Mechanical Maintenance Technician

Mechanical Maintenance Technician
Job Title: Mechanical Maintenance Technician
Location: Port of Leith
Compensation: Anticipated earnings £40,000+
Overtime rate: 2x rate on weekends (10pm Friday to 6am Monday) | 1.5x rate midweek
Hours: Monday-Friday 0700-1500 (we are keen to consider alternative working patterns)
In addition, you will be on-call 1 week in 5, with additional payment per call-out.
About this role
Forth Ports is one of the UK's largest and most dynamic port operator groups, playing a key role in connecting the UK with Europe and beyond. As a multimodal ports owner and operator, we are at the forefront of delivering innovative port-related services. With our recent pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2032 and Net Zero status by 2042, we are committed to sustainability and driving the expansion of the UK's renewable energy sector, particularly offshore wind. Now is an exciting time to join our team as we embark on this transformative journey towards a greener future.
We are seeking a time-served Mechanical Maintenance Fitter to join our engineering team at the Port of Leith, maintaining and repairing large-scale operational plant in a fast-moving environment. This is an opportunity to work on some of the largest and most interesting mechanical plant in Scotland within a stable employer supporting critical UK infrastructure.
This is a varied, hands-on heavy maintenance role suited to engineers who enjoy fault-finding, breakdown response, and working on a variety of plant and industrial equipment.
You will be part of an engineering team who support day-to-day port operations, planned & reactive maintenance and projects. The role requires practical problem solving, safety awareness and the ability to work independently to keep plant and infrastructure running.
Typical duties include:
Diagnosing and repairing mechanical and hydraulic faults on large mobile and fixed plant
Carrying out planned maintenance, inspections and breakdown response
Working safely within live operational areas
Carrying out repairs & maintenance on equipment such as cranes, mechanical loading shovels, forklift trucks, terminal tractors, dock gates, hydraulic systems and other associated machinery
Working at height, outdoors, and occasionally within confined spaces
Supporting major engineering projects, shutdown activities at our lock entrance and equipment installations
Using Ultimo CMMS to record work carried out, identify recurring faults and support reliability improvements
Working closely with electricians and operations teams to coordinate maintenance activities
Contributing to continuous improvement to enhance performance and reduce downtime
What We’re Looking For:
Time-served mechanical apprenticeship
Heavy industrial maintenance experience preferred
Strong hydraulic and mechanical fault-finding ability
Comfortable working occasional shifts and overtime
Reliable, safety-focused and able to work under pressure
Experience working via a CMMS/tablet system would be advantageous
Full right to work in the UK
Full driving licence, valid in the UK
Experience in ports, rail freight, quarries, heavy manufacturing, steelworks, power generation, bulk handling facilities or mobile plant maintenance environments would be advantageous.
Candidates with transferable experience from other heavy industrial or mechanical maintenance backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
What Forth Ports can offer you:
At Forth Ports, our people are our priority, and we are committed to creating a flexible, open, and supportive working culture. As part of our team, you will enjoy:
A competitive salary
Fair and rewarding call-out structure
Paid overtime (1.5x midweek and 2x weekend)
Discretionary group bonus
Generous annual leave entitlement
Defined contribution pension scheme with up to 16.5% joint contribution plus life assurance at 4x salary
Health promotion events and employee wellbeing initiatives to support your physical and mental wellbeing
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) providing free, confidential 24/7 telephone support for you and your family
On-site Occupational Health Team with access to professional support and referrals to services such as counselling, physiotherapy and free flu jabs
An annual Christmas thank you gift of a complimentary turkey or meat-free alternative for all employees
GymFlex health club memberships offering discounted access to gyms including Nuffield Health, PureGym, Anytime Fitness, The Gym Group, and selected local gyms
Cycle to Work scheme to support affordable, sustainable commuting
On-site free parking available for all employees
Attractive family-friendly policies, including enhanced maternity cover
Employee discount platform providing savings on UK-wide restaurants, retail, car rentals, days out, and holidays
We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all individuals, regardless of race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know and we will be happy to provide support
How to Apply:
If you have are a Mechanical Maintenance Technician and are looking to continue your career in varied role with career security, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a cover letter when submitting your application via the ‘Apply Now’ link.
What you will need
Required criteria
- Time-served mechanical apprenticeship
- Strong hydraulic and mechanical fault-finding ability
- Full right to work in the UK
- Full driving licence, valid in the UK
Desired criteria
- Heavy industrial maintenance experience preferred





