Foxhangers Canal Holidays have been delighting customers since 1997 with our beautiful fleet of narrowboats and exciting holiday adventures.
Based on the stunning, historic, Kennet and Avon canal near Devizes, Wiltshire, we now seek a motivated and passionate Marine Engineer / Boat Builder to work as an integral part of our engineering team.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
The role requires someone with a strong work ethic and broad level of engineering skills. The role encompasses several areas of the Foxhangers’ operation and is vitally important in helping to ensure our boats provide unrivalled boating experiences that are enjoyed by our customers as well as supporting a happy and positive environment to work in.
The Engineering department is focussed on the maintenance of our holiday hire boat fleet and privately owned canal boats. The role will also involve being a key member of our boat building team, which is focused on adding new vessels to our own hire fleet as well as private boat builds. Given the varied nature of the role, a flexible can-do attitude is essential.
Key Responsibilities of the Job:
- Hire fleet maintenance
- Boat building / Installation work
- Breakdown and on-call assistance to hire fleet
- Hire boat handover demonstrations and training
- Repairs and maintenance to privately owned vessels
- Slipway/docking works to vessels out of the water
The successful applicant will be responsible for ensuring that all Foxhangers boats are maintained to the best possible condition during each turn around day and in the off-season winter maintenance period.
As a Boat Engineer, you will be required to take a senior role within a small team of engineers, mechanics and boat operatives and you will report to the Engineering Manager. You will be responsible for: maintaining the high standards established for fleet maintenance and inspection; following handover procedures; and keeping in good order the general safety, cleanliness, security and customer care standards at the wharf area.
Fundamental to this role is the ability to perform diesel engine installation, electrical and plumbing installation to Foxhangers’ boat building and general boat fault finding and repairs for the general development of Foxhangers Marine Services (FMS).
A positive, customer facing, ‘can do’ attitude is crucial to this role when conducting boat handovers and greeting customers, dealing with sensitive issues, as well as when carrying out boat repairs and servicing for private boat owners.
Hours
The standard working hours are 40 per week, split over 5 days including some Saturdays.
- in addition to your normal hours during the hire season you will be required to undertake call-out duties in the evenings and weekends as part of a call out rota.
Required Skills
Working as part of a small engineering team you will need to provide most of your own tools and possess the following skills and attributes:
- Diesel engine knowledge and maintenance skills
- AC and DC Electrical knowledge with fault finding skills
- Welding skills
- Plumbing knowledge and fault finding skills
- Excellent communication skills at all levels
- Confidence to liaise with customers
- Hard working
- Fit and relatively agile
- Good team player
- Ability to work under pressure
- Ability to prioritise jobs
- Initiative
- Flexibility in working hours
- Attention for detail with engine room and internal boat checks
- Current driver’s licence
Preferred Skills / Experience or willingness to learn
- Good narrowboat handling skills
- LPG gas experience and/or Gas safe registered
- Boat master/Helmsman license
- First Aid Certificate (training can be provided)
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: £26-34k per annum
If you think this could be the opportunity for you, please write to us telling us how your qualifications, skills, and experience make you suited to this position, be sure to mention your earliest availability and whether you would need to work any notice to any current employer. Please also enclose a full employment history CV.
