Part-on Tools Limited – Birmingham
Salary: £35,000–£40,000 per annum, depending on experience
Full-time | Permanent
An opportunity to build something, not just maintain it.
Part-on Tools Limited is a specialist engineering business based in Birmingham, with over 30 years of experience supplying industrial tooling and, more recently, developing our own engineering, fabrication and automation capabilities.
Our core expertise is in rivet and rivet nut fastening technology, where we supply tooling, equipment and application advice to manufacturers across the UK. We are specialists in understanding the application, selecting the right process and tooling, and supporting customers throughout the life of their equipment.
Alongside Part-on Tools, our group also operates a dedicated fabrication and engineering division, providing everything from fabricated racks, workstations and production equipment through to bespoke machinery, automated assembly solutions and complete production-line projects.
We are now looking for a Service & Automation Engineer to join us as we continue to develop our engineering and service capabilities.
This is not a conventional maintenance role, and it is not simply a tool repair position.
We are looking for a practical, curious and technically capable engineer who enjoys variety and wants to develop across mechanical engineering, electrical systems, pneumatics, tooling, automation, PLCs, machine building and field service.
The Role
Initially, a significant part of your role will be supporting our tool service and repair operation, working with industrial rivet and rivet nut equipment from leading manufacturers.
You will diagnose faults, repair and test equipment and help us maintain the high level of technical service that our customers expect from Part-on.
However, the role goes considerably further than tool repair.
As your knowledge of the business develops, you will become involved in:
- Bespoke machinery and automation projects
- Mechanical machine assembly
- Pneumatic systems and installation
- Electrical installation and fault finding
- Sensors, switches and control systems
- PLC programming and modification
- Machine commissioning
- Customer-site installation and service
- Production equipment and process improvements
- Fabrication and engineering projects
- Development of new automated riveting and fastening equipment
- Internal workshop machinery and engineering improvements
You will work closely with our Tools and Fabrication divisions, gaining exposure to a wide range of engineering applications rather than being restricted to one discipline.
What You Will Do - Tool Service & Repair
- Diagnose and repair pneumatic, hydraulic, battery and electric industrial tooling.
- Service rivet and rivet nut insertion equipment.
- Diagnose mechanical, electrical and pneumatic faults.
- Strip, inspect, repair and rebuild equipment.
- Test repaired equipment before returning it to customers.
- Assist with repair quotations and technical reports.
- Help improve repair procedures and turnaround times.
- Provide technical support to customers where required.
- Develop specialist knowledge of rivet and rivet nut installation equipment.
Automation & Machinery
As your experience develops, you will become increasingly involved in our machinery and automation projects.
This may include:
- Mechanical assembly of bespoke machines.
- Pneumatic installation and commissioning.
- Electrical installation and fault finding.
- Connecting sensors, valves, switches and actuators.
- PLC programming and modifications.
- Troubleshooting machine sequences and interlocks.
- Commissioning automated machinery.
- Setting up and testing riveting and rivet nut insertion systems.
- Pressure monitoring and process control.
- HMI and basic operator-interface functions.
- Supporting machine development and improvements.
We have already begun developing automated fastening equipment, including multi-head rivet nut insertion systems with pressure monitoring and controlled operating sequences, and this area of the business is expected to grow.
Field Service & Installation
You will also have the opportunity to work directly with customers.
This can include:
- Equipment installation.
- Machine commissioning.
- Preventative maintenance.
- Breakdown and fault-finding visits.
- Tool servicing.
- Customer training.
- Technical support.
- Installation of pneumatic and electrical systems.
- Supporting production-line and bespoke machinery projects.
The role will involve travelling to customer sites, predominantly within the UK.
About You
We are looking for someone who is practical, technically curious and enjoys solving problems.
You don't need to be an expert in everything listed above.
In fact, we would much rather meet an enthusiastic engineer with strong fundamentals and a desire to learn than someone who has experience in only one narrow discipline.
You are likely to have experience in some of the following:
- Mechanical engineering
- Industrial maintenance
- Field service engineering
- Machine building
- Automation
- Pneumatics
- Electrical fault finding
- Industrial machinery
- Production equipment
- PLCs and control systems
- Tool servicing or repair
- Engineering assembly
- Commissioning
PLC experience is highly desirable
You do not need to be an advanced PLC programmer.
However, experience with PLCs, control systems or basic programming would be a significant advantage.
We would particularly like to hear from candidates who have:
- Read PLC programs.
- Made simple program modifications.
- Worked with digital and analogue I/O.
- Fault-found sensors and actuators.
- Worked with machine sequences.
- Used HMIs.
- Worked with industrial control systems.
There will be opportunities to develop these skills further.
What Matters Most to Us
Technical skills are important, but attitude matters just as much.
We want someone who:
- Takes ownership of problems.
- Wants to understand how things work.
- Doesn't give up when the first solution doesn't work.
- Can work independently.
- Communicates well with colleagues and customers.
- Takes pride in the quality of their work.
- Is organised and methodical.
- Is willing to learn new technologies.
- Is comfortable moving between workshop, office and customer site.
- Wants to develop their career rather than simply complete the day's tasks.
You will have considerable variety in this role.
One day you could be diagnosing a pneumatic riveting tool.
The next you could be building a machine.
Another day you could be at a customer's factory commissioning equipment.
And as your skills develop, you could be writing or modifying PLC programs for automated fastening equipment.
Why Join Part-on?
Part-on is an SME, and that is important.
You won't disappear into a large engineering department where you are responsible for one small part of a process.
You will see projects from idea through to delivery and service.
Our business combines:
Industrial tooling
- Rivet & rivet nut application engineering
- Tool service & repair
- Fabrication
- Machine building
- Automation
- Production equipment
- Customer installation & service
This creates an unusual opportunity for an engineer who wants to broaden their experience.
We are continuing to invest in new equipment, automation and engineering capability, and the successful candidate will have the opportunity to play an important role in developing this area of the business.
Career Development
This position is intended to grow with the right person.
Initially, you will develop your knowledge across tool service and our engineering operations.
As your capability increases, there is the opportunity to take greater responsibility for:
- Automation projects
- PLC and control systems
- Customer installations
- Commissioning
- Service contracts
- Engineering projects
- Technical customer support
- Mentoring other engineers
- Developing our engineering service department
For the right person, the longer-term opportunity could develop into a Senior Service & Automation Engineer / Engineering & Service Lead position.
Requirements - Essential
- Practical engineering experience.
- Mechanical engineering ability.
- Ability to diagnose and solve mechanical faults.
- Good understanding of engineering principles.
- Ability to use engineering tools and workshop equipment.
- Good attention to detail.
- Good communication skills.
- Full UK driving licence.
- Willingness to travel to customer sites.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a small team.
Desirable
- Electrical fault-finding experience.
- Pneumatic experience.
- PLC experience.
- HMI/control-system experience.
- Industrial machine-building experience.
- Field service experience.
- Experience with automated machinery.
- Experience with rivet, rivet nut or fastening equipment.
- Experience reading electrical or pneumatic drawings.
The Package
Salary: £35,000–£40,000 depending on experience and technical capability.
Additional opportunities may be available for:
- Overtime
- Customer-site work
- Technical training
- PLC and automation development
- Manufacturer training
- Additional responsibilities and progression
A company vehicle may be available where the role requires regular customer-site travel.
The Person We Are Looking For
If you are an experienced engineer who enjoys fixing things, building things and understanding how things work, this could be an excellent opportunity.
You don't need to tick every box.
If you have strong mechanical skills, some electrical or pneumatic experience and an interest in developing into automation and PLCs, we would like to hear from you.
This is an opportunity to join a growing engineering SME and help us build the next stage of our service, automation and engineering capability.
Pay: £35,000.00-£40,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Education:
- A-Level or equivalent (required)
Experience:
- Industrial engineering: 3 years (required)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
