Automation Development Engineer

Müller UK & Ireland; Manchester; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading dairy product company in the United Kingdom seeks an experienced Automation Development Engineer. This role involves managing automation projects to enhance operational efficiency in a fast-paced environment. Candidates should have a strong background in automation engineering, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative mindset. This position offers a competitive salary, annual bonus, and various employee perks to support wellbeing and work-life balance.

Benefits

Competitive salary

10% annual bonus

Pension scheme

Employee wellbeing perks

Career development opportunities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in automation engineering, ideally within Dairy, FMCG or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of automation systems and OT architecture.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage automation elements of technical investment projects.
• Design and deliver complex automation projects across Müller sites.
• Provide technical support to project teams ensuring delivery to specifications.

Skills

Automation engineering

Project lifecycle management

Communication skills

Coaching and mentoring

Collaboration

Familiarity with Rockwell / Siemens PLC

Job description

Müller UK & Ireland is wholly owned by Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller which employs over 31,000 people throughout Europe. In the UK, Müller develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of branded and private label dairy products made with milk from 1,300 farmers in Britain. Müller is ranked within the top 20 in The Grocer's Top 100 list of Britain's Biggest Brands and is picked from shelves millions of times each year.

Müller UK & Ireland includes:
Müller Milk & Ingredients which aims to be Britain's private label dairy leader and produces branded and private label fresh milk, cream, butter and ingredients products. It boasts a network of dairies and depots servicing customers throughout the country.
Müller Yogurt & Desserts which is the UK's leading yogurt manufacturer which aims to create millions more Müller moments for its consumers. It is responsible for major brands like Müller Corner, Müllerlight, Müller Bliss, Müller Rice, FRijj and Müller Kefir Smoothie and produces chilled desserts under licence from Mondelez International. It also supplies the UK private label yogurt market from a dedicated, state of the art yogurt facility.

Automation Development Engineer

Field based – covering all MMI sites across the UK with Manchester being the base location.

Contract Type: Full-Time
Department: Group Engineering
Reports To: Functional Lead of Automation and Controls Engineering

Are you passionate about automation and innovation? Do you thrive in a fast-paced FMCG environment where your technical expertise can make a real impact? Müller is looking for a talented Automation Development Engineer to join our dynamic team and help shape the future of automation across our operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage automation elements of technical investment projects, ensuring alignment with Müller's project management and investment processes.
• Act as the Automation SME when engaging with suppliers – validating quotes and supporting scope changes.
• Provide technical support to project teams and ensure delivery to agreed specifications and quality standards.
• Design and deliver both complex and less complex automation projects across Müller sites.
• Promote and maintain Müller's automation standards, ensuring compliance and providing feedback for continuous improvement.
• Ensure automation architectures align with OT standards.
• Support central engineering and site teams in identifying obsolescence risks and developing Capex submissions.
• Deliver on-the-job training and technical coaching to Automation Support Engineers (ASEs).
• Provide specialist support for site Continuous Improvement (CI) activities and reactive support for automation/MIS issues.

Your Responsibilities

• Design systems with a focus on Lowest Total Cost of Ownership and the unique challenges of FMCG environments.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and understand how your work impacts business performance.
• Collaborate across engineering and other departments to support Müller's OGSM (Objectives, Goals, Strategies, Measures).
• Champion health and safety for yourself and others.

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience in automation engineering, ideally within Dairy, FMCG or manufacturing.
• Strong understanding of automation systems, OT architecture, and project lifecycle management.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to coach and mentor others, with a collaborative and proactive mindset. Familiarity with Rockwell / Siemens PLC.

Why Join Müller?

• Be part of a company that invests in cutting‑edge automation and engineering solutions to stay ahead in the FMCG sector.
• We support your development with tailored training, mentoring, and opportunities to progress within a global organisation.
• Your expertise will directly influence the efficiency and sustainability of our operations, helping us deliver high‑quality products to millions.
• Work in an environment that values diversity, encourages ideas, and fosters a sense of belonging.
• Enjoy a competitive salary, 10% annual bonus, pension scheme, and a range of employee perks designed to support your wellbeing and work‑life balance.
• Join a business that's serious about reducing its environmental footprint and driving positive change.

Contact Details:
F.A.O. UK Recruitment, Müller UK & Ireland, Shrewsbury Road, Market Drayton, Shropshire, TF9 3SQ