Job Descriptionhackajob is collaborating with Pro-Sight Vision to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.
Controls & Automation Engineer
- Job Title Controls & Automation Engineer
- Location Office Based — between Sheffield and Leeds (M1 corridor)
- Employment Type Permanent, Full-Time
- Onsite Requirement Primarily office based; occasional factory and customer site visits (2 to
5 days/month average)
- Department Software / Engineering / Automation
ROLE OVERVIEW
- We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Controls & Automation Engineer to join our
- growing engineering team. The successful candidate will play an active role in the development of
- new automated machines, working alongside our mechanical and electrical design teams from
- concept through to production-ready systems. They will be responsible for designing, developing,
- and commissioning PLC-based control systems and HMI interfaces, and will provide ongoing field
- support including calibration visits, fault diagnosis, and troubleshooting at customer sites. This is
- a technically demanding role requiring broad expertise across motion control, variable frequency
- drives, and software development, combined with a practical hands-on approach to factory
- acceptance testing and customer commissioning.
- KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Design, develop, and commission PLC programs for the control of industrial automation
- machinery.
- Collaborate with the mechanical and electrical engineering teams in the development of new
- automated machines, from concept through to production-ready control systems.
- Create and implement graphical HMI programs to complement and support PLC-based
- control systems.
- Select, configure, program and commission servo motor and drive systems for precision
- motion control applications.
- Select, configure, program and commission stepper motor and drive systems as appropriate
- to application requirements.
- Program and configure Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) for the control of AC induction
- motors.
Participate in factory acceptance testing (FAT) at our facility, working alongside the
- production and engineering teams.
- Travel to customer sites to carry out equipment start-up, commissioning, and
- operator/maintenance training.
- Produce clear and accurate technical documentation, including control narratives, wiring
- schedules, operator manuals and commissioning records.
- Provide on-site fault diagnosis and technical troubleshooting support at customer sites when
- required.
- Carry out calibration checks on customer premises to ensure continued accurate and reliable
- operation of installed systems.
- Work collaboratively with the wider engineering teams throughout the full project lifecycle.
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in engineering processes and documentation
- standards.
- Participate in occasional overseas commissioning trips as project requirements demand.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Experience & Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of hands-on, industry-based experience writing PLC programs for the
- automation and control of industrial machinery. Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens.
- Demonstrable experience developing HMI graphical interface programs in an industrial
- environment.
- Strong knowledge of motion control systems — including the selection, programming, and
- commissioning of servo motors and drives.
- Proven ability to programme and configure Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) for induction
- motor applications.
- Experience of carrying out or supporting factory acceptance testing of automated machinery.
- Demonstrable experience of equipment commissioning and/or customer training on site.
- Proven ability to contribute to the development of new automated machines, working
- collaboratively across engineering disciplines from initial specification through to production
- sign-off.
- Experience of visiting customer sites to carry out start-up, performance verification, and/or
- fault diagnosis.
Personal Attributes
- Exceptional attention to detail with a commitment to producing work of the highest accuracy.
- Willingness and flexibility to visit customer sites for commissioning and training — estimated 2
- to 5 days per month on average.
- A professional, customer-facing manner suitable for on-site training and support activities.
- Self-motivated and able to manage tasks independently while working effectively within a
- team.
- Willingness to travel occasionally overseas in support of international customer projects.
Experience working across multiple PLC platforms and/or HMI manufacturers
- Practical experience with stepper motors and stepper drive systems.
- Knowledge of industrial communications protocols (e.g. Profibus, Profinet, EtherNet/IP,
- Modbus).
- Ability to design electrical schematics and control panel layouts using dedicated electrical
- CAD software.
- Familiarity with one or more of the following electrical design packages: EPLAN, AutoCAD
- Electrical, or Schneider Electric SEE Electrical.
- Familiarity with machine safety standards and functional safety (e.g. EN ISO 13849, IEC
- 62061).
TRAVEL & SITE WORK
- This role is primarily office based. However, the successful candidate must be willing and able to
- travel as part of their duties. Site work is expected to average between two and five days per
- month, and will primarily involve:
- Factory acceptance testing at our own facility.
- Equipment start-up, commissioning and customer operator/maintenance training —
- predominantly at customer sites local to our premises, typically not requiring overnight stays.
- Scheduled calibration visits and performance verification checks at customer sites.
- Reactive troubleshooting and fault diagnosis at customer sites when required.
- Occasional domestic and international travel for commissioning activities at customer sites
- further afield.
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