Field Service Engineer

Field Service Engineer - South East Region

Location: South East

We have an exciting opportunity for a Field Service Engineer to join Kite Packaging and play a key role in the creation of a brand-new Servicing and Maintenance division, covering locations such as Letchworth Sittingbourne and surrounding areas.

This is a new and important role within the business, created to support Kite's growing fleet of packaging machinery across both Kite Online (KOL) and our Regional Distribution Centre (RDC) customer base. The successful candidate will help establish and grow a new income stream for Kite, taking ownership of machine servicing, repairs, preventative maintenance and customer support across a wide range of packaging equipment.

Founded in 2001 with a unique philosophy of employee ownership, our company has grown from a greenfield start-up to become one of the leading businesses in our sector. We are proud to have received several industry awards, including:

Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies in the Midlands
Sunday Times Track 100 Fastest Profit Growth in the UK
Packaging Company of the Year (2023)

Our success is driven by continuous investment in our people, technology, and innovation - with a turnover of £186m in 2025.

The role of Field Service Engineer:

We are looking for a skilled and proactive Field Service Engineer to service, maintain and repair Kite's growing fleet of packaging machinery. This will include, but is not limited to:

Stretch film machines
Strapping machines
Mini air machines
Carton sealer machines
Paper void fill machines

The role will involve a combination of workshop-based activity at Puma Park and field-based servicing at customer sites across the UK. The successful candidate will be responsible not only for completing technical servicing and repairs, but also for helping to manage servicing schedules, appointments, service records and repair activity across Kite's customer base.

This is a customer-facing role that requires strong technical ability, good organisation and a practical, solutions-focused approach.

Key Responsibilities:

Service & Maintenance

Carry out routine servicing, inspections and preventative maintenance on Kite's fleet of packaging machinery.
Diagnose electrical and mechanical faults and complete repairs to ensure machines are operating safely and efficiently.
Attend customer sites to service, repair and maintain machinery across both KOL and RDC customer accounts.
Support the installation, commissioning and set-up of machines at customer sites where required.
Ensure all work is completed to a high standard and in line with relevant safety requirements.
Identify recurring faults or performance issues and recommend improvements where appropriate.

Developing the Servicing & Maintenance Division

Help establish Kite's new servicing and maintenance division as a professional and reliable customer offering.
Support the development of servicing processes, checklists, documentation and reporting standards.
Contribute to the growth of a new income stream by delivering a high-quality service experience to customers.
Provide feedback on opportunities to improve efficiency, machine reliability and the overall customer proposition.
Work with internal teams to help shape the future structure and capability of the servicing function.

Scheduling, Appointments & Service Adminstration

Manage and maintain servicing schedules for machines across Kite's customer base.
Plan and coordinate service appointments, repairs and follow-up visits for both KOL and RDC customers.
Ensure customer visits are organised efficiently, with appropriate parts, tools and documentation prepared in advance.
Complete service reports, job sheets and timesheets accurately and promptly.
Maintain clear records of service history, repairs completed, parts used and outstanding actions.
Liaise with internal teams to ensure service activity is visible, well managed and professionally communicated.

Customer Support

Provide knowledgeable and professional technical support while on customer sites.
Build positive working relationships with customers and act as a trusted representative of Kite.
Train customers where required on basic machine operation, care and troubleshooting.
Communicate clearly with customers regarding machine issues, repairs completed and any recommended follow-up actions.
Escalate any customer concerns or recurring technical issues to the relevant internal teams.

Workshop Responsibilities

Support workshop-based machine preparation, testing, repair and refurbishment activity at Puma Park.
Carry out machine inspections and testing prior to customer delivery where required.
Assist with machine rebuilds, upgrades and general workshop maintenance activity.
Work with the warehouse, purchasing and fleet management teams to ensure machines and parts are available when needed.
Support the management of spare parts requirements and highlight stock needs for common repairs.

Key Skills and Essential Experience:

Electrical or electromechanical engineer by trade, with strong hands-on engineering experience.
Proven experience as a Field Service Engineer / Technician, Maintenance Engineer, Electrical Engineer or similar technical role.
Strong electrical fault-finding and repair capability.
Mechanical knowledge and practical machine maintenance experience.
Experience working with packaging machinery or automated machinery is highly desirable.
Previous experience in the packaging industry would be a strong advantage.
Ability to read and interpret technical manuals, wiring diagrams, schematics and machine documentation.
Confident working independently in the field and managing a varied daily schedule.
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage servicing plans, appointments and follow-up actions.
Good communication skills and a customer-first approach.
Practical, hands-on and solutions-focused mindset.
Flexibility to travel to customer sites across the UK as required.
Full UK driving licence is essential.

What we are looking for:

This role would suit an experienced electrical/electromechanical engineer who enjoys working independently, solving practical problems and dealing directly with customers. As this is a new function within Kite, we are looking for someone who is comfortable taking ownership, building processes and helping shape how the service offering develops.

The right candidate will be technically capable, commercially aware and excited by the opportunity to be part of a brand-new division with significant growth potential

What you will get:

Excellent competitive salary
Car allowance or Company car provided
A good work/life balance. 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday
Holidays 22 days per year rising by 1 each year to 25, including an option to buy or sell a maximum of 3 days, plus statutory holidays.
After 6 months:
- Life insurance
- Company pension scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Optional private healthcare scheme
Eligibility to become a shareholder in the business after 6 months employment
The opportunity to play a leading role in a building a brand-new income stream within an employee-owned business