Job Description
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Read on to find out what you will need to succeed in this position, including skills, qualifications, and experience.
Controls & Automation Engineer
Job Title Controls & Automation EngineerLocation Office Based — between Sheffield and Leeds (M1 corridor)Employment Type Permanent, Full-TimeOnsite 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 ourgrowing engineering team. The successful candidate will play an active role in the development ofnew automated machines, working alongside our mechanical and electrical design teams fromconcept 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 fieldsupport including calibration visits, fault diagnosis, and troubleshooting at customer sites. This isa technically demanding role requiring broad expertise across motion control, variable frequencydrives, and software development, combined with a practical hands-on approach to factoryacceptance testing and customer commissioning.KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Design, develop, and commission PLC programs for the control of industrial automationmachinery.Collaborate with the mechanical and electrical engineering teams in the development of newautomated machines, from concept through to production-ready control systems.Create and implement graphical HMI programs to complement and support PLC-basedcontrol systems.Select, configure, program and commission servo motor and drive systems for precisionmotion control applications.Select, configure, program and commission stepper motor and drive systems as appropriateto application requirements.Program and configure Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) for the control of AC inductionmotors.
Participate in factory acceptance testing (FAT) at our facility, working alongside theproduction and engineering teams.Travel to customer sites to carry out equipment start-up, commissioning, andoperator/maintenance training.Produce clear and accurate technical documentation, including control narratives, wiringschedules, operator manuals and commissioning records.Provide on-site fault diagnosis and technical troubleshooting support at customer sites whenrequired.Carry out calibration checks on customer premises to ensure continued accurate and reliableoperation of installed systems.Work collaboratively with the wider engineering teams throughout the full project lifecycle.Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives in engineering processes and documentationstandards.Participate in occasional overseas commissioning trips as project requirements demand.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
Experience & QualificationsMinimum 5 years of hands-on, industry-based experience writing PLC programs for theautomation and control of industrial machinery. Allen-Bradley and/or Siemens.Demonstrable experience developing HMI graphical interface programs in an industrialenvironment.Strong knowledge of motion control systems — including the selection, programming, andcommissioning of servo motors and drives.Proven ability to programme and configure Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) for inductionmotor 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, workingcollaboratively across engineering disciplines from initial specification through to productionsign-off.Experience of visiting customer sites to carry out start-up, performance verification, and/orfault diagnosis.
Personal AttributesExceptional 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 2to 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 ateam.Willingness to travel occasionally overseas in support of international customer projects.
DESIRABLE SKILLS (NOT ESSENTIAL)
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 electricalCAD software.Familiarity with one or more of the following electrical design packages: EPLAN, AutoCADElectrical, or Schneider Electric SEE Electrical.Familiarity with machine safety standards and functional safety (e.g. EN ISO 13849, IEC62061).
TRAVEL & SITE WORK
This role is primarily office based. However, the successful candidate must be willing and able totravel as part of their duties. Site work is expected to average between two and five days permonth, 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. xwwtmva Occasional domestic and international travel for commissioning activities at customer sitesfurther afield.
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