Engineering

Pilkington offers opportunities to develop professional engineering skills in three main areas:

• design, development and project management for new plant, processes and equipment
• operation of manufacturing plant
• product design and development.

In each area a wide range of opportunities exists to work with advanced mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering equipment, with computer based process control systems and with extensive electrical and mechanical services.

In broad terms there are two key branches to engineering in the Group:

• design/project management and development engineering
• plant-based engineering

The Group's design/project management and development engineering resource works out of four locations worldwide of which the largest activity is based in the UK. Working in this area provides experience in the design, installation and commissioning of new plant and processes. Given the international spread of the Group's activities, work in this area will often require short-term assignments outside the UK.

Engineers within the plants work closely with manufacturing staff and members of other functions to ensure that our plants operate day-by-day at world class standards of performance, achieving high levels of yield and throughput with minimum down time.

It is possible to move between design or development engineering and plant engineering to provide greater breadth to career development.

Engineers are also involved in product design and development. For instance, in the Automotive business, engineers work closely with teams from our customers, the vehicle manufactures, to design and develop new and advanced glazing solutions for new models of cars, buses and trucks. There is also close collaboration with colleagues in R&D and with the manufacturing plants where the products will eventually be made.

Extensive training is provided and individually planned to meet both career needs and Group requirements. The aim is to take graduates in the UK to Chartered status through a development programme, approved by the relevant institute, lasting up to five years.

On joining us you will be assigned a professional mentor, who, along with your line manager, will agree with you the initial phase of your development. A series of assignments will allow you to gain a broad appreciation of engineering in Pilkington and you may also attend a practical engineering training programme away from Pilkington, if this is required.

Once you are a Chartered Engineer, subsequent appointments will be offered which facilitate your development through increasing levels of personal and managerial responsibility.

Please see the vacancies page to check which functional areas we have vacancies in.

• Design/project management and development engineering – Lathom, Lancashire, which is 11 miles north of St Helens
• Plant-based engineering – all main manufacturing sites
• Product design and development – Lathom, Lancashire