Controls Support Engineer

Vanderlande Industries GmbH; Manama; On-site; BHD 20,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanderlande Industries GmbH is seeking an experienced Controls Support Engineer for the BHS environment in Bahrain. You will be the technical expert for PLC and LLC infrastructure, ensuring reliable operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and optimization of PLC-controlled BHS equipment.

Responsibilities include diagnosing faults, performing root cause analysis, and supporting preventive and emergency maintenance.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or Diploma in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Automation, Mechatronics or equivalent.
• Minimum 10 years of PLC/automation system experience; 5+ years in Baggage Handling Systems preferred.
• Strong PLC programming, diagnostics and troubleshooting skills; Siemens S7 / TIA Portal experience desirable.
• Good knowledge of LLC, control panels, remote I/O and industrial networks.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose PLC, control-system, communication and field-device faults and restore equipment within agreed targets.
• Perform Root Cause Analysis for recurring or critical BHS control-system failures and propose permanent corrective actions.
• Troubleshoot PLC hardware/software, I/O modules and networks; monitor alarms and system status.
• Maintain backups of PLC programs and documentation; ensure changes follow procedures.
• Support maintenance and testing of contingency modes and recovery plans.
• Coordinate incidents with IT, OEM, and service desk; provide timely updates.

Skills

PLC programming

Diagnostics & troubleshooting

SIEMENS S7 / TIA Portal

LLC control systems

Industrial networks

Electrical drawings

English communication

Education

Bachelor's or Diploma in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Automation, Mechatronics or equivalent

Tools

Siemens S7

TIA Portal

Job description

Controls Support Engineer - Baggage Handling System (BHS)

Job purpose statement

• Mid to high level technical expert for PLC and Low-Level Control (LLC) infrastructure of the Baggage Handling System.
• Ensure reliable operation, maintenance, troubleshooting and optimization of PLC-controlled BHS equipment and associated control systems.
• Provide technical support for PLCs, field devices, safety systems control interfaces control-related faults, modifications, testing, and performance issues.
• Support the Maintenance Manager in maintaining system availability, reliability and contractual service requirements.
• Act as a technical focal point for PLC/control-related faults, modifications, testing, and performance issues.
• Support continuous improvement and professionalization of site-based BHS control and maintenance services.

Scope

• First-line and advanced technical support for BHS Low-Level Controls, PLC systems, remote I/O, industrial networks, drives, scanners, sensors and associated field equipment.
• Diagnosis, analysis and restoration of PLC/control incidents affecting BHS operations.
• Technical support for preventive, corrective, breakdown and emergency maintenance activities related to BHS controls.
• Coordination of technical incidents with Senior Controls Support Engineer, Maintenance Manager, OEM specialists and Global Service Desk when required.
• Monitor PLC/control-system health, communication status, alarms, recurring faults and overall performance.
• Support contingency procedures, recovery trials, shutdown/start-up activities and crisis recovery exercises.

Qualification and abilities

• Bachelor's degree / Diploma in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, Automation, Mechatronics, Control Engineering or equivalent technical qualification.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in PLC/automation system and preferably 5 years of experience in Baggage Handling Systems.
• Strong practical knowledge of PLC programming, diagnostics and troubleshooting; Siemens S7 / TIA Portal experience is preferred.
• Strong knowledge of Low-Level Controls (LLC), control panels, remote I/O systems, industrial field devices and control architecture.
• Good knowledge of industrial communication networks such as PROFINET, PROFIBUS, Ethernet/IP and Modbus TCP/IP.
• Experience with VFDs, motor control, encoders, sensors, scanners, photoelectric devices and safety-related equipment.
• Ability to read and understand electrical drawings, control schematics, network diagrams, I/O lists, functional descriptions and PLC logic.
• Knowledge of SCADA/HMI systems and their interface with PLC-controlled equipment.
• Basic understanding of server/client architecture, networking, virtualization and IT infrastructure associated with BHS controls is preferred.
• Good English verbal and written communication skills and ability to work independently within multidisciplinary teams.
• Good understanding of safe working practices, permit-to-work requirements and electrical/control-system safety procedures.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose PLC, control-system, communication and field-device faults and restore equipment within agreed response and resolution targets.
• Perform Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for recurring or critical BHS control-system failures and recommend permanent corrective actions.
• Troubleshoot PLC hardware/software, I/O modules, communication interfaces, industrial networks, drives, sensors, actuators and safety circuits.
• Monitor PLC alarms, diagnostic buffers, communication faults, system logs and equipment status to identify potential failures.
• Perform PLC backup, program verification, comparison, restoration and controlled software modifications as authorized.
• Ensure PLC program changes and configuration modifications follow approved change-management procedures.
• Support preventive maintenance and health checks of PLC panels, control cabinets, industrial network devices, remote I/O and related equipment.
• Support breakdown, corrective and emergency maintenance during operational disruptions.
• Coordinate technical incidents with Controls Support Engineer, IT Engineer, OEM and Global Service Desk where higher-level support is required.
• Support testing and validation of contingency modes, recovery procedures, failover scenarios and operational recovery plans.
• Maintain updated backups of PLC programs, configurations, parameters, network settings and related technical documentation.
• Provide technical guidance and on-the-job support to maintenance technicians regarding PLC/control troubleshooting.
• Ensure compliance with site safety, cybersecurity, configuration-management and maintenance procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, availability, maintainability and operational performance.

List of key activities

• Execution of daily PLC and control-system maintenance activities.
• Daily/weekly inspections and health checks of PLC and LLC systems.
• Review PLC diagnostics, communication status, alarms and system performance.
• Troubleshooting and fault-finding during BHS equipment failures.
• Attend and resolve PLC-related breakdown calls.
• Check PLC-to-PLC, PLC-to-SCADA/HMI and PLC-to-field-device communication.
• Perform PLC program backups and configuration verification as per approved schedules.
• Support preventive and corrective maintenance of control panels and field devices.
• Support replacement/configuration of PLC CPUs, communication modules, I/O modules, network switches, drives and associated equipment.
• Participate in planned shutdowns, system restart activities, testing, commissioning and operational trials.
• Support major incident coordination and provide timely technical updates to relevant stakeholders.
• Participate in RCA and preparation of corrective/preventive action plans.
• Monitor repeated faults and identify opportunities for permanent technical improvements.
• Coordinate with Operations, IT, Maintenance, OEM specialists and Global Service Desk.
• Maintain PLC-related maintenance records, fault reports, backup records and change documentation.
• Contribute to weekly, monthly and quarterly reports covering system failures, recurring faults, availability and improvement activities.
• Support training and knowledge transfer to maintenance technicians and other site personnel.

Work pattern

Differentiator

• Advanced troubleshooting capability for complex PLC and Low-Level Control faults affecting BHS availability.
• Ability to understand the complete control chain from PLC logic through industrial networks to field devices and mechanical equipment.
• Ability to identify root causes of repetitive faults rather than only restoring equipment temporarily.
• Effective coordination between Controls, IT, Operations, Maintenance, OEM and client teams.
• Development and implementation of improvements in PLC programs, diagnostics, maintenance methods, tools and system reliability.
• Strong focus on preventive actions, lifecycle management and continuous improvement.