Head of critical engineering

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and forward‑thinking Head of Critical Equipment Engineering to lead the management, maintenance, and strategic development of critical medical equipment across an NHS Trust. This senior leadership role is vital in ensuring that life‑saving equipment is safe, compliant, reliable, and available when patients and clinical teams need it most.

Working closely with clinical leaders, estates and facilities, and external partners, you will be responsible for the effective engineering support of high‑risk, high‑dependency medical devices used in theatres, critical care, diagnostics, emergency medicine, and other acute environments.

This is a temporary to permanent role via Gap Personnel

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Key Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the Clinical Engineering / Medical Equipment Service, ensuring excellent service delivery across the Trust.
• Manage the lifecycle of critical medical devices, including procurement, commissioning, maintenance, decontamination processes, and disposal.
• Ensure compliance with relevant regulatory and NHS standards (MHRA, CQC, HTM 06/01, DB 2006, ISO standards).
• Lead on device risk assessment, incident investigation, and root cause analysis.
• Develop and implement equipment strategies to support clinical safety, efficiency, and sustainability.
• Work with senior clinical staff to prioritise equipment replacements and capital planning.
• Provide expert technical advice during procurement processes and major equipment upgrades.
• Lead a multidisciplinary engineering team, developing skills, performance, and workforce planning.
• Oversee equipment inventories, asset management systems, and service‑level reporting.
• Act as the Trust’s subject matter expert for critical engineering queries and governance.

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Requirements

• Significant experience in medical equipment engineering, ideally within the NHS or a healthcare environment.
• Degree in Clinical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Strong understanding of MHRA guidance, NHS safety alerts, and medical device regulations.
• Proven leadership experience with the ability to manage multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in risk management and incident investigation.
• Chartered status (CEng) or working towards it is desirable.

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What We Offer

• Opportunity to lead a high‑impact engineering service within a major NHS Trust.
• Professional development, leadership training, and ongoing support.
• A collaborative working environment dedicated to patient safety and innovation.
• Competitive NHS salary and benefits package.