Job summary
Mechanical Engineering - Lead Technologist - Band 7, with the possibility of appointment at Band 6 for developing candidates.
Full Time:37 1/2 Hours per Week. Permanent contract
We are seeking an enthusiastic, highly motivated and experienced Mechanical Engineering Technologist to join our team as Team Leader. The ideal candidate will have a strong and proven track record in Mechanical Engineering, alongside the drive to develop new skills across the diverse range of specialist activities delivered by our team. The post is advertised as a Band 7, with the possibility of appointment at Band 6 for developing candidates.
The Mechanical Engineering Section is a small, friendly team of six, based within the Clinical Physics department at the Royal London Hospital. As Team Leader, you will play a key role in coordinating the team's work, providing technical leadership and contributing directly to core services.
Main duties of the job
These include:
Leadership skills - the post-holder will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the Mechanical Engineering team, ensuring effective workflow, staff support and clear allocation of duties, while maintaining high standards of quality management across all activities.
quality assurance on all surgical instruments entering the Trust.
governance - undertaking incident investigations or assist other stakeholders.
repair and refurbishment of Trust surgical instruments.
engage with surgical instrument manufacturers and suppliers to assess instrument quality and deliver clear direction on quality expectations and improvements.
manufacture and machining of x-ray tissue-mimicking materials:
competency and experience with machining equipment (lathes, milling machines, etc.) are essential.
maintenance and repair of mechanical equipment (supporting other areas of Clinical Physics and the Trust).
3D printing: using two advanced printers for a range of clinical and research applications across the Trust.
support for research and development - contributing to innovation within Clinical Physics and wider Trust initiatives.
About us
Barts Health is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country, and one of Britain's leading healthcare providers.
The Barts Health group of NHS hospitals is entering an exciting new era on our improvement journey to becoming an outstanding organisation with a world-class clinical reputation. Having lifted ourselves out of special measures, we now have the impetus and breathing space to chart a fresh course in which we are continually striving to improve all our services for patients.
Our vision is to be a high-performing group of NHS hospitals, renowned for excellence and innovation, and providing safe and compassionate care to our patients in east London and beyond. That means being a provider of excellent patient safety, known for delivering consistently high standards of harm-free care and always caring for patients in the right place at the right time. It also means being an outstanding place to work, in which our WeCare values and behaviours are visible to all and guide us in how we work together.
We strive to live by our WeCare values and are committed to promoting inclusion, where every staff member has a sense of belonging. We value our differences and fully advocate, cultivate and support an inclusive working environment.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent Level 6 qualification in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline with demonstratable experience.
- Level 5 HND/HNC in Mechanical Engineering with 5 years progressively responsible experience.
- ONC / City & Guilds Mechanical Engineer (Level 1, 2 & 3) / served a regonised apprenticeship with > 7 years practical experience within a relevant mechanical engineering environment.
Desirable
- Postgraduate qualification or specialist training relevant to healthcare engineering.
- Evidence of ongoing CPD aligned with professional body requirements.
- Vendor/industry certifications relevant to surgical instrument inspection and repair.
- Registration as a Clinical Technologist or equivalent recognised professional registration
Experience
Essential
- Relevant experience with an engineering workshop.
- Surgical instruments: demonstrable experience in inspection, condition assessment, fault diagnosis, repair, blade sharpness and joint integrity assessment and conformity to specification.
- Strong 3D CAD skills using recognised engineering software (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360).
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Effective communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-engineers.
- Ability to plan and prioritise workload for team.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality engineering practice.
Desirable
- Experience partnering with surgical instrument companies (audits, technical evaluations, repair quality oversight, service level reviews).
- Experience leading service development or quality-improvement initiatives.
- Experience collaborating with external service providers (surgical instrument companies, manufacturers or research partners).
- Evidence of specialist research or innovation activity in mechanical engineering.
Knowledge
Essential
- In depth knowledge of mechanical engineering principles, material properties, surface treatments/passivation, and common failure modes of surgical instruments
- Understanding of decontamination/sterilisation pathways and how design/repair affects cleanability, joint wear and corrosion.
- Familiarity with relevant standards and guidance (e.g., ISO/BS for instrumentation, traceability/UDI principles, device labelling basics).
- Practical understanding of risk management, patient safety and governance in clinical environments; equipment lifecycle management
Desirable
- Knowledge of HTM/health technical guidance that intersect with sterile services and instrument management.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent skills in traditional machining tools and with CNC lathes and mills.
- Instrument QA skills: visual / dimensional inspection; functional testing, quality checks; alignment, documentation of inspection outcomes and acceptance criteria.
- Instrument repair skills: straightening, blade sharpening etc.
- Risk assessment and Quality Management practices.
Desirable
- Ability to support or lead technical audits of surgical instrument suppliers, including evaluating QA processes, repair pathways, documentation and consistency with service level agreements.
- Ability to assess compliance of surgical instruments against national and international standards (e.g., BS/ISO for surgical instruments) and Trust technical specifications
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or equivalent Level 6 qualification in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related discipline with demonstratable experience.
- Level 5 HND/HNC in Mechanical Engineering with 5 years progressively responsible experience.
- ONC / City & Guilds Mechanical Engineer (Level 1, 2 & 3) / served a regonised apprenticeship with > 7 years practical experience within a relevant mechanical engineering environment.
Desirable
- Postgraduate qualification or specialist training relevant to healthcare engineering.
- Evidence of ongoing CPD aligned with professional body requirements.
- Vendor/industry certifications relevant to surgical instrument inspection and repair.
- Registration as a Clinical Technologist or equivalent recognised professional registration
Experience
Essential
- Relevant experience with an engineering workshop.
- Surgical instruments: demonstrable experience in inspection, condition assessment, fault diagnosis, repair, blade sharpness and joint integrity assessment and conformity to specification.
- Strong 3D CAD skills using recognised engineering software (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360).
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Effective communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-engineers.
- Ability to plan and prioritise workload for team.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality engineering practice.
Desirable
- Experience partnering with surgical instrument companies (audits, technical evaluations, repair quality oversight, service level reviews).
- Experience leading service development or quality-improvement initiatives.
- Experience collaborating with external service providers (surgical instrument companies, manufacturers or research partners).
- Evidence of specialist research or innovation activity in mechanical engineering.
Knowledge
Essential
- In depth knowledge of mechanical engineering principles, material properties, surface treatments/passivation, and common failure modes of surgical instruments
- Understanding of decontamination/sterilisation pathways and how design/repair affects cleanability, joint wear and corrosion.
- Familiarity with relevant standards and guidance (e.g., ISO/BS for instrumentation, traceability/UDI principles, device labelling basics).
- Practical understanding of risk management, patient safety and governance in clinical environments; equipment lifecycle management
Desirable
- Knowledge of HTM/health technical guidance that intersect with sterile services and instrument management.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent skills in traditional machining tools and with CNC lathes and mills.
- Instrument QA skills: visual / dimensional inspection; functional testing, quality checks; alignment, documentation of inspection outcomes and acceptance criteria.
- Instrument repair skills: straightening, blade sharpening etc.
- Risk assessment and Quality Management practices.
Desirable
- Ability to support or lead technical audits of surgical instrument suppliers, including evaluating QA processes, repair pathways, documentation and consistency with service level agreements.
- Ability to assess compliance of surgical instruments against national and international standards (e.g., BS/ISO for surgical instruments) and Trust technical specifications
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
