Mechanical Maintenance Engineer
Kemsley Paper Mill (Sittingbourne)
£58,000
About the Role
We are looking for a skilled and proactive Mechanical Maintenance Engineer to join the Engineering team at our Kemsley Paper Mill. This is an exciting opportunity to work within one of the largest and most advanced paper mills in the UK, supporting the reliability and performance of high-speed manufacturing and processing equipment.
Working on a continental 4 on / 4 off shift rota, you will play a key role in ensuring plant availability, minimising downtime, and delivering safe, efficient maintenance across the site.
Key Responsibilities
- Carry out planned preventative maintenance (PPM) activities across site machinery and equipment
- Respond quickly and effectively to mechanical breakdowns
- Diagnose faults and implement long-term engineering solutions
- Support continuous improvement and reliability initiatives
- Work collaboratively with production and engineering teams to maximise plant performance
- Ensure all work is completed safely and in line with company procedures and standards
- Accurately complete maintenance documentation and shift reports
- Contribute to shutdowns, overhauls, and project work where required
What We’re Looking For
- Time-served Mechanical Engineer or recognised Engineering Apprenticeship
- NVQ Level 3 / City & Guilds in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
- Experience within a heavy manufacturing, industrial, FMCG, paper, steel, recycling, or process environment
- Strong fault-finding and problem-solving skills
- Experience working with: Bearings, pumps, conveyors, gearboxes, hydraulics, pneumatics, and rotating equipment
- Ability to work independently and as part of a shift engineering team
- A strong commitment to health & safety standards
What we can offer you:
- Competitive salary
- Qualifying Sick Pay scheme
- Pension scheme & Life insurance
- Share Save scheme
- Income Protection
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Virtual GP, Occupational Health & free Flu vaccine
- Cycle to Work and shopping discounts
We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.”
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Skills Required
- Time-served Mechanical Engineer or recognised Engineering Apprenticeship
- NVQ Level 3 / City & Guilds in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent
- Experience within a heavy manufacturing, industrial, FMCG, paper, steel, recycling, or process environment
- Strong fault-finding and problem-solving skills
DS Smith Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about DS Smith and has not been reviewed or approved by DS Smith.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered okay to good across many roles, with some plants indicating competitive or above‑market hourly rates for operators and similar positions. This supports a broadly fair perception of base pay even as experiences vary by site.
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Healthcare Strength — U.S. offerings include day‑one medical/vision and dental, employer HSA contributions, and 100% company‑paid life and short/long‑term disability, alongside an EAP. Some role descriptions also highlight mental‑health and fertility options.
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Retirement Support — Packages commonly reference a 401(k) with company match and, in some locations, pension eligibility or company‑funded retirement contributions. This positions retirement benefits as a meaningful component of total rewards.
DS Smith Insights
What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy. Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
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