Facilities, Estates Operations
12-month placement

Are you a Lancaster University student looking for a Mechanical, Chemical and Electronic/Electrical Engineering placement year where you can develop practical engineering experience and help create a safer, more sustainable campus?

Working within the Estates Operations Engineering team, you will support the management of the mechanical, electrical and energy systems that keep our campus running. You will gain experience across a diverse live estate, including buildings, utilities, renewable energy and low-carbon infrastructure.

Reporting to the Energy Manager, you will work alongside experienced engineers, surveyors, maintenance colleagues and sustainability specialists.

What you will do

You will help to:

• manage and improve mechanical and electrical building services
• operate and optimise utilities, district heating, energy centres, the wind turbine and solar farm
• analyse energy and performance data
• identify energy-saving opportunities
• support small engineering and improvement projects
• prepare drawings, specifications and scopes of work
• work with contractors, consultants and suppliers
• maintain compliance and asset records
• support inspections, testing and long-term asset planning.

The focus of the placement may be adapted to reflect your academic background and interests.

What we are looking for

You should be a Lancaster University student undertaking a relevant degree programme and eligible to complete a placement year.

You will have:

• a basic understanding of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, building services or a related subject
• confidence working with data and numbers
• an interest in energy, sustainability, infrastructure or buildings
• good communication, organisation and problem-solving skills
• enthusiasm for learning and working as part of a multidisciplinary team.

You do not need experience in every area. You will be supported by knowledgeable colleagues throughout the placement.

What you will gain

This placement will give you practical experience of engineering projects, energy management, statutory compliance, contractor management and renewable technologies within a complex, market leading and award winning estates operation.

You will apply your academic learning in a professional environment, build valuable technical and workplace skills, and make a visible contribution to the future of Lancaster University’s campus.

Closing Date: 22 Aug 2026

Department: Support - Administrative

Salary: £24,215 to £26,093 (Full time, indefinite with end date)

Are you looking for a job which offers you:

• a varied workload
• the ability to work independently
• the benefits of being part of a great, friendly team
• the chance to develop your maintenance skills

What you’ll be doing

This role will be responsible for inspecting and making minor repairs across our 560-acre campus.  You could be working independently or sometimes assisting one of our trade technicians.  You are likely to be assigned to a specific trade team, like electrical or plumbing, but you may also be required to provide cover in other maintenance teams, such as general or stores maintenance.

With a large campus to look after this role offers a varied workload day-to-day, but also seasonal changes.

About you

To compliment our great team and approach to delivering our services to campus, you will need:

• general maintenance skills  
• great customer service skills
• a team-orientated and flexible approach. 

See the person specification document for more details.

Why work with us

Lancaster University’s beautiful campus makes it a lovely place to work, combining a busy urban atmosphere while surrounded by green parkland and seasonal landscaping.  We have lots of facilities on-site such as: a sports centre, shops, cafes, a multi-faith centre, pre-school, a post office and a fantastic library.  There are numerous clubs, groups and networks you can join to make friends with like-minded people. Lancaster University provides an environment that strongly supports the needs of each employee, promoting a healthy work-life balance.

You will be part of our Facilities Division - Estates Operations department.  Facilities is the largest division within the University. Facilities have won numerous sector and professional association awards – the most recent being the Gold Standard Award at the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) Awards 2024. This recognised how our exceptional teamwork made real positive change for our students, staff, and the campus environment.  This role will be a member of our Facilities Maintenance team which currently has X 41 members. 

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including: 

• competitive salary with annual reviews 
• generous employer pension scheme
• 39 days off a year which includes University closure days at Easter and Christmas and bank holidays
• a family-friendly approach to those with parental or caring responsibilities
• additional flexible benefits to suit your needs and interests, some with tax-savings.
• All tools and work wear provided

Find out about more of our employee benefits on our website - https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/jobs 

This post is offered on a full-time, indefinite basis 

Working hours: Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-1pm Monday-Wednesday 8am – 16.30pm Thursday 8am-16.00pm Friday 8am-13.00

To find out more about joining our award-winning Facilities team and an informal chat about the role, please contact Ian Watson i.watson@lancaster.ac.uk.

Closing Date: 31 Aug 2026

Department: Support - Manual

Salary: £23,580 to £23,742 (Full-time indefinite)

You will be part of our Estates Operations Facilities, the largest division within the University. Facilities have won numerous sector and professional association awards – the most recent being the Gold Standard Award at the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) Awards 2024. This recognised how our exceptional teamwork made real positive change for our students, staff, and the campus environment. This role will be a member of our Facilities Maintenance team which currently has 41 members.

• We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including:
• Competitive salary
• Generous employer pension scheme
• Including University closure days at Easter and Christmas and bank holidays a total of 39 days is allocated.
• A family-friendly approach to those with parental or caring responsibilities 39 days
• Additional flexible benefits to suit your needs and interests, some with tax-savings.
• We provide top of the range tools, PPE, and work wear.

Find out what it's like to work at Lancaster University, including information on our wide range of employee benefits, support networks and our policies and facilities for a family-friendly workplace.

Visit our employee benefits on our website - https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/jobs
 

Is this the job for you?

Are you looking for a job which offers you:

• a varied workload
• the ability to work independently
• no need to travel long distances between jobs
• the benefits of being part of a great, friendly team

Working hours: Monday-Wednesday 0800 –1630; Thursday 0800 – 1600; Friday 0800 – 1300 plus weekend rota and rota for call out duties  

Closing Date: 30 Aug 2026

Department: Support - Manual

Salary: £26,707 to £30,378 Full-Time/Indefinite
plus market supplement to a maximum of £35,199