Shift Engineer

Who are we?

We’re Reach, home to some of the UK and Ireland’s most iconic media brands – think the Mirror, Daily Express, OK!, as well as regional titles like the Birmingham Post, Liverpool Echo, and Manchester Evening News. With a readership of 47 million people each month, we’re the largest commercial publisher in the UK. But we’re more than just our brands – we’re a company built on collaboration, imagination, and determination. Our values shape the work we do every day, and we’re committed to creating an environment where everyone feels supported, valued, and able to grow. We prioritise flexibility and work-life balance, making it easier for you to thrive both in and outside of work.

What you’ll be doing:

Are you a skilled and motivated Engineer looking for your next challenge? If you’re passionate about keeping operations running smoothly and have experience in FMCG, this could be the perfect opportunity for you!

As a Skilled Shift Engineer, you’ll play a crucial role in maintaining and improving Reach’s print production. From preventative maintenance to structured problem-solving, you’ll use your technical expertise to keep everything running efficiently. This is a shift-based role, covering 2 days, 2 nights, then 4 days off, so flexibility is key.

You’ll be working with a dynamic team, tackling breakdowns, supporting operators with low-level engineering tasks, and developing standard operating procedures to enhance equipment performance. Your work will directly impact the reliability and efficiency of our print production, ensuring that our newspapers and digital platforms continue to reach millions of people.

Your day-to-day will involve keeping our site running safely and efficiently. You’ll be responsible for conducting preventative maintenance, responding quickly to breakdowns, and using your problem-solving skills to deliver continuous improvements.

You’ll collaborate closely with operators and other teams, ensuring compliance with safety standards while working with the latest technology and engineering systems. Whether it’s troubleshooting, developing SOPs, or supporting production activities, you’ll be at the heart of operations, making a real impact every shift.

What you’ll need to succeed:

You’ll need a Level 3 (NVQ) engineering qualification in electrical or mechanical disciplines—or time-served apprenticeship experience. Your background in FMCG or manufacturing environments will help you handle the fast-paced nature of the role.

A flexible, proactive mindset is essential, as is the ability to multitask under pressure. Strong IT skills will come in handy, as you’ll be using CMMS systems, MS Word, and Excel to report, track, and manage engineering tasks. Your excellent communication skills will also be key, as you’ll be interacting with operators, contractors, and management across the site.

What can we offer you?

We're offering a salary of £45,000 - £51,000 depending on experience, and a range of fantastic benefits to help support you both personally and professionally. These include:

• Help saving for your retirement - join our pension scheme and we’ll match contributions up to 6%
• 7 weeks’ holiday per year when you join. After three, five and ten years’ service with Reach, you’ll accrue one additional day of annual leave. We also have a Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Giving back day - an additional day’s leave each year to support a cause close to your heart
• Enhanced family leave - including maternity, paternity and adoption - and you’ll be eligible after just six months’ employment
• Private Healthcare Cash Plan - free health cash plan so you can claim back cash for a range of medical expenses
• Wellbeing support - including a 24/7 employee assistance programme (EAP) for you and your nearest and dearest
• Awesome career opportunities - you’ll have support from your line manager and a range of learning & development programmes

Reach plc believes diversity brings benefits for our customers, our business and our people. This is why we are committed to being an inclusive employer and encourage applications from all suitable applicants irrespective of background, circumstances, age, disability, gender identity, ethnicity, religion or belief and sexual orientation.