Automation Engineer

The Gap, Inc.; Northampton; On-site; GBP 51,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The Gap, Inc. is seeking an Automation Engineer for our Northampton site. You will maintain and optimise automated warehouse systems, diagnose faults, and support continuous improvement across the site.

The role involves planned and reactive maintenance on conveyors, sensors, motors and drives, with a focus on reliability and safety in a busy distribution environment. Experience in manufacturing or logistics settings with PLC-controlled equipment is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in automation/controls maintenance within manufacturing or distribution environments.
• Strong electrical and mechanical fault-finding and diagnostic capabilities.
• Experience with automated conveyor systems and materials handling equipment.
• Knowledge of PLC-controlled systems and automation fault diagnosis.

Responsibilities

• Carry out planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and reactive maintenance on automated warehouse systems and materials handling equipment. Diagnose and resolve electrical, mechanical and automation faults to minimise downtime.
• Fault-find across automated conveyor systems, sensors, motors, drives, actuators and associated control equipment.
• Support maintenance and optimisation of automated processes to ensure safe, efficient and reliable operation.
• Respond to system breakdowns, identify root causes and implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence.
• Maintain accurate maintenance records and communicate issues to the engineering team in line with health and safety standards.

Skills

Electrical fault-finding

Mechanical fault-finding

PLC knowledge

Analytical troubleshooting

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Electrical

Tools

PLC systems

Job description

Automation Engineer Location: Northampton Salary: £56,500 per annum Shift Pattern: 4 on, 4 off - days and nights We are looking for a motivated and technically capable Automation Engineer to join a busy, highly automated warehouse and distribution operation in Northampton. This is an excellent opportunity to work within a fast-paced environment where automation, equipment reliability and operational efficiency are critical to business performance. You will play a key role in maintaining, fault-finding and optimising automated systems and materials handling equipment, ensuring maximum availability and minimal disruption to operations. Working as part of the engineering team, you will support the performance of automated conveyor systems, control systems, sensors, motors, drives and associated equipment, helping to identify recurring faults, improve system reliability and drive continuous improvement across the site.

Key Responsibilities

• Carry out planned preventative maintenance (PPM)
• and reactive maintenance on automated warehouse systems and materials handling equipment. Diagnose and resolve electrical, mechanical and automation-related faults to minimise downtime and maintain operational performance.
• Fault-find across automated conveyor systems, sensors, motors, drives, actuators and associated control equipment.
• Support the maintenance and optimisation of automated processes, ensuring equipment operates safely, efficiently and reliably.
• Respond to system breakdowns, identify root causes and implement effective corrective actions to prevent recurring issues.
• Assist with the monitoring and performance improvement of automated systems, identifying opportunities to reduce downtime and improve productivity.
• Work with PLC-controlled equipment and automation systems to diagnose faults and support effective fault resolution.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, reliability improvements and engineering projects across the site.
• Maintain accurate maintenance
• records, document recurring faults and communicate technical issues to relevant team members. Ensure all engineering activities comply with site health and safety procedures, safe systems of work and relevant engineering standards.

The Ideal Candidate

• Previous experience in an Automation Engineer, Controls Engineer or multi-skilled maintenance engineering role within a manufacturing, industrial, logistics or distribution environment.
• Strong electrical and mechanical fault-finding and diagnostic capabilities.
• Experience working with automated machinery, conveyor systems or automated materials handling equipment.
• Knowledge of PLC-controlled systems and the ability to diagnose automation-related faults.
• Experience with sensors, motors, drives, actuators and industrial control equipment.
• A proactive, analytical approach to troubleshooting, root cause analysis and preventative maintenance.,
• Relevant engineering qualifications, such as an NVQ Level 3, BTEC or equivalent in Electrical