business:

Recycling Lives Services is not a typical recycling company. Since 2008, the business has been structurally built around social value, employing people from disadvantaged backgrounds, partnering with the justice system to reduce reoffending, and delivering environmental excellence at scale. The social mission is not a layer added on top of commercial activity. It is the reason the business operates in the way it does.

As a certified B Corp (scoring 103.5 against a business median of 50.9), Recycling Lives Services generated £42.9m in social value in 2024, achieved a 61% reduction in CO2 emissions, and diverted 97% of waste from landfill. 15% of our team have been welcomed through our rehabilitation programmes, and only 6% of people we support reoffend - compared to a national average of over 25%.

We operate UK-wide across construction, manufacturing, retail, utilities and public sector markets, offering total waste management, WEEE recycling, and specialist hazardous waste services.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Support to Head of Site Operations

• Act as a deputy to the Head of Site Operations, covering operational decisions in their absence
• Support the development and execution of the site operational strategy and annual business plan
• Contribute to site performance reviews, KPI reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives
• Liaise with cross-functional teams including maintenance, production, HSE, finance, and procurement
• Assist in managing site budgets, contractor relationships, and resource planning
• Prepare management reports, board papers, and presentations relating to site performance and project progress

1. CAPEX Project Leadership

• Own the end-to-end delivery of all site CAPEX projects, from initial business case through to handover and benefits realisation
• Identify and evaluate CAPEX opportunities that directly enhance site P&L through cost reduction, efficiency gain, or capacity expansion
• Develop business cases including ROI, IRR, payback period, and risk analysis for executive and board approval
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, and quality in line with agreed targets
• Lead project teams including internal engineers, specialist contractors, and third-party suppliers
• Ensure all projects are delivered in full compliance with HSE, statutory, and company standards
• Track and report post-project benefit realisation against the approved business case

1. Financial & Commercial Accountability

• Manage the site CAPEX budget, ensuring spend is controlled and fully reconciled
• Work with Finance to ensure accurate CAPEX forecasting and accruals
• Drive value engineering and procurement excellence across the project portfolio
• Identify and report risks, issues, and opportunities with a clear commercial lens

1. HSE & Compliance

• Champion a strong safety culture across all project activities
• Ensure all work is conducted in accordance with CDM regulations, site rules, and permit-to-work systems
• Conduct and review risk assessments, method statements, and contractor competency checks

1. Stakeholder Management

• Build effective relationships with internal stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership and operational teams
• Manage external relationships with contractors, equipment vendors, consultants, and regulatory bodies
• Communicate project status, risks, and milestones clearly and proactively

Measures of Success

• Capital expenditure project delivery: on time, on budget, and within scope
• P&L improvement realised from completed Capital expenditure projects vs. business case targets
• Site operational KPIs (operational equipment effectiveness, downtime, cost per unit) supported through project delivery
• Capital expenditure budget accuracy: forecast vs. actual variance
• HSE performance: zero LTIs on project activities and full compliance with permits
• Stakeholder satisfaction from Head of Site Operations and wider leadership team
• Quality and timeliness of management reporting and business case submissions

The ideal candidate:

Essential

• Degree-level qualification in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering (or equivalent)
• Proven experience managing Capital expenditure projects in an industrial or manufacturing environment
• Demonstrable track record of delivering engineering projects with clear P&L impact
• Strong financial acumen, ability to build and interrogate business cases, budgets, and forecasts
• Experience working alongside or supporting senior operational leadership
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Lean Methodology - Understanding fundamental principles like value stream mapping, 5S, flow, pull, and continuous improvement (Kaizen)

Desirable

• Chartered Engineer status (CEng) or working towards chartership
• NEBOSH General Certificate or higher

Benefits:

• Competitive remuneration package
• Car allowance
• Supportive team in a growing company
• Pensions contribution, 5% employee 3% employer
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Access to free in-house, qualified counselling support
• Access to free and impartial financial advisors
• Healthcare cash back plan*
• Access to ethical loan and savings products *
• Enhanced maternity & paternity pay*
• Cycle to work scheme*

*Employees become eligible after 12 months service.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.