Staff Engineer, Regional Engineering UK

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies. 

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards. 

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries. 

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Staff Engineer working within the Regional Engineering UK team reporting to the Regional Engineering Manager, UK. The role involves providing direct technical support to customers, John Crane UK Sales & Aftermarket, and Service teams, ensuring the successful acquisition of orders and ongoing support for OEM and End User customers in the UK and Ireland. This includes technical selling, troubleshooting, and close collaboration with both customers and internal stakeholders. The position also encompasses mentoring less experienced engineers while taking responsibility for day-to-day customer technical support. As part of the Regional Engineering team, the Staff Engineer reports to the Engineering Manager. Responsibilities extend to supporting sales and aftermarket teams by offering application support for engineering proposals, orders, retrofits, and service needs. The role also involves assisting sales personnel with technical presentations, strengthening customer relationships, and winning business. Frequent customer visits and meetings, along with up to 50% national travel plus Ireland, are key aspects of the role. Additionally, the Staff Engineer will provide engineering support for troubleshooting, commissioning, warranty mitigation, and collaborate across departments, including Central Expertise, Engineering Solutions, Sales, Service, and Quality, to address complex technical issues and ensure optimal service delivery.

This role can be based within either or Manchester, Slough or Aberdeen site working Monday to Friday normal office hours. (hybrid)

John Crane is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to crafting an inclusive environment for all employees.

Duties & Responsibilities (not limited to)

• Working closely with customers, apply process equipment knowledge to create complex technical proposals, or guide less experienced engineers in doing so.
• Conduct field troubleshooting, including analysis of problems / recommendation & implementation of appropriate solutions, meeting with customers in plant or at customer’s site to resolve satisfactorily.      
• Undertake hands-on product inspection, RCA and site surveys in support of OEM orders and Aftermarket customers when required.
• Analysis of customer specifications to advise technical solutions adapted to their needs, with a focus on Vessel seal products.
• Support the progress of orders providing technical support, clarifications, and analysis through to delivery
• Provide technical justification for decisions through use of analysis, calculation, and application of John Crane Engineering best practices.
• Take decisions necessary to support customers and aligned with company objectives, supported by the Regional Engineering Manager.
• Working closely with the Training and Enablement team, provide technical training to employees and customers.                                        
• Adhere to all Smiths business, ethics, health & safety policies at all times.
• Report to his/her manager any situation deemed dangerous in relation to safety and/or the environment.

• Potentially hold a degree within Engineering or Equivalent experience, typically with 8+ years relevant experience.                                 
• Broad technical knowledge, and the ability to manage and interact with customers and technical experts across the JC product portfolio.
• Commercial awareness. Understands how their design and selection impacts profitability; Considers the commercial landscape during troubleshooting, respecting the contractual path.   
• Engineering tools; working knowledge of 2D/3D design and drafting (SolidEdge), an appreciation of FEA (CSTEDY/ANSYS) and the ability to undertake Engineering calculations as required to support decision making.
• Practical Engineering Skills – product assembly/disassembly, Root Cause Analysis, experience working in industrial environments.
• Professional skills;
• Customer orientation and commercial awareness
• Technical Writing skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Project management
• Teamwork

With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity. 

Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network. 

Join us for a great career with competitive compensation and benefits, while helping engineer a better future. 

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc)