Graduate Project Engineer

Salary:

£31K, rising to £35K after 3 months.

Location:

Hybrid working – minimum 3 days per week in our office in Chesham or at a client site. We prioritise collaboration.

Introduction:

J P Hildreth is an award-winning consultancy that helps organisations understand complex challenges, shape practical solutions and deliver meaningful change. We work alongside client teams to simplify complexity, bring clarity to difficult problems, and turn ideas into practical results that work in the real world.

We support organisations across a range of industries, including food and drink, personal care, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Graduate Project Engineer who is ready to build a career by gaining practical experience, developing technical knowledge and learning from experienced colleagues. You will work in the consumer healthcare, pharmaceutical or food manufacturing sectors, supporting project engineers and project managers while gaining exposure to new machines, new techniques, varied project work and ongoing opportunities to learn and develop.

You will typically work across several projects, with responsibilities that may include client and supplier engagement, cost management, document preparation, problem identification, solution finding and helping to ensure compliance with safety and regulatory standards. This role will give you valuable practical experience and help you develop the skills needed for a successful engineering career.

At J P Hildreth, we have developed a training and support programme designed to give you exposure to both technical and safety knowledge. You will have a personal development plan, a Line Manager to work closely with, and a mentor who can support your learning and answer your questions.

Minimum Requirements:

Excellent A-level (or equivalent) results.
Qualified to degree level with a Masters or Bachelors Engineering degree.
Ambition, excellent communication skills and the desire to become a Chartered Engineer.

Most relevant engineering degrees for this role:

Mechanical, Electrical, Controls & Automation, Controls & Instrumentation, Chemical, Mechatronics, Robotics, Automation.

Personal Specification:

Qualifications

Essential

Desirable

A degree in a relevant engineering discipline.

Knowledge and experience:

A curiosity to understand how things work.

Commitment to quality and correct procedure.

Meeting client expectations.

Confidence to work autonomously once established in role.

Demonstrate integrity, tact and diplomacy.

Skills:

Analytical skills.

Meticulous planning and organisation.

Creative problem-solving.

Excellent listening.

Communication that is clear, accurate and timely.

Ability to make decisions, manage budgets, and manage risk and scope changes.

To apply for this role, or to obtain further information, please contact Sarah Langer via email at careers@jphildreth.com

About J P Hildreth Ltd

Company values:

Our company is built on the principles of integrity, simplicity and clarity. These core values shape our decisions, actions, and interactions with both our clients and each other.

Integrity: We honour our commitments to ourselves and our clients whilst being ethical, transparent and trustworthy.
Simplicity: We deliver simple, effective solutions that prioritise efficiency and accessibility for ourselves and our clients.
Clarity: We use clear communication and actions which lead ourselves and our clients to visible success.

Employee owned:

J P Hildreth is an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) which means that the business is owned by an independent trust tasked to act in the best interest of the employees.

https://employeeownership.co.uk provides further information about the EOT philosophy and its practical impacts.

In November 2024, we were named EO Rising Star of the Year at the UK Employee Ownership Awards, recognising our people-first culture and commitment to delivering outstanding results for our clients.

Exceptional benefits of this type of structure for both our employees and our clients include (subject to contract conditions):

The long-term future and independence of JPH is secure.
The structure demands an active employee representation and involvement through to the operating board.
All employees are beneficiaries of the trust and business profits are reinvested and/or shared equitably among the employees (part of profit share payments are made free from income tax).

Ultimately, all of us employed here at J P Hildreth have an equitable stake in the future and success of the business. If this sounds like something you would love to be a part of then we would like to hear from you!

‍