Centre for Veterinary Vaccine Innovation and Manufacturing
Electrical Supervisor
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Salary: £41,500.00- £43,000.00
Hours: 37 hours per week
Employment Type: Permanent/Full Time
Contract Length: Permanent
Closing Date: 15 October 2026
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Electrical Supervisor
About The Pirbright Institute
The Pirbright Institute is a world-leading centre of excellence for research and surveillance of viral diseases affecting farm animals and viruses that spread from animals to humans. Strategically funded by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Institute works to enhance national and international capability to predict, detect, contain, control and eliminate economically and clinically important viral diseases through highly innovative fundamental and applied bioscience. Pirbright’s charitable objective is to conduct and promote scientific research into diseases of animals, including exotic diseases, and to develop appropriate methods for their prevention and control. Our mission is to be the world’s leading innovative centre for preventing and controlling viral diseases of livestock, applying scientific research to protect animal and human health and support the economy.
Based on a dedicated campus in Pirbright, Surrey, southwest of London, the Institute employs just over 400 staff, with research supported by 52 PhD students and nine interns from a wide range of backgrounds. We pride ourselves on the diversity of our community and on a culture built around our PRIDE values: Passion for the highest standards of quality, delivery and performance; Reliability in everything we do, including leadership, learning, biosecurity and anticipating and containing unexpected events; Innovation as the driving force behind our fundamental and applied science; Dignity and respect for every member of our diverse community; and Excellence in all aspects of our work, from health, safety and biosafety to scientific research, customer service and environmental protection.
Pirbright provides national and international capacity to predict, detect, understand and respond to emerging viral diseases of livestock, as well as endemic viruses circulating within and beyond the UK. Our diagnostics, surveillance facilities and specialist expertise form an important national capability, helping to protect the UK from livestock viral diseases that threaten our borders and enabling us to respond decisively and rapidly in the event of an outbreak. Our fundamental research focuses on viruses, hosts and the complex interactions between them, while our wider science addresses key challenges including protecting the UK and global agriculture from viral threats, increasing agricultural efficiency to improve animal health and welfare, mitigating the growing threat of vector-borne diseases driven by climate change, and improving human health through a greater understanding of vaccine-induced protection.
With internationally recognised expertise in virology, immunology, diagnostics and surveillance, Pirbright combines fundamental discovery with practical solutions to tackle today's diseases and prepare for the emerging viral threats of tomorrow. Advancing science to improve the world in which we live.
Organisation Position & Purpose
The Maintenance Supervisor – Electrical, is responsible for the leadership and management of the electrical engineering technician team. The Maintenance Supervisor is expected to act with integrity, honesty, and discretion, demonstrating standards of good working practice with minimal guidance. Adapting to change and managing time effectively, you will develop your own management style and utilise this to influence and lead your peers and less experienced staff where your role allows.
You will coordinate installation, maintenance and repair work at The Pirbright Institute and will be responsible for the training, overseeing of Lead Technicians, Technicians, Assistants and Apprentices with the coordination of both the planned and reactive elements of maintenance. The ability to make independent decisions affecting operations, work output and/or quality of service within your own work area as well as planning, organising and making decisions about your own projects, within recognised parameters, would also be a part of your role.
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This will include, but is not limited to, managing the planned and reactive maintenance schedules, attending client meetings, compiling reports, supervision of staff and managing sub-contractors.
The site is a busy site that requires an experienced supervisor who is confident on the tools in emergencies or dealing with management and administrative duties. The role has a hands-on element, so the successful candidate must enjoy being hands on as well as managing and leading a team.
Main Purpose of the Role
Accountable To The Engineering Maintenance Manager, The Maintenance Supervisor - Electrical Will Be Responsible For Delivering The Site Reactive And Planned Maintenance Programmes, Which Will Include To:
- Supervising and leading the electrical engineering team, including Lead Technicians, Technicians, Assistants and Apprentices
- Lead the daily organisation, management and control of all direct reports in the delivery of Reactive, Planned Maintenance and / or projects.
- Management of Electrical Supervisor’s annual budget, working with colleagues to control costs and forecast planned maintenance expenditure
- Attend management-supervisor morning meetings and providing continuity of information throughout the engineering team, carrying out pre-job briefings with team as required
- Work closely with the Maintenance Supervisor – Mechanical to appropriately manage resource across the engineering team
- Ensure that planned and reactive maintenance tasks are monitored and completed by electrical team within agreed Service Level Agreement (SLA) timeframes
- Responsible for ensuring electrical team carry out tasks safely and in accordance with the Safe System of Work (SSoW) and documented health and safety procedures at all times
- Drive operational excellence across the engineering team and reinforce operational capability in addition to ensuring team compliance with all safety and Health, Safety, Biosafety (HSBS) instructions and procedures.
- Work in collaboration with Resource Allocation team to ensure tasks are appropriately allocated, acting as first point of contact for any queries from the electrical team regarding job allocations
- Promote the ongoing professional development of Lead Maintenance Technicians, Maintenance Technicians, Assistants and Apprentices.
- Ensure that all work is carried out in accordance with Institute’s Change Management procedures
- Ensure all electrical work carried out complies with electrical safety regulations and industry standards.
- Conduct inspections with electrical team and identify and troubleshoot electrical, Instrumentation and Automation controls issues.
- Conduct regular team meetings, and hold regular Toolbox Talks, with Lead Technicians, Technicians, Assistants and Apprentices to ensure compliance with Health and Safety.
- Ensuring that all team members are inducted and trained to the required standard to undertake their duties.
- Build collaborative relationships and negotiate with a range of colleagues. Communicate confidently and appropriately building and maintaining relationships, as well as attending meetings as a representative for the department to deliver business objectives.
- Pro-actively taking responsibility for evaluating and monitoring the performance and behaviours of direct reports. Ensuring quality operations are carried out in a safe manner, you will work in accordance with the Health and Safety processes and the Institutes Safe System of Work as laid down.
- Act as point of contact and provide guidance to team on all technical aspects
- Adopt and adhere to the Institute’s Quality Management System, supporting the Team Managers in ensuring all Quality Documentation is developed where required.
- Collate and analyse data from a range of sources, e.g. CMMS, and record and manage information appropriately, using and reviewing KPI’s/metrics to monitor the efficiency of the team and produce reports as required
- Actively participate in cross-departmental working groups, within area of responsibility, to address underpinning operational issues.
- Understand the mandatory and statutory requirements of the Engineering and Operations Department
- Understand the Institute and Departmental expectations with regards to HSBS and using critical judgement to implement accordingly. This will include, but not limited to, SAPO4 and other biocontainment legislation and business risks.
- Work collaboratively with internal departments e.g. HSBS to ensure safe and effective oversight of processes and permits to work as well as ensuring the adherence to any change requests or notifications.
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Essential
- Relevant engineering qualification at a minimum of NVQ level 3.
- Instrumentation, knowledge of sensors, transmitters, control valves, and measurement devices for pressure, temperature, and flow.
- Automation and Control, expertise in PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), DCS (Distributed Control System), and SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) software and hardware.
- Evidence of excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with funding bodies, peer-review groups, government agencies.
- Experience in leading and supervising a team of engineers within this field, with excellent motivation skills essential.
- Health and Safety qualification, preferably IOSH.
- Full commitment to the Institutes ‘call-out’ Rota.
- IT competence in MS office packages in particular Excel spreadsheets and Word.
- Management and organization of Contractors.
- Experience in interrogating a CMMS system and understanding KPI’s.
- Minimum 17th Edition.
- Experience using a Safe System of Work procedure.
- Good knowledge of both domestic and 3-phase electrical systems.
Desirable
- Experience of working in a high containment or pharmaceutical environment.
- Additional qualification in any relevant engineering field e.g. High Voltage, Confined Space, Electrical Installation, Electrical Inspection etc.
- An ability to analyse complex information e.g. CMMS.
- Relevant engineering qualification at a minimum of NVQ level 4.
- Evidence of networking skills with the ability to build effective collaborative relationships.
- Team Leading/Leadership qualification.
- High Voltage authorised person.
- Safety Standards: awareness of industry safety rules like functional safety (IEC 61508/61511), hazardous area classifications (ATEX/IECEx), and electrical safety codes.
- 2391 qualified.
What Pirbright Offers You
- A unique opportunity to shape both your research programme and the scientific direction of a world-leading institute.
- Beautiful campus in a semi-rural location with free on-site parking and good transport links.
- Generous Group Personal Pension Scheme and life assurance (subject to age and earnings).
- Professorial-equivalent appointment (Band
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