What does a plant engineer job involve?
A plant engineer is a company employee who is responsible for maintaining and repairing machinery and equipment. They are the people working behind the scenes to make lifts safe, power plants efficient and sewage environmentally sustainable. Manufacturing companies and power plants are among the major employers of plant engineers, but they may work in any industry.
Skills include specifying, designing, evaluating, acquisition, commissioning, operation, management, inspection, testing, maintenance and repair. Many large companies employ several engineers to ensure there is cover on the premises 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Manufacturing firms usually require the plant engineer to conduct daily safety checks on heavy machinery and equipment, to ensure they are working smoothly.
At many plants the engineer must also perform regular preventative maintenance on equipment, which requires engineers to have thorough knowledge of the machinery involved. Plant engineers liaise with management and production teams to rectify problems with machinery and equipment that slow down production or create safety hazards. Power stations also employ a team of plant engineers, some of whom perform basic tasks related to maintenance and safety, while others are required to have specialised skills.