Operations Project Engineer

at  Hemiko

HEMIKO

Hemiko is a fast-growing innovative business which is looking to invest in and deliver over £1bn of heat network projects in the coming years. We fund, design build, operate and maintain low carbon district energy networks and building energy systems. This work is for communities, towns and cities We work with local authorities, developers, house builders and property owners.
We are looking to lead on city scale decarbonisation. We recognise that the decarbonisation of heating and the built environment is one of the last known and “solution clear” areas – this is where we are focussed and where we will be deploying our investment and our resource,
We are an innovative, design and proactive intelligence led company, looking to attract people who think around a problem and past an issue. We want to be at the front end of commercial and technical innovation and are looking for team members to come on that journey.

Some of our current projects include:

• The design, installation, operation and funding of district heating system to serve 3500 homes in Clapham as part of a major regeneration project.
• The design and installation of a heat network in a rural community in Cambridgeshire to replace oil boilers in 300 homes with centralised low carbon heat generation.
• The design and installation of a ground source heat pump system to provide heating and cooling to a new development of 300 homes a gym and office building in South London.
• The design, installation and operation of a new city centre wide low carbon district heating system for the City of Cardiff
• Developing detailed long-term decarbonisation plans for existing large scale district heating networks to allow them to transition from gas fired CHP led generation to low carbon generation.

Hemiko is absolutely committed to an honest and collaborative approach to all our work, to being innovative in everything we do, always looking for better ways to do things and on avoiding the business curses of unnecessary complexity and silos.
We are a young, friendly business in the very rapidly growing low carbon energy sector, which provides significant opportunities for career flexibility and development.

CANDIDATE

We are looking for someone who has had experience with managing a variety of different projects, with a focus on the delivery of engineering works. Although having specific experience in the delivery of District Heating projects is not necessary for this role, any proven experience for project delivery in building services, energy and power, utilities, and construction would be greatly beneficial.
We need someone who can manage project budgets and timelines effectively, ensuring that all phases of the project are meticulously planned and executed. The candidate will need to demonstrate excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, fostering strong relationships with key clients, internal teams, and subcontractors.
The ideal candidate will be organised and self-starting, a reliable figurehead within the operations team. They will inspire a performance-centred culture across both the operations department and the wider company, driving continuous improvement and innovation.
We are looking for someone who can adapt to the evolving needs of our growing organisation and is eager to develop their skills in a friendly and dynamic environment. Join us on our journey towards a more environmentally and technically responsible approach to delivering energy systems, moving away from conventional processes and embracing a more innovative and free-thinking environment.

KNOWLEDGE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Technical qualifications and/or proven experience in engineering / project management related discipline.
• Proven experience in the operation of large projects, preferably in district heating, including; CHP, gas boilers, biomass boilers, energy centres etc.
• Good understanding of BMS/SCADA systems and/or energy software programming
• A willingness to travel regularly
• Recommended NEBOSH, IOSH or similar.

SKILLS

• Excellent communication skills for liaising with both internal & external stakeholders
• Fully IT proficient; Word, PowerPoint, Excel, email systems etc as a minimum.
• Proven team leadership and people management skills preferred.
• Good organisational, time management and planning.

THE ROLE

The number of major projects and upgrade works for operational sites are rapidly growing within the operational team, and we are looking for someone capable of running the projects from start to finish as well as acting as the main point of contact throughout.
Your lead responsibility will be project management and organisation of major projects and project work undertaken in the operations department. This includes but is not limited to major plant overhauls, government funded upgrade scheme and major network upgrades and improvements. For this type of project work, you will be acting as the main project lead, interfacing with technical departments, internal engineering departments, and external contractors to deliver projects in safely, in time, and in budget.
The compact nature of the business and our rapid growth means that the candidate has significant opportunity to develop their career in a friendly environment. As we grow as organisation the opportunities and nature of projects we can undertake will expand in both quantity and scope. We are looking to develop teams that will be able to grow into supporting a variety of projects focused on different types of energy related systems. It is anticipated, therefore, that the candidate would be seeking to broaden their skills and show adaptability to the changing needs of the organisation.
This position will differ from conventional fixed project management in that you will be given the opportunity to ‘own’ a project from conception to completion with involvement in pricing, to procurement, all the way to delivery and commissioning.

SPECIFIC TASKS

Participating in the delivery and management of operational energy projects during their lifespan, working with and supported by the wider Hemiko Team. This includes:

• Assisting technical teams in the set up of the project from conception.
• Management of the budget and timelines required for project delivery.
• Management of internal engineers and subcontractors to ensure timely and effective delivery of works, whilst ensuring all works are carried out safely.
• Developing and improving procedures related to operational project delivery.
• Managing various projects, often of varying scopes in parallel.
• Setting up procedures and processes for new heat networks as they come across into the operational phase, either through adopting live contracts or new build sites.
• Ensuring high availability through scoping of spare parts, site visibility/remote monitoring and data analysis.
• Pro-actively manage and build our client and customer relationships with regards to day to day running of the sites and attendance to any regular client reporting meetings.
• Responsible for delivery of any specialist services and call out contracts, as well as general supply chain activities.
• Responsible for operational budgets & reporting against business KPI’s. This will include scoping up corrective works for system improvements and any potential breakdowns.
• Assistance in the identifying areas to improve operational performance and management of subsequent energy centre upgrade works.

• Continually improve operating procedures and ensure they are being adhered to.Support the development of new customer offers with technical, operational, and pricing input.

• Key Responsibilities

The focus of this role would be on participating in the delivery and management of operational energy projects during, working with and supported by the wider Hemiko Team. Where the key responsibilities are as follows:

• Project Leadership: Serve as the main point of contact and project lead for major projects within the Operations Department.
• Project Management: Plan, execute, and finalize projects according to strict deadlines and within budget.
• Coordination: Interface with technical departments, internal engineering teams, and external contractors to ensure project delivery.
• Comprehensive Involvement: Participate in all project phases, including conception, pricing, procurement, delivery, and commissioning.
• Safety and Compliance: Ensure all projects are conducted safely and comply with relevant regulations and standards.
• Budget Management: Develop, monitor, and control project budgets.
• Timeline Management: Create and maintain project schedules to ensure timely completion.
• Reporting: Prepare and present regular project updates and reports to senior management.