Principal Engineer

Kepak is one of Europe’s leading food companies, with manufacturing sites across Ireland and the UK. Kepak’s vision is to be a successful, sustainable, future-ready Food Business with differentiation at its core that is a great place to work. This vision is underpinned by our values of Responsibility, Ambition, Passion for Food, and teamwork.

Kepak Meat Division UK operates across 3 manufacturing sites with 2,000 employees, producing a range of quality meat and protein-based food products for retail and foodservice customers. The division focuses on providing exceptional service and value to our stakeholders

This role will be based at our Merthyr site, working Monday - Friday. 7am - 4pm.

Are you a seasoned engineering professional with a passion for operational excellence in meat processing? Kepak Merthyr Tydfil is seeking a Principal Engineer to lead and innovate across our abattoir, boning, and slaughter operations, driving performance, safety, and sustainability in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.

About the Role:

As Principal Engineer, you will be the technical authority across our site’s processing operations, responsible for:

- Leading engineering strategy and continuous improvement initiatives in slaughter and boning areas.

- Overseeing equipment reliability, maintenance planning, and OPEX projects.

- Collaborating with production, quality assurance, and animal welfare teams to ensure compliance and efficiency.

- Driving automation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction across the site.

- Mentoring site engineers and maintenance teams, fostering a culture of safety and innovation.

What We’re Looking For:

- Degree-qualified in Mechanical, Electrical, or Process Engineering (or equivalent).

- Proven experience in abattoir or meat processing environments, ideally in boning and slaughter operations.

- Strong leadership and project management skills.

- Knowledge of regulatory standards (e.g., food safety, animal welfare, environmental compliance).

- Excellent problem-solving and stakeholder engagement abilities.

Health & Safety Focus:

- Demonstrated commitment to workplace safety and compliance with H&S regulations.

- Experience implementing risk assessments and safe systems of work in high-risk environments.

- Ability to lead incident investigations and drive corrective actions.

- Familiarity with HACCP, COSHH, and other relevant safety protocols in meat processing.

• Company Pension

• Training and Development
• Employee Discount Platform - All Kepak employees are entitled to access to the WrkIt platform, which offers significant discounts and cashback with hundreds of brands.
• Refer a Friend Scheme - Get up to £500 for successfully referring a friend or family member to Kepak Group.
• Bike to Work Scheme - You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income – meaning you pay less tax!
• Subsidised Canteen - Our on site canteen is serving multiple hot food options during the day
• Free Car Parking - Our Kepak site has a dedicated staff car parking facility which is free to use for all of our colleagues.
• Long Service Awards - We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees
• GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program - Providing emotional, practical and financial support for all Kepak colleagues.