Service Engineer Level 3 - Lead Technician
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 21, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 9, 2026.
Job Introduction
Have you got a passion for Problem Solving? Technical work? Fault Finding? Repairs?Join our Southeastern Engineering team as a Service Engineer Level 3 at our Ashford Depot.
- Imagine knowing hundreds of thousands of people are getting to work on time because of your attention to detail.
- Imagine seeing families set off safely on a fun day out because of the repair you made to the train they’re boarding.
- Imagine the pride you’ll feel every day as a Southeastern engineer.
Can you move people? Apply now.
Main Responsibilities
What you’ll do
This is a wide ranging role, providing technical expertise. The SE3 role will be responsible for primary defect repair including in service units, including, defect troubleshooting, defect diagnosis, work scope adherence and defect rectification
Report directing to the SE5, the SE3 will carry out all engineering activities, including exams, defects rectification, modifications, time based maintenance packages and repair. SE3s will report to the SE5 in a fixed team structure.
The SE3 is also responsible for in service defect repair, including liaising with external stakeholders and re railing activities.
Key tasks will include technical expertise and defect repair, working with colleagues effectively to the required standards and specifications. Ensure effectiveness to meet production and operational deadlines targets.
The Ideal Candidate
The experience you’ll need to demonstrate in your application:
- Experienced in an engineering discipline (Electrical Based)
- NVQ 3 in engineering maintenance, electrical, mechanical or equivalent
- Hold a Technical Certificate in Engineering BTEC
- Have intermediate IT skills and able to interpret data
- Able to carry out first level fault finding and follow schematics and diagrams
- Physically fit and able to pass a medical to engineering standard.
- Previous rolling stock maintenance experience desirable
- Possess a full drivers licence
All successful candidates will need to undertake and pass a full safety critical medical before formal offer. If you have any questions regarding this please do email [email protected].
Given the start and end times of shifts, it’s also best to have your own transport to get to and from your place of work.
As proud members of the Armed Forces Covenant and Disability Confident Scheme, we will offer you an interview if you apply under these schemes and meet the minimum criteria for the role. Find out more here.
Other things to know
- All successful applicants will need to pass a Personal Track Safety course or a Depot Track Safety course (full training provided).
- This vacancy may close early if we receive a large number of applications. So, make sure you get yours in early.
- All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references, a right to work verification, a basic criminal record check, and a pre-employment medical assessment. Work visa sponsorship isn’t available for this role.
- If you applied but weren’t successful in getting a similar role at Southeastern, please wait six months before applying again.
Find out more about our recruitment process and get tips to help you apply.
What you’ll get in return
Along with your salary, the rewards you’ll get include:
- a final salary pension
- 24 days annual leave allowance (including bank holidays)
- free rail travel across our networks.
- 4 on 4 off Shift Pattern
Meaning you can feel secure in your career as well as fulfilled by your work. Click here to see our full range of amazing benefits.
A bit about Southeastern
We’re one of Britain's busiest train operators, serving London, Kent and parts of East Sussex. We run over 1,700 trains a day, carrying more than 500,000 passengers and serving 180 stations.
However, working on our railway is more than getting passengers from A to B. It’s about all the little moments that make a difference to their journey.
It’s also about making our railway a great place to work and building a team that represents the communities we serve. We’re committed to creating an inclusive, supportive environment, and we’re proud that this continues to be recognised through employer accreditations and our ongoing endorsement as a WORK180 Employer for Women.
Our ways of working are what we expect of everyone at Southeastern. They are powerful. Tiny moments, every day, from every one of us, add up to massive, positive change. Improving how it feels to work here and how it feels to travel with us.
At the heart of everything we do, our Safeguarding Team works to keep our customers, colleagues, and the public safe by improving safeguarding measures and knowledge making sure everyone gets home safe, every day.
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