Apprentice Process Engineer

Apprentice Process Engineer – Process Engineering

Cockermouth

About us
James Walker is part of the James Walker Group of Companies, who are a successful global Industrial organisation supplying high performance sealing products and solutions. With state-of-the-art material technology skills, the James Walker Strategic Business Unit (SBU) of the James Walker Group specialises in the provision of sealing solutions (elastomers, polymers, composites, engineering plastics, high nickel alloys).

Our worldwide group of companies has operations, sales and service entities across Europe, Middle East, India, Australia, New Zealand, SE Asia, South Africa and North and South America

The Position

We are currently looking to recruit an Apprentice Process Engineer. The successful candidate will work towards obtaining a level 6 ‘Science Industry Process and Plant Engineer’ qualification. This role is based within the Process Engineering Team at the Cockermouth Manufacturing Business Unit in Cumbria.

The qualification will take up to 60 months to complete and will acquired via day release with Gen 2.

The working hours are 35 per week on the day shift (Monday to Thursday 08.45 am – 5.00 pm and Fridays 08.45 am - 12.45/3.30 pm alternate weeks). The salary will be dependent on current qualifications, skills and experience. Please detail your salary expectations on your application.

The Apprentice Process Engineer supports the optimization of site productivity by assisting in the design, implementation and testing of manufacturing methods. This role balances immediate productivity support with an educational mandate.

Key responsibilities

Technical Support & Optimization

• Provide engineering solutions to manufacturing units, utilizing knowledge of materials and processes to reduce rejects and improve business performance.

Project Prioritization

• Manage and prioritize workloads based on the company risk register and specific customer

requirements.

Root-Cause Analysis

• Use problem-solving tools (e.g. DOE’s) to determine root causes, analysing results from samples and testing to recommend permanent production changes.

Safety Compliance & Training

• Prepare PUWER 1998 risk assessments, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), and training

documents. Conduct necessary training for operators as required by new process introductions.

Technology Research

• Investigate cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and collaborate with suppliers to suggest

improvements to current techniques.

Technical Data Evaluation

• Work with increasing autonomy to analyse, interpret, and evaluate engineering data, presenting problem-solving approaches clearly in written and oral forms.

Health & Safety

• Maintain a disciplined, safety-first attitude; ensure safe working practices are observed by all team members to perform work without risk to health or safety.

Experience/Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Level 3 qualification (A-Levels or BTEC) in a relevant subject such as engineering or manufacturing.
• Significant prior industrial or engineering experience will also be considered if 5 GCSE’s Grade C/Level 4 or above are held including in Maths, English and Science.
• Experience of working within a manufacturing environment would be preferred.
• A mechanical aptitude and a desire to understand how things work.
• Logical and systematic approach.
• Excellent team working skills.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• A high level of integrity.
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills.
• Willingness to go the extra mile.
• Good IT skills.
• Good level of literacy and numeracy.

How to apply:

For further information on this vacancy, please contact the HR Team at recruitment.jwc.uk@jameswalker.biz or on 01900 823555.

To apply please click here.

The closing date for applications is Thursday 16 July 2026.