Permit Office Assistant, Riverside EfW

Cory is recruiting for the position of Permit Office Assistant at their Energy from Waste Facility in Belvedere Kent.

Using waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill as fuel to generate electricity, the facility generates c.575,000MWh of electricity each year from processing c.800,000 tonnes of waste. The company uses the River Thames as a green highway to move waste from London on tugs and barges, effectively removing 100,000 truck movements a year off roads. By generating electricity from residual waste, the plant is improving resource efficiency, avoiding landfill use and achieving greater sustainability as part of London’s circular economy.

Summary of Role:

We’re looking for a Permit Office Assistant to join our team at Cory. This is a key operational role that supports the safe and compliant running of our Riverside Energy from Waste facility. It’s not your general office 9-5 job — we’re looking for someone who understands the demands of a live production environment and who can work confidently with operational teams and contractors.

The Permit Office acts as the control hub for all work carried out on site. You’ll be responsible for issuing permits, coordinating access, and ensuring that all work is carried out safely and in line with Cory’s procedures. The role will provide an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to broaden their knowledge of the plant process, EfW safety rules and operations outage management.

What you’ll be doing:

• Assisting in the loading and offloading of consumable material supply and waste product disposal

• Carrying out daywork routines, e.g., process bin exchanges, operations PPE stock replenishment, site meter readings, archiving safety documents, etc.

• Assisting with the isolation of equipment for maintenance

• Assisting in the planning, execution, and completion of plant outages

• Carrying out reviews of work procedures and risk assessments

• Assisting dayshift operations with the safe and efficient operation of the EfW facility when required

The above is a summary of the main tasks and responsibilities of the post, further tasks and responsibilities may be required within the demands of the business.

We’re looking for someone with experience in a Permit Office or Plant Operations environment — ideally within energy, waste, utilities, or industrial sectors. You’ll need to be confident working in a fast-paced, safety-critical setting and have a strong understanding of site protocols.

Essential skills and experience:

• Prior experience working in a permit-to-work environment, ideally on an operational site.

• Strong understanding of health and safety procedures and the importance of compliance.

• Experienced in forklift truck operation (B1, B2).

• Holder of a valid driving licence.

• Excellent communication skills — able to liaise effectively with groups including Cory staff and contractors.

• Comfortable working in a plant or industrial setting, with an understanding of operational workflows.

• Good organisational, problem-solving skills and attention to detail — able to manage multiple tasks and priorities.

• A proven ability to work safely at heights.

• IT literacy is desirable, especially with Microsoft Office.

Desirable:

• Experience working in energy-from-waste, utilities, construction, or similar sectors.

• Knowledge of Cory’s operations or similar permit systems.

• IOSH or other safety-related training (not essential but beneficial).

• Technical Qualification in an Engineering/Operational Discipline (NVQ/ONC/HNC)

• Ability to read and interrogate P&IDs and ELDs

• Use of Computerised Maintenance Management Software (CMMS)

• Authorised Person to carry out mechanical and LV isolations (minimum 3 years but training will be provided)