Project Engineer - Mechanical

About the Role

RSE is seeking a motivated, mechanically biased Project Engineer to join our Asset Operations & Maintenance (AO&M) team, supporting mechanical and electrical works at operational hydroelectric generating stations. This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer who enjoys taking ownership of projects involving the replacement, refurbishment and life extension of turbines, pumps, valves and associated balance-of-plant systems, from initial site investigation and solution development through outage delivery, installation, commissioning and handover.

The AO&M team delivers maintenance, refurbishment, upgrade and optimisation projects across operational hydro assets, bridging the gap between engineering design, construction, maintenance, and operational performance. Working closely with generating station owners, operators, OEMs, suppliers, site teams and internal engineering disciplines, we provide practical solutions that improve plant safety, availability, reliability, maintainability and operational performance.

As a Project Engineer, you will play a key role in the successful delivery of projects, ensuring technical, commercial, programme, quality, and health & safety objectives are achieved.

What We Do

The AO&M team specialises in the delivery of projects involving:

Mechanical, electrical and control system upgrades for hydroelectric generating stations

Replacement and refurbishment of turbines, pumps, valves, penstock and waterway equipment, pipework and mechanical balance-of-plant systems

Inspection, overhaul, repair and life extension of rotating and static plant

Planned maintenance, condition-led interventions and lifecycle replacement schemes

Plant performance, availability, efficiency and reliability improvements

Planned outage support, breakdown response and reactive works

Design and build solutions for existing operational hydro assets

Our projects are often delivered within live hydroelectric generating stations and brownfield operational environments. They require a practical and collaborative approach to engineering, outage planning, safe isolation, lifting and access, temporary works, installation sequencing, commissioning and return to service.

Key Responsibilities

As a Project Engineer, your responsibilities will include:

Supporting mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering projects at UK hydroelectric generating stations from concept through to completion.

Developing practical technical solutions for brownfield hydro assets, including replacement, refurbishment, overhaul and life-extension works for turbines, pumps, valves, pipework and associated mechanical plant.

Coordinating mechanical, electrical, control, civil and structural interfaces, including foundations, embedded items, lifting arrangements, access platforms, drainage and station services.

Undertaking site surveys and asset inspections, defining condition and scope, and preparing specifications, technical submissions, construction work packs, procurement packages, inspection and test plans, and commissioning plans.

Managing turbine, pump and valve OEMs, specialist repairers, suppliers, subcontractors and installation contractors to achieve technical, safety, programme, quality and commercial requirements.

Supporting outage definition and planning, including access, plant shutdown, mechanical and electrical isolations, dewatering and drainage, permits, lifting operations, temporary works, sequencing, scheduling and resource allocation.

Ensuring compliance with client engineering standards, applicable UK legislation, CDM requirements, site safety rules, environmental controls and approved safe systems of work.

Monitoring project costs, progress, risks, opportunities, technical queries, and change control.

Participating in design reviews, constructability assessments, HAZID activities, lifting and temporary works reviews, maintainability assessments and technical risk reviews.

Supporting strip-down, inspection, dimensional checks, repair, installation, alignment, testing, commissioning, wet testing, return-to-service and handover activities.

Producing and reviewing calculations, drawings, survey and condition reports, inspection records, test documentation, commissioning records, operation and maintenance information and asset technical records.

What We Are Looking For

The ideal candidate will possess:

Essential

Degree, HND, or equivalent qualification in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.

Experience delivering mechanical engineering projects within hydroelectric generation, rotating equipment, water or wastewater, heavy process plant, or comparable regulated operational environments.

Understanding of hydro-mechanical systems and equipment such as turbines, governors and actuators, main inlet and isolation valves, pumps, pipework, penstocks, cooling water, drainage and dewatering systems, lubrication systems, compressed air, lifting equipment and station auxiliary plant.

Experience coordinating multidisciplinary engineering activities and interfaces on live operational, outage-led or brownfield sites.

Awareness of outage delivery, mechanical and electrical isolations, permit-to-work arrangements, dewatering, confined spaces, lifting operations, commissioning and safe return to service.

Commercial awareness and understanding of project controls, procurement, risk, change, and contract delivery.

Ability to manage multiple workstreams and priorities across geographically dispersed UK sites.

Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to operational sites as required.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will:

Deliver hydro station mechanical and multidisciplinary projects safely, efficiently and to a high technical standard, including work during constrained outage and dewatering windows.

Take ownership of project activities and drive technical, site, supplier, and interface issues through to resolution.

Develop positive and lasting relationships with generating station owners, operators, OEMs, delivery partners and site teams.

Improve asset availability, reliability, maintainability, resilience, and safe operational performance.

Demonstrate a proactive and solutions-focused approach to engineering challenges in live hydro stations and brownfield operational environments.

Contribute to the growth of RSE's AO&M hydro capability and continuous improvement across project delivery, safety, quality and asset performance.

What RSE Offer

To build successful teams and drive the level of quality that RSE is renowned for, we know we need the best people in the industry. Not only do we require the relevant skillsets, but we also need people with the right attitude and mentality to thrive and grow in an innovative and fast-paced environment. At RSE, you’ll be given every opportunity to set the path of your own career through our Business Streams and work within dynamic teams that will require you to rise to the challenge of working for a market leader.

Industry-leading salary based on your experience.

Hybrid Working (where applicable)

Private Healthcare (Personal)

Holiday Allowance of 31 days per year, rising to 33 days per year after 2 years’ service.

Holiday Buy / Sell Scheme

Company Pension Scheme

Cycle to Work

Discounted National Gym Membership

Professional Fees Paid

Employee Discount Platform

EV/Hybrid Car Lease Scheme

Access to our network of health professionals including mental health champions and Occupational Health Nurse