Automation Engineer (Field Service)

VANRATH; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company vehicle

Job summary

Vanrath is seeking an Automation Engineer (Field Service) based in Belfast to join a growing engineering team. You will develop and maintain automation systems across multiple manufacturing facilities, focusing on PLC, HMI and SCADA, and you will work hands-on on projects, system improvements, and fault resolution.

You will collaborate with Electrical Engineers to design, install and modify control panels, interpret electrical drawings, and ensure robust automation performance through FAT and

Qualifications

• PLC programming and HMI/SCADA experience.
• Industrial communication protocols knowledge is desirable.
• Understanding of electrical control panels wiring, installation and modification.
• Ability to interpret electrical drawings and technical schematics.
• Strong instrumentation knowledge including calibration, servicing and maintenance.
• An apprenticeship in Electrical or Mechatronic Engineering, ideally with higher qualifications.

Responsibilities

• Programming, developing and maintaining PLC control systems for industrial processes.
• Designing and configuring HMI and SCADA applications to support production operations.
• Providing technical support to operations and maintenance teams, diagnosing and resolving automation issues.
• Testing, debugging and optimising automation programmes for reliable performance.
• Collaborating with Electrical Engineers on design, installation and modification of control panels.
• Interpreting electrical drawings to support installation and fault finding.
• Configuring and testing control panels ahead of FAT.
• Implementing and troubleshooting industrial communication between PLCs, HMIs and SCADA.

Skills

PLC programming

SCADA configuration

HMI development

Electrical drawings interpretation

Industrial instrumentation

Education

Electrical or Mechatronic Engineering apprenticeship

Tools

PLC programming software

SCADA software

Electrical schematics tools

Job description

Automation Engineer (Field Service)

Location: Belfast

Excellent Salary + Company Vehicle

An excellent opportunity has arisen for an Automation Engineer to join a growing engineering team, supporting and developing automation systems across a range of manufacturing facilities.

The successful candidate will play a key role in the development and maintenance of industrial automation equipment, with a particular focus on PLC, HMI and SCADA systems. This is a varied hands‑on role combining project work, system improvements, technical support and fault finding.

The Role

Key responsibilities will include:

• Programming, developing and maintaining PLC control systems for industrial processes.


• Designing and configuring HMI and SCADA applications to support production operations.


• Providing technical support to operations and maintenance teams, diagnosing and resolving automation and control‑related issues.


• Testing, debugging and optimising automation programmes to ensure reliable equipment performance.


• Working alongside Electrical Engineers and Technicians on the design, assembly, installation and modification of electrical control panels.


• Interpreting electrical drawings and schematics to support installation and fault finding.


• Configuring and testing control panels ahead of Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT).


• Implementing and troubleshooting industrial communication protocols between PLCs, HMIs, SCADA and other automation equipment.


• Carrying out onsite instrumentation installation, configuration, calibration and servicing.

The Person

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• PLC programming and SCADA configuration experience.


• Experience with HMI development, industrial communication protocols and automation fault finding.


• A good understanding of electrical control panels, including wiring, installation and modification.


• The ability to interpret electrical drawings and technical schematics.


• Strong industrial instrumentation knowledge, including calibration, servicing and maintenance.


• A recognised apprenticeship in Electrical or Mechatronic Engineering, ideally supported by further technical or higher‑level qualifications.

Interested?

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Automation Engineer or Controls Engineer looking to take on a varied role involving both hands‑on engineering and automation project development.

For further information or a confidential discussion, get in touch today.