Bike Engineer

Posted: 26th June 2026

Background

Common Wheel is a 25 year old Registered Charity, based in Glasgow, providing meaningful activity for people recovering from or experiencing mental illness.

Our Programmes of activity include: Arts, Music, Climbing, Gardening, Bike Building, and our highly varied Drop In Programme, delivered from our premises at the Gartnavel Hospital and other community facilities.

Our Bike Building Programme (BYOB) is delivered from our well-respected and long-established Bike Workshops in Maryhill and Bridgeton. Our Bike Workshops are staffed by our Bike Engineers and supported by our team of volunteer Bike Engineers.

Due to the volume of work, we are currently seeking to recruit a new Bike Engineer to work across both Bike Workshops, enabling us to extend opening hours.

Who are we looking for?

We want to find someone who has a passion for bikes and the skills and patience to match. We need someone who can do more than fix bikes.  The role is also about passing on your knowledge and passion to improve the lives of people with mental illness.

Our bike repair side is more creative than in other bike workshops. We do many custom builds and seldom sell a bike the way it left the factory. As with any job, there will be training in how we do things. We do expect you to be able to re-cable a ‘90s bike in less than an hour, build wheels, fit mudguards, and use all the usual bike-repair skills.

We are also seeking someone with customer service skills, preferably in a bike environment and someone with IT skills, as we have admin responsibilities to our Funders. Specific bike retail experience would be advantageous.

Ideally, we are seeking someone with a non-judgmental, nurturing, motivational approach who will be able to support our participants as fully as possible, someone who understands the challenges presented by mental illness.

Key Responsibilities
• To enable as many people as possible with mental health problems to access regular high-quality bicycle rebuilding and maintenance activities.
• To ensure that the activities suit the needs of the clients.
• To deliver the sessions to the highest standards for the clients’ benefit.
• To create a positive and enabling environment within the workshop.
• To generate income through bicycle sales and repairs.
• To actively contribute to the development and efficiency of Common Wheel’s Bike Workshops.

Responsibilities
Participant Referrals

• Managing enquiries and participant referrals in partnership with referral agencies.
• Arranging to meet each potential new participant at the workshop with their referrer; regular communication with participants to inform them about sessions.
• Monitoring and reporting client contact numbers and outcomes.
• Generating content for social media

Workshop related activity
• Providing therapeutic activity to participants through bicycle rebuilding and maintenance sessions.
• Maintaining a clean, tidy and appropriate workshop environment.
• Assisting with the procurement of used bicycles and the disposal of unsuitable ones.
• Undertaking bicycle servicing, repairs and rebuilding for sale to the general public.
• Managing volunteers in the workshop.
• Providing the highest standards of customer service and advice.

Administration and marketing
• Administration of relevant income and expenses and stock control.
• Preparing images and descriptions of bicycles and parts for sale.
• Assisting with promotion and marketing, including online activities.
• Attending and participating in relevant exhibitions and events.
• Assisting with the maintenance and updating of Upshot, our monitoring, evaluation and learning tool.

Other
• Participating in personal and team development activities.
• Conforming to all relevant Common Wheel Policies and Procedures.

The postholder will be expected to contribute to other areas of the organisation, and will report to the Charity Manager.

The Bike Engineer will have a full Common Wheel induction and will have access to mental
health training.  You may be asked to take part in the bike subcommittee, which is made up of staff, volunteers and board members.

Salary/how to apply

We are offering a 35-hour-a-week position, with weekend working included on a rota basis at a salary of £29,566.

Please send a CV and covering letter which outlines why you would be a good fit for the role to heather@commonwheel.org.uk by 3 July 2026.

Expires: 2026-07-03

Contact: heather@commonwheel.org.uk