DS Smith

Reliability Engineer

United Kingdom · Work style not stated · Full time

Apply on the employer’s site ↗See how well you match this job

You apply directly with the employer. ROLIVA does not submit applications from this page and is not the employer.

About the role

Description from the employer’s posting. Check the employer’s page for the current version.

EmployerDS Smith
LocationUnited Kingdom
Work styleWork style not stated
Employment typeFull time
Employer posted23 Sep 2026

Reliability Engineer

DS Smith – Burscough | Full-time | 40 hours per week

As our Reliability Engineer, you will play a key role in improving the reliability, availability and performance of our manufacturing assets. You will manage assets throughout their lifecycle, developing effective preventative and predictive maintenance strategies while using data and engineering insight to identify and eliminate recurring failures.

Working closely with Engineering and Operations, you will help maximise equipment availability, reduce downtime, improve safety and quality, and deliver sustainable improvements across the site.

What you’ll be responsible for:

Manage the asset care programme across the full equipment lifecycle, including preventative, predictive, corrective and breakdown maintenance, ensuring strategies are aligned to equipment criticality and business priorities.
Develop and continuously improve preventative and predictive maintenance strategies using OEM recommendations, RCM principles, FMEA/FMECA, PM Optimisation and condition-based monitoring.
Analyse maintenance and performance data to identify equipment “bad actors”, prioritise opportunities and improve asset availability, reliability and downtime performance.
Lead Root Cause Analysis and structured problem-solving activity, developing and implementing sustainable solutions to eliminate recurring failures and losses.
Work closely with the Engineering Planner/Scheduler to ensure maintenance activities are effectively planned, scheduled and delivered, including the management of critical spares, service agreements and the maintenance calendar.
Support the Engineering team with CAPEX projects, engineering improvements and the implementation of maintenance best practice across the site.
Work collaboratively with Operations, Corrugator, Conversion, Planning and Despatch teams to understand priorities and ensure engineering activity supports customer and production requirements.
Develop and report meaningful engineering KPIs, using data to support decision making and focus resources on the highest-priority opportunities.
Support the Engineering Manager in delivering site objectives and continuously improving engineering standards, processes and ways of working.
Ensure all engineering activities meet DS Smith’s Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality standards, contributing to a safe, efficient and high-performing manufacturing environment.

Show full description

What we’re looking for:

Degree qualified in an Engineering discipline or a time-served engineer with significant relevant manufacturing experience.
Proven experience in Reliability, Maintenance or Engineering, with a strong understanding of preventative and predictive maintenance.
Experience using reliability and problem-solving techniques such as FMEA/FMECA, RCA, PM Optimisation and criticality analysis.
Strong analytical skills with experience using SAP or a similar maintenance management system to analyse data and manage maintenance programmes.
Experience of condition monitoring techniques such as thermography, vibration monitoring or similar would be advantageous.
A proactive and collaborative approach, with the ability to influence and work effectively across Engineering, Operations and wider site teams.
A passion for reliability, continuous improvement and maintenance best practice, with the drive to deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, cost and performance.

#DSENG

#LI-SP

See how well you match this job Apply on the employer’s site ↗

Check your resume against this job Free, no sign-up. Nothing you paste is stored.

Staying safe while you apply

Never pay to apply, interview or accept an offer. ROLIVA never asks you for payment to apply to a job.
Apply only through the official “Apply on the employer’s site” button, on the employer’s own site, and check that a recruiter’s email uses that employer’s own domain rather than a free email address.
Be cautious of an offer made with no real interview, or pressure to decide quickly or share financial details early.

Does something look wrong with this listing? Use “Report broken link” in the role details, or read ROLIVA’s full job-safety guidance ↗.

Preparing for this role with ROLIVA

Check the fit.
Compare the requirements with the experience you have confirmed, including gaps.
Prepare honestly.
Build interview stories and application drafts from your own evidence.
Keep track.
Save the role and record your own application status and follow-ups.

Create a free workspace or log in.