Salary - £30,684 to £32,563
Permanent
We reserve the right to close this advert early if we find the right candidate, so we encourage you to apply early.

Are you a hands-on problem solver with a background in maintenance, facilities, or trades, and a passion for high standards, safety, and service?

UKCEH is looking for an experienced Estates Maintenance Officer to join our friendly and fast-paced Workplace team, where no two days are the same, and your work will help support vital environmental science across the UK. This role is based at our Wallingford headquarters, a large, multi-purpose site housing laboratories, offices, and fieldwork and workshop facilities, and will play a key part in keeping it running smoothly, safely and compliantly.

We’re on the lookout for someone who thrives on getting stuck in, takes pride in their work, and brings a proactive, can-do attitude to the table. This is a busy, rewarding role requiring a strong communicator who can juggle competing demands while keeping safety and service at the forefront. Full training will be provided on all our systems.

Your main responsibilities will include:

Contractor Management:

Liaise with Facilities to oversee contractor inductions, ensuring all necessary documentation (e.g., Liability Insurance, Permit to Work, Safe System of Work, Method Statements) are in place before work begins.
Provide day-to-day operational supervision, ensuring contractors follow agreed specifications and Health and Safety regulations.
Maintain clear communication with contractors, attending progress meetings and resolving issues as needed.
Keep accurate, up-to-date contractor management files, ensuring compliance and consistency.

Maintenance and Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM):

Carry out regular maintenance and repairs on a wide range of site plant, equipment, and scientific in a structured timescale, directly or through contractors.
Perform plant and equipment routine inspections and servicing in line with maintenance regulations and health and safety requirements.
Undertake Planned Preventative Maintenance service for all site plant equipment, and coordinate planned and reactive maintenance, working closely with end users
Respond promptly to helpdesk requests and carry out engineering tasks and maintenance requests
Continuously seek opportunities to improve maintenance methods and working best practices.

Asset Management and Compliance:

Assist in maintaining accurate asset records, including site drawings, plans and schematics using AutoCAD in accordance with Engineering Focus Group (EFG) implementation programme (training provided).
Carry out statutory and regulatory compliance checks, such as fire alarm testing, water hygiene assessments, and electrical safety inspections.

Assist to maintain e-systems and procedures to ensure that all regulatory requirements are met (e.g., water testing, fire doors, alarms, emergency lights, fire extinguishers, PAT testing, fire dampers and fire compartmentation)
Carry out routine statutory and regulatory ‘competent person’ compliance checks (i.e. fire alarm testing, COSHH regulations, visual extinguishers, visual emergency lighting, water hygiene testing and fire doors checks)
Carry out regular internal and external building audits

Additional Responsibilities:

Support major site developments, coordinating with other remedial work to minimise disruption and ensure best practice around the UKCEH sites.
Maintain a proactive approach to site presentation, including regular litter picking, minor landscaping, and general upkeep.

Be mindful of specialist waste management requirements, including WEEE, COSHH, and hazardous waste protocols.

In addition, you’ll provide support to the existing Maintenance Officer in delivering CEH's remedial and long-term maintenance programmes. This role involves offering technical guidance on a range of facility management issues, including minor remedial projects, equipment replacement, and long-term maintenance planning. You'll also contribute to discussions on capital investment programmes and site development opportunities, such as energy monitoring systems, building management system (BMS) upgrades, and heating replacement projects.

For the role of Estates Maintenance Officer, we’re looking for somebody who has:

A solid background in one or more trades (e.g. plumbing, electrical, joinery) - a formal qualification is great, but practical experience is essential
Confident use of a CAFM system (or similar ticketing software) to manage maintenance jobs and monitor performance
Up-to-date knowledge of building compliance and a sharp focus on Health & Safety - particularly important as we operate laboratory spaces with strict procedures
Someone who’s organised, efficient and calm under pressure, with excellent time management and communication skills
A team player who takes pride in their work and is committed to creating safe, functional and welcoming spaces for all staff and visitor

You’ll be joining a leading independent, not-for-profit research institute that’s committed to recruiting talented people like you, progressing your career and giving you the support you need to thrive at UKCEH. Our science makes a real difference, enabling people and the environment to prosper, and enriching society. We are the custodians of a wealth of environmental data, collected by UKCEH and its predecessors over the course of more than 60 years.

Working for UKCEH is rewarding

We appreciate the continuous dedication and contributions of our staff, which is why we provide a comprehensive benefits package that includes financial incentives and wellbeing-oriented perks, such as:

27 days annual leave (rising to 29 days after 5 years’ service) plus 3 days for Christmas closure

10% employer pension contribution

Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (role dependant)

Peer reward and recognition scheme

Dental insurance, gym/fitness discounts, retail discount portal

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

24-hour, 365-day support with physical, mental, social, health or financial issues and much more...

Apply today!

If this opportunity resonates with you and aligns with your personal career goals, the team would love to receive your application.

At UKCEH, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace where everyone—regardless of background, identity, ability, or circumstance—has the opportunity to thrive. As a Disability Confident employer, we actively encourage applications from neurodivergent candidates and those with disabilities. We are happy to provide any adjustments or support you may need throughout the application process—please don’t hesitate to reach out. So, if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we’d love to hear from you anyway. You may be just the right fit for this role or another within our wider team.

Please note:

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role and this does not qualify for endorsement to support a Global Talent Visa application. If you are considering pursuing self-sponsorship, please indicate this in your application so we can take it into account during the recruitment process.

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Estates Maintenance Officer

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