Controls and Automation Engineer

Found Food & Drink; Greater London; On-site; GBP 63,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity opportunity

healthcare support

breakfast and lunch provided

Job summary

Found Food & Drink is seeking a Controls & Automation Engineer in West London to join a technically ambitious engineering team. You will design, program and test PLC-based control systems and develop automation for new machinery and production lines, taking projects from specification through commissioning.

The role emphasises hands-on problem solving, robust automation, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Strong capability in PLC programming, controls development, machine commissioning and automation projects.
• Experience with Siemens equipment and TIA Portal is a plus.
• Hands-on, project-led automation engineer with end-to-end responsibility.

Responsibilities

• Design, program and test PLC-based control systems.
• Develop automation for new machinery and production lines.
• Take controls projects from specification through commissioning.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical and production teams during build.

Skills

PLC programming

Controls development

Machine commissioning

Automation projects

Siemens TIA Portal

Servo & motion control

Tools

Siemens PLCs

TIA Portal

Servo control

Motion control

Job description

I’m working with a fast-growing manufacturing business in West London to appoint a Controls & Automation Engineer into a technically ambitious engineering team.

The business develops and builds much of its own manufacturing equipment internally, so this is a genuinely hands-on, project-led role covering the full lifecycle of automated systems.

You’ll be involved from initial requirement and controls design through to programming, build support, commissioning, handover and continuous improvement.

The role will include:

• Designing, programming and testing PLC-based control systems
• Developing automation for new machinery, production lines and NPI projects
• Taking controls projects from specification through to commissioning
• Working closely with mechanical, electrical, production and engineering teams during machine build and development
• Improving existing systems around reliability, performance, safety and maintainability
• Supporting commissioning, upgrades and complex controls issues
• Helping shape future controls standards, architecture and automation strategy
• Contributing to the development of systems that can ultimately be deployed and supported across multiple international manufacturing sites

The engineering environment includes:

• Siemens PLCs and TIA Portal
• Servo and motion control

The business is particularly interested in engineers who can demonstrate strong capability in PLC programming, controls development, machine commissioning and automation projects.

Siemens experience would be highly relevant, but the wider emphasis is on technical ability, problem solving and the capability to develop robust, scalable automation solutions.

We would be interested in speaking with:

Relevant backgrounds could include machine building, OEM, systems integration, FMCG, pharmaceutical, packaging, robotics or other highly automated manufacturing environments.

The role will suit someone who enjoys taking ownership of technical problems, working from first principles and contributing ideas rather than simply following a predefined specification.

There is also a significant longer-term opportunity.

The business is already deploying internally developed machinery internationally and is building towards an engineering model where automation can be deployed, monitored, supported and improved across multiple sites.

For the right person, the role could develop from ownership of controls projects within the UK operation into broader responsibility for automation architecture and international deployment.

Package

Salary: Up to £70,000

Location: West London

Working pattern: Full time, predominantly site based

Benefits:

• Equity opportunity
• healthcare support
• breakfast and lunch provided