Manufacturing Engineer
Company: Foundrax
Location: Somerton, Somerset (With UK & occasional international field travel)
Job Type: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £34,000 – £37,000 per annum (Based on experience) + Overtime paid at Time-and-a-Half Perks: Travel hours paid at base rate | Full UKAS calibration training | High-spec workwear & PPE provided | Company Pension | Family-run wellness budget & social events
The Opportunity
Looking to elevate your engineering career into a highly respected, global niche? Nobody arrives knowing how to build and calibrate our specialized Brinell hardness testers. We aren’t looking for an expert who already understands our specific products—we are looking for a capable, curious engineer with rock-solid technical fundamentals. If you bring the right attitude, we will teach you the rest.
Foundrax is a three-generation, family-run specialist business based in Somerton, Somerset. We design and manufacture the heavy-duty hardness-testing machines that industries worldwide rely on, and we operate our own UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory. Our Managing Director even serves as the Chair of the international ISO committee for Brinell testing standards.
Our equipment is utilized globally by steelworks, aerospace giants, automotive manufacturers, foundries, and advanced engineering companies. This is precise, highly varied, and genuinely interesting work—and you will be the one building, installing, and maintaining it.
The Role
This is a dynamic, hybrid role split between high-precision workshop assembly in Somerton and travelling to diverse client sites for field service and commissioning.
Key Responsibilities:
- Precision Manufacturing: Build, assemble, and wire everything from large, heavy-duty machinery down to intricate, high-precision sub-assemblies in our workshop.
- Commissioning & Field Service: Travel to customer sites to install, commission, repair, and service testing systems, ensuring they operate flawlessly under industrial conditions.
- UKAS Accreditation: With our fully funded training, you will learn to perform and certify UKAS-accredited calibrations, eventually stepping up to become an officially accredited Operator/Signatory.
- Global Mobility: Manage regular domestic travel throughout the UK, alongside occasional international travel (typically 3 to 5 trips a year, with at least one trip lasting up to two weeks).
Requirements
- Education: NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent or higher) in a mechanical engineering discipline.
- Experience: Solid, hands-on practical experience within a mechanical, maintenance, fitting, or machine-tool engineering environment.
- Logistics: Full UK Driving Licence with a complete willingness to undertake overnight stays and short-notice travel.
- Attributes: A genuine willingness to learn, a flexible and safety-conscious approach to industrial sites, and a friendly, communicative attitude.
A Real Advantage (But Not Essential):
- Machining Skills: Prior experience with manual or CNC machining (turning or milling) is a major plus, as a good deal of what we manufacture starts at the lathe or mill.
What We Offer
- Premium Earning Potential: A competitive base salary supplemented by lucrative time-and-a-half overtime for workshop/field hours, with all door-to-door travel hours fully paid at your standard rate.
- Elite Skill Development: Full, side-by-side training covering heavy machine building, hydraulic systems, electrical integration, and globally recognized UKAS certification.
- A Human Workplace Culture: We are a small family business that treats our team like adults. We offer genuine flexibility when life throws unexpected challenges your way, backed by a dedicated Happiness and Wellbeing budget (covering occasional morning bacon sandwiches, company days out, and long team lunches).
Pay: £34,000.00-£37,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Experience:
- Mechanical engineering: 5 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- NVQ level 3 mechanical engineering or higher (required)
- Full UK driving licence (required)
Work Location: In person
