Facility Technician Apprentice

Science and Technology Facilities Council

Loftus (TS13 4UZ)

Closes in 25 days (Monday 2 February 2026)

Posted on 5 January 2026


Summary

Become part of a team that keeps vital systems running at Boulby Underground Laboratory. This hands-on role offers the opportunity to learn how to maintain and service complex mechanical and electrical systems, ensuring comfort, safety, and energy efficiency in a wide range of environments. 

Wage

£19,514 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Throughout the course of your apprenticeship you will receive annual increments in line with policy

Training course
Building services engineering service and maintenance engineer (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 4.00pm

37 hours a week

Start date

Thursday 3 September 2026

Duration

4 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

What You’ll Be Doing as an Apprentice Facility Technician at Boulby, you’ll gain hands-on experience in a unique underground environment while learning essential technical skills.  

Your role will involve:

  • Practical Operations: Driving forklifts and vehicles underground and on the surface, and working with cranes and lifting equipment
  • Technical Skills: Gathering and logging data, maintaining nitrogen systems, and learning how to manage compressed gases and cryogenic liquids
  • Problem-Solving: Helping identify and fix faults in air conditioning, water systems, extraction units and more
  • Safety First: Supporting health and safety processes by creating risk assessments and safe systems of work
  • Variety of Tasks: From emergency lighting and fire system checks to assisting with new plant installations alongside contractors
  • World-Class Science: Playing a key role in installing and supporting world-leading scientific equipment used for cutting-edge research. 
    Learning Big Machinery: Operating MEWPs, scissor lifts, and other specialist equipment under supervision

This is a fantastic opportunity to develop a broad skill set in facilities management while working in one of the UK’s most unique scientific environments.

Where you'll work

Boulby Underground Laboratory
Loftus
TS13 4UZ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

HARTLEPOOL COLLEGE OF FURTHER EDUCATION

Training course

Building services engineering service and maintenance engineer (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Apply safe working practices and comply with safe working methods, including highlighting control method application and safe systems of work.
  • Comply with current company policies and procedures.
  • Undertake dynamic risk assessment to identify and manage a safe working environment.
  • Produce a risk assessment.
  • Produce a method statement.
  • Plan work activities.
  • Apply sustainable principles and techniques.
  • Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
  • Follow organisational and site procedures for waste management across the site.
  • Plan, organise, and carry out tasks in a way that utilises resources, for example cost, quality, safety, security, and environmental impact.
  • Plan, organise, prepare, and secure area of work for setting out and work activities.
  • Minimise delays to planned work.
  • Amend and replan work activities.
  • Prepare and maintain work areas to ensure safe access and egress for self and others.
  • Select, use, secure and store hand and power tools, equipment, and components.
  • Interpret information from sources such as manufacturer's instructions, drawings, plans, specifications, or previous reports.
  • Carry out testing and commissioning of a building services engineering system.
  • Carry out decommission of a building services engineering system.
  • Undertake planned maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
  • Undertake reactive maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
  • Isolate building service engineering systems.
  • Identify and diagnose faults and outline solutions for resolution.
  • Replace components.
  • Communicate options in writing for repairs, replacements or improvements including the impact of cost, and timescales in writing.
  • Handover completed maintenance activities.
  • Use information technology and digital systems to monitor and manage the operation of plant and equipment.
  • Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
  • Provide internal feedback.
  • Communicate verbally with internal and external stakeholders using sector specific terminology.
  • Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and policy.
  • Refer problems outside of own responsibility or authority to the relevant person.
  • Identify, carry out and record industry related continuing professional development (CPD) activities.
  • Repair components.
  • Apply safe working practices and comply with safe working methods, including highlighting control method application and safe systems of work.
  • Comply with current company policies and procedures.
  • Undertake dynamic risk assessment to identify and manage a safe working environment.
  • Produce a risk assessment.
  • Produce a method statement.
  • Plan work activities.
  • Apply sustainable principles and techniques.
  • Comply with environmental and sustainability regulations, standards, and guidance.
  • Follow organisational and site procedures for waste management across the site.
  • Plan, organise, and carry out tasks in a way that utilises resources, for example cost, quality, safety, security, and environmental impact.
  • Plan, organise, prepare, and secure area of work for setting out and work activities.
  • Minimise delays to planned work.
  • Amend and replan work activities.
  • Prepare and maintain work areas to ensure safe access and egress for self and others.
  • Select, use, secure and store hand and power tools, equipment, and components.
  • Interpret information from sources such as manufacturer's instructions, drawings, plans, specifications, or previous reports.
  • Carry out testing and commissioning of a building services engineering system.
  • Carry out decommission of a building services engineering system.
  • Undertake planned maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
  • Undertake reactive maintenance activities to building services engineering systems.
  • Isolate building service engineering systems.
  • Identify and diagnose faults and outline solutions for resolution.
  • Replace components.
  • Communicate options in writing for repairs, replacements or improvements including the impact of cost, and timescales in writing.
  • Handover completed maintenance activities.
  • Use information technology and digital systems to monitor and manage the operation of plant and equipment.
  • Record or enter information - paper based or electronic.
  • Provide internal feedback.
  • Communicate verbally with internal and external stakeholders using sector specific terminology.
  • Follow equity, diversity, and inclusion principles and policy.
  • Refer problems outside of own responsibility or authority to the relevant person.
  • Identify, carry out and record industry related continuing professional development (CPD) activities.
  • Repair components.

Training schedule

Delivery: 

Classroom based learning - one day a week 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4 or above)
  • Maths (grade 4 or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

Due to mine health and safety, applicants must be 18 years of age or over at the start of the apprenticeship.

Comfortable working underground

About this employer

UKRI is an organisation that brings together the seven disciplinary research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Together, we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision ensuring the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. Supporting some of the world’s most exciting and challenging research projects, we develop and operate some of the most remarkable scientific facilities in the world. We are pushing the frontiers of human knowledge through fundamental research and delivering benefits for UK society and the economy through world-class research, skills and business-led innovation.

https://www.ukri.org/councils/stfc/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

  • 30 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays and Christmas Shutdown
  • Cycle to Work Scheme
  • Employee Discount Scheme

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

  • Further career and training opportunities

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

HARTLEPOOL COLLEGE OF FURTHER EDUCATION

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000005666.

Apply now

Closes in 25 days (Monday 2 February 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.