Assistant Engineer

About Network Rail

Network Rail operates and maintains the railway infrastructure 24/7 365 days a year. Our purpose is to connect people and goods with where they need to be and our vision is for a simpler, better, greener railway.

We're proud to be named as one of the Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equity for the fourth year running. Find out more from our people here.

Our North West route covers Cheshire to Cumbria, including key cities like Liverpool and Manchester, and destinations such as Blackpool and the Lake District. Major stations include Crewe, Liverpool Lime Street, Preston, and Manchester Piccadilly and Victoria

This busy region sees 1.3 million daily passengers and moves 700,000 tonnes of freight weekly, with 571 stations making up a quarter of Britain's rail network.

In the North West & Central Region, we're proud to be building a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We know that inclusive teams make better decisions, drive innovation, and help us create a safer, more accessible railway for everyone. Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply.

If you're passionate about making a difference and believe you have the skills or potential to thrive in this role, we'd love to hear from you. We're committed to creating an open, supportive environment where everyone feels they belong. Your unique perspective and experience could be exactly what we need to keep Britain moving safely and sustainably. Discover more about our commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail Equity, diversity and inclusion - Network Rail.

Brief Description

We're looking for a motivated individual to join our engineering team, supporting the management of infrastructure assets across the North West Route. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain hands-on experience in asset management while working towards professional engineering qualifications and building the capability to progress into senior roles within Network Rail.

About the role (External)

In this role, you'll support the inspection, assessment, and management of railway engineering assets, ensuring compliance with industry standards and helping maintain a safe and reliable network. You'll assist in analysing asset condition and maintenance trends to inform engineering decisions and contribute to the development of repair and renewal proposals.

You'll provide technical support across a range of activities, working closely with experienced engineers and multidisciplinary teams. As part of your development, you'll actively seek opportunities to build your knowledge through on-the-job learning, formal training, and professional engagement.

You'll maintain a personal development plan, track your progress, and work towards achieving objectives set out in your training scheme (where applicable), with regular reviews from mentors and supervising engineers. This role is designed to help you build the skills and experience needed to progress into senior engineering positions within Network Rail.

In order to be successful in this role, we would like you to have/to be:

• HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in relevant engineering discipline

• Initial experience in NR Asset Management

• Understanding of relevant policies and standards

We would also like but it isn't crucial to have/to be:

• Member of a relevant professional institution

• Incorporated or chartered engineer

How to apply (External)

We are a Disability Confident Leader and want to make the most of the skills and talents disabled people bring to the workplace - skills and talents we need in our business Click here for more information

Salary and benefits:

• Salary: Starting at £32,000

Pro-rata annual leave entitlement (28 days contract dependant)
My benefits - our discounted online shopping site
A range of discounted offers including, childcare vouchers, healthcare offers - cycle to work, healthcare club discounted membership and other benefits
Subsidies of up to 75% on rail and underground season tickets
75% discount on leisure travel ( Discretionary )
A choice of contributory pension schemes
2 weeks paid reserve leave for our Armed Forces community

Want to find out about what fantastic benefits we offer? Find out here

Network Rail adheres to a structured pay framework, any salary offered will be within the pay range advertised.

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information

Closing date: 11 November 2025. Late applications will not be accepted.

Click 'apply now' to apply.

Safe behaviour is a requirement of working for Network Rail. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their awareness of our safety vision

We will endeavour to offer a diverse interview panel wherever possible.