Automation Engineer

Progressive

Leeds

On-site

GBP 35,000 - 58,000

Full time

12 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Buy & Sell Holiday Scheme

Pension matched up to 10%

Health Cash Plan

Cycle to Work Scheme

On‑Site Physiotherapy

Occupational Health Support

Employee Discount Platform

Staff Referral Scheme

Annual bonus

Job summary

Progressive is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer for our food manufacturing site in Middleton, Manchester. You will own automation reliability, develop Allen Bradley and Siemens PLCs, maintain SCADA, and drive continuous improvement across capital projects and reliability initiatives.

You will work with Engineering and Operations to reduce downtime, support future investments, and shape the site’s longer-term automation strategy.

Qualifications

Experience as Automation Engineer, Controls Engineer or Automation & Controls Engineer.
Strong PLC programming and fault-finding experience.
Experience with Allen Bradley PLCs preferred; Siemens PLCs beneficial.
SCADA and industrial automation experience.
Experience in Food Manufacturing / FMCG or similar process environments.
Knowledge of instrumentation, process control and PID loops.

Responsibilities

Support and develop Allen Bradley and Siemens PLC systems.
Maintain and improve SCADA, control and automation systems.
Lead automation improvement and Continuous Improvement projects.
Perform root cause analysis and implement permanent corrective actions.
Improve automation reliability and manufacturing performance.
Support capital investment and automation upgrade projects.
Identify obsolescence risks and recommend long-term improvements.
Collaborate with Engineering and Operations to boost efficiency.

Skills

Automation engineering

Controls engineering

PLC programming

Allen Bradley PLCs

Siemens PLCs

SCADA

Food manufacturing

Job description

Automation Engineer
Middleton, Manchester
Up to £58,000 + 5% Bonus
Permanent | Rotating Day Shifts | No Nights

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an experienced Automation Engineer to join a highly automated Food Manufacturing operation in Middleton, Manchester.

This role offers the opportunity to become the site's recognised Automation & Controls specialist, supporting a complex process manufacturing environment whilst driving automation improvements, reliability initiatives and future capital projects.

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, you'll take ownership of automation reliability across the site, working closely with Engineering and Operations teams to improve performance, reduce downtime and support future investment programmes.

This position would suit an Automation Engineer who enjoys improving processes, solving complex technical challenges and implementing long-term automation solutions rather than simply reacting to day-to-day breakdowns.

The Role

Supporting and developing Allen Bradley and Siemens PLC systems.
Maintaining and improving SCADA, control and automation systems.
Delivering automation improvement and Continuous Improvement projects.
Conducting root cause analysis and implementing permanent corrective actions.
Improving automation reliability and manufacturing performance.
Supporting capital investment and automation upgrade projects.
Identifying equipment obsolescence risks and recommending long-term improvements.
Working closely with Engineering and Operations teams to improve efficiency and productivity.
Providing technical support and guidance on automation and controls systems.
Contributing to the site's longer‑term automation and reliability strategy.

The Environment

This is a highly automated Food Manufacturing facility producing a range of food products within a process‑driven manufacturing environment.

The site includes:

Allen Bradley PLCs (approximately 80% of the automation estate).
Siemens S5 and S7 PLCs.
SCADA systems.
Industrial communications networks.
Pumps and valves.
Drives and motors.
Flow meters and instrumentation.
Storage tanks and process pipework.
CIP systems.
PID control systems.

This is a true Process Manufacturing environment where automation, instrumentation and process control play a critical role in operational performance.

What We're Looking For

Experience working as an Automation Engineer, Controls Engineer or Automation & Controls Engineer.
Strong PLC programming and fault‑finding experience.
Experience with Allen Bradley PLCs preferred.
Siemens PLC experience beneficial but not essential.
SCADA and industrial automation experience.
Experience within Food Manufacturing, FMCG, beverage, chemical or wider process manufacturing environments.
Knowledge of instrumentation, process control and PID loops.
Experience working with pumps, valves, drives and flow systems.
Strong fault‑finding and problem‑solving skills.
A proactive approach to reliability improvement and Continuous Improvement activities.
The ability to identify opportunities to improve plant performance, maintainability and automation reliability.

Experience within Food Manufacturing or FMCG is highly desirable due to the site's focus on food safety, allergen control, CIP systems and process safety.

Future Projects

This role offers involvement in several significant site‑wide initiatives, including: