Consultant name: Alfie Woonton

Call for more information on this position: 0203 879 6452

Job reference: 000000000087699

Date posted: 04/03/2026

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Critical Mechanical Shift Engineer – £52,000 – Essex
Location: Essex
Salary: £52,000
Hours: Continental Shift Pattern (Days & Nights)

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Critical Shift Engineer (Mechanical Bias) to join a leading facilities management provider supporting a mission-critical data centre in Essex.

This is an outstanding opportunity to work within a high-availability, critical environment where uptime, resilience, and operational excellence are paramount. You’ll join a business that genuinely values its engineers — offering structured progression, continuous training, and strong leadership committed to long-term career development within the data centre sector.

Key Responsibilities:

• Carry out Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance across critical mechanical infrastructure.
• Respond rapidly to plant failures and critical alarms to ensure maximum uptime and resilience.
• Operate and maintain mechanical systems including CRAC/CRAH units, chillers, cooling towers, pumps, pressurisation units, expansion vessels, and associated pipework.
• Fault-find on chilled water systems, HVAC plant, UPS cooling systems, and water treatment equipment.
• Monitor and operate Building Management Systems (BMS) and DCIM systems (Head End experience advantageous).
• Support critical environment compliance, including permit to work systems, risk assessments, and method statements.
• Conduct routine plant inspections, log readings, and ensure all statutory compliance tasks are completed.
• Work collaboratively with electrical engineers and site teams to maintain Tier-level operational standards.
• Ensure all works are carried out in accordance with health & safety regulations and data centre best practices.

Requirements:

• City & Guilds Level 3 (or equivalent) in Mechanical Engineering, HVAC, Plumbing & Heating, or related discipline.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience within critical environments (data centres, hospitals, banking, or high-availability sites preferred).
• Strong mechanical fault-finding and diagnostic ability within live plant rooms.
• Experience working on chilled water systems and large-scale HVAC infrastructure.
• Understanding of critical cooling infrastructure and redundancy (N+1 / 2N configurations desirable).
• Positive, proactive approach with the ability to remain calm under pressure.

What’s On Offer:

• £52,000 Salary
• Continental shift pattern (work-life balance built into rota)
• Annual leave + bank holidays
• Free on-site parking
• Company pension & private healthcare
• Industry-leading data centre training and career development
• Clear progression pathway into Senior / Lead Engineer roles
• Long-term, stable contract within a high-profile critical facility
• Supportive and technically driven working environment

Ready to take the next step into the data centre sector — or further develop your critical environment experience?
Alfie Woonton

To Apply for this Job Click Here