Technical Services Manager - Process Plant & Commissioning

UK Home-Based | Regular UK Travel & Occasional International Travel

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
Sector: Recycling Technology | Process Engineering | Industrial Equipment | Clean Technology

Overview:

• Are you an experienced Technical Services Manager, Commissioning Manager or Service Engineering professional looking to take ownership of a new technical service function within an innovative engineering business?
• Our client specialises in advanced pyrolysis technology, recovering valuable materials from end-of-life and as the business moves from pilot-scale development towards its first commercial-scale installation.
• We are looking for a hands-on technical leader to support the deployment, commissioning, operation and ongoing development of our technology.
• Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will take ownership of technical services across pilot and commercial-scale systems, combining practical engineering expertise with customer support, equipment commissioning, plant maintenance and service function development.
• This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in an evolving technology business, helping establish the processes, standards and technical capability needed to support future commercial growth.

The Role:

• UK home-based, with frequent travel to customer sites, the pilot plant and manufacturing partners.
• Hands-on responsibility for installation, commissioning, maintenance and troubleshooting.
• Operational ownership of the pilot plant, supporting testing, validation and process optimisation.
• Technical oversight of equipment manufacture, assembly and pre-delivery inspections.
• Opportunity to establish and develop a dedicated technical services and commissioning team as the business grows.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Services & Customer Support

• Develop and lead the technical service and aftersales support capability for companies process equipment.
• Provide hands-on technical support at customer sites, diagnosing faults, resolving operational issues and coordinating repairs and maintenance.
• Establish service procedures, preventative maintenance schedules, inspection processes and technical support documentation.
• Support customers with equipment operation, process optimisation and operational best practice.
• Develop effective remote and on-site support arrangements as commercial installations increase.
• Build strong customer relationships and act as a key technical point of contact throughout equipment operation.

Installation & Commissioning

• Support and lead installation and commissioning activities for commercial tyre pyrolysis systems.
• Oversee equipment installation, ensuring compliance with engineering drawings, specifications and relevant quality requirements.
• Conduct system testing, start-up activities, operational validation and troubleshooting.
• Develop commissioning procedures, start-up protocols and operational handover documentation.
• Play a key role in the successful deployment of the first commercial-scale installation, establishing standards for future projects.

Pilot Plant Operations & Maintenance

• Take responsibility for the day-to-day operation, maintenance and upkeep of the pilot plant.
• Carry out inspections, routine maintenance, fault finding and repairs.
• Operate equipment during development trials, process testing and customer demonstrations.
• Support monitoring, data collection and operational reporting.
• Identify opportunities to improve plant reliability, performance, maintainability and operational efficiency.

Engineering, R&D & Process Improvement

• Work closely with engineering and R&D teams to support technology development and process optimisation.
• Provide practical operational feedback to improve equipment design, reliability and serviceability.
• Support testing, validation and development activities across pilot and commercial systems.
• Troubleshoot mechanical and process-related issues, helping translate operational experience into engineering improvements.

Manufacturing & Supplier Support

• Visit manufacturing and fabrication partners to monitor equipment assembly, build quality and technical compliance.
• Review equipment against engineering drawings, specifications and quality requirements.
• Identify and help resolve manufacturing issues, technical discrepancies and non-conformances.
• Support factory acceptance testing (FAT), pre-delivery inspections and preparation for installation.

Building the Technical Services Function

• Establish the processes, standards and systems required for a scalable technical services operation.
• Identify future resource requirements and support the recruitment and development of service and commissioning engineers.
• Develop maintenance, commissioning, troubleshooting and customer support procedures.
• Help build a technical service capability that can support multiple commercial installations as the business expands.

What We're Looking For

• We are looking for a technically strong, practical and commercially aware engineering professional who can combine hands-on problem-solving with the ability to build and lead a service function.
• You may currently be working as a Technical Services Manager, Service Engineering Manager, Commissioning Manager, Field Service Manager, Technical Operations Manager, Process Plant Manager or Senior Commissioning Engineer.