Position: Utilities Shift Operative at Discovery Park
Location: Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent
Role: Permanent
Discovery Park is a leading science and innovation park in the Southeast of England, home to more than 160 forward-thinking companies ranging from ambitious start-ups to global multinationals. Our vibrant community spans the pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, technology, and professional services sectors, creating a dynamic environment where innovation thrives.
Through our dedicated operational and business support teams, Discovery Park Management Ltd (DPML) delivers comprehensive facilities management across the site. This includes the maintenance of buildings, landscaped grounds, and utilities infrastructure, as well as the provision of essential services such as front-of-house reception, cleaning, logistics, security, and event management.
We are committed to maintaining a welcoming environment for all occupiers and visitors, delivering quality services across the park, whilst continuously seeking opportunities to improve and enhance the way we operate.
Our values guide everything we do:
- Inspirational leadership – leading by example and empowering others
- People-focused – treating everyone with respect, care, and professionalism
- Operational excellence – delivering consistently high standards in all we do
- Community spirit – working collaboratively and supporting one another as one team
Main Purposes of the Job
The Utilities Shift Operator plays a vital role in keeping Discovery Park running safely, efficiently and reliably, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This is a varied and hands-on role, where you will take ownership of your shift and use your technical knowledge, practical skills and problem-solving abilities to keep essential utilities services operating at their best.
No two shifts will be the same, and the role provides the opportunity to work across a broad range of technically interesting systems while developing your knowledge and experience.
If you enjoy a challenge, take pride in keeping things running and want a role where your technical skills make a real difference, this is an opportunity to become an important part of keeping Discovery Park operating.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Safely operate, monitor and control utilities plant and equipment to maintain a safe and reliable supply across the site. This includes steam generation and distribution, cooling towers, chillers, compressed air, LTHW generation & distribution, fire protection systems, effluent collection & treatment (WWTF), and a range of building services.
• Carry out routine checks, planned maintenance tasks and first-line fault finding to provide a high level of building services including heating and ventilation systems, refrigeration, steam, condensate, water systems and stability fridge/freezers.
• Carry out designated corrective and preventive maintenance tasks on shift to support the overall maintenance strategy, for example planned routines such as lubrication, filter changing, some RBM related tasks, and unplanned tasks such as working on pumps, belts, drives etc.
• Optimise plant operating conditions to maximise operational efficiency and always ensure continuity of utilities services to the site.
• Act as first responder to alarms from critical buildings and WWTF operations following escalation procedures within agreed SLA’s and safe operating procedures to maintain appropriate standards of health, safety and environmental compliance.
• Ensure that requests from customer groups for Utilities support are responded to in an effective manner in line with agreed SLA’s.
• Contribute to the identification and implementation of minor improvement projects to increase operational efficiency.
• Identify and report operational and maintenance problems and provide technical input and troubleshooting to effectively resolve problems.
• Work flexibly with the maintenance & WWTF team to plan, schedule and continuously deliver reliable services across the site.
As required by the Business and/or directed by Management
About Your Skills & Experience
Essential
Technical Skills
• Proven practical and working knowledge of troubleshooting, maintenance, inspection, diagnosis, and repair of utilities systems, including but not limited to steam generation and distribution, cooling towers, compressed air systems, and fire main equipment.
• Familiarity with HSE standards and compliance requirements relevant to utilities operations.
Behavioural Competences
• Effective team player with the ability to work independently and take initiative as required.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and prioritise tasks to ensure timely delivery of operational goals.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to analyse issues, identify solutions, and implement them effectively.
• High level of focus on delivery and performance, ensuring operational and safety standards are consistently met.
Flexibility
• Willingness and ability to work shifts covering 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, as part of a rotating schedule.
• Adaptable to changing operational demands, including response and out-of-hours support for operations.
Communication Skills
• Ability to effectively communicate and follow oral and written instructions.
• Capable of liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth operations and resolution of issues.
Experience
• Significant experience in an operations role, ideally within the utilities, power generation, or facilities management sectors.
Personal Attributes
• Strong commitment to customer service with a flexible and proactive approach to meeting operational requirements.
• Drive for results with a consistent focus on achieving high standards.
• Willingness to contribute to a culture of continuous improvement by supporting initiatives to enhance performance and cost-effectiveness.
Driving
• A full, current, clean manual driving licence.
Desirable
Technical Skills & Professional Certifications
• Advanced troubleshooting skills for utilities systems such as boilers, chillers, pumps, and drives.
• Knowledge of steam and chilled water systems and their associated concepts.
• A recognised relevant engineering qualification in engineering.
• Certifications such as C&G or NVQ 3 in Boiler Operations/Electrical Generation.
Remuneration and Benefits
Annual Salary: £38,942.58
Annual shift allowance: £6,477.24
Total Annual Salary (inclusive of shift allowance): £45,419.82
Our benefits include*:
• 8 shifts company sick pay
• 22 shifts annual leave (incorporated into shift rota)
• Discount and recognition platform
• On-site gym
• 10% discount at our onsite catering
• Free onsite parking
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
*Benefits listed are based on working full-time and are subject to change.
Note: The Job Description is not intended to be all inclusive. The job holder may be required to perform other related duties to meet the on-going needs of the Company.
