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.

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

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Staff Engineer to provide advanced technical support to customers, sales teams, aftermarket operations, and service teams across the UK. Acting as a key technical authority, you will support both OEM and end-user customers by delivering expert engineering solutions, troubleshooting complex issues, and contributing to the successful delivery of customer projects across the South of the UK.

Working as part of the Regional Engineering team and reporting to the Engineering Manager, you will combine strong technical expertise with customer-facing skills to identify opportunities, solve challenging engineering problems, and support business growth. This role offers the opportunity to mentor junior engineers, work directly with customers, and influence technical decision-making across a broad product portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to customers, Sales, Aftermarket, and Service teams to help secure new business and support existing customer requirements.
• Develop complex technical proposals by applying process equipment and engineering knowledge, while supporting and mentoring less experienced engineers.
• Conduct field troubleshooting and investigation activities, identifying root causes and implementing effective technical solutions.
• Meet directly with customers at site locations to resolve technical challenges and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Carry out product inspections, root cause analysis (RCA), and site surveys in support of OEM projects and aftermarket opportunities.
• Analyse customer specifications and recommend tailored engineering solutions that meet operational and commercial requirements.
• Support customer orders throughout the project lifecycle by providing technical clarifications, engineering analysis, and problem resolution.
• Deliver technical justification for engineering decisions through calculations, analysis, and adherence to engineering best practices.
• Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to ensure successful project execution and delivery.
• Make sound technical decisions that support customer needs while aligning with business objectives.
• Ensure full compliance with company policies, quality standards, ethical practices, and health & safety requirements.
• Identify and report any unsafe conditions or environmental concerns promptly.

Qualifications

• Degree-qualified in a Mechanical Engineering field or able to demonstrate equivalent professional experience and/or relevant qualifications.
• Extensive relevant engineering experience in an industrial or manufacturing environment, ideally with rotating equipment.
• Professional membership or chartered status (e.g., MIMechE, CEng) would be advantageous.

Technical Expertise

• Broad engineering knowledge with the ability to support John Crane’s diverse product portfolio including mechanical seals, couplings, fluid control systems and filtration.
• Strong understanding of process equipment and industrial applications.
• Experience interpreting customer specifications and developing technical solutions.
• Working knowledge of 2D/3D CAD and drafting software (such as Solid Edge).
• Understanding of engineering analysis tools including FEA packages (e.g., ANSYS).
• Ability to perform engineering calculations and technical evaluations to support decision-making.
• Practical hands-on engineering experience, including assembly, disassembly, fault finding, and root cause analysis.
• Experience working in customer-facing environments and industrial plant settings.

Professional Skills

• Strong customer focus with excellent commercial awareness.
• Ability to understand the commercial impact of engineering decisions and recommendations.
• Excellent technical report writing and documentation skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong project management and organisational abilities.
• Proven ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.