Controls Engineer

LORD SEARCH & SELECTION; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Agri-Tech company in Birmingham is seeking a skilled Controls Engineer to drive automation in food production processes. You will develop advanced PLC systems, manage projects, and establish standardised architectures. Ideal candidates have over 5 years of experience in complex automation projects, strong expertise in Siemens TIA Portal, and a degree in Engineering. This role offers an attractive salary and a competitive benefits package.

Benefits

Extensive and Competitive Package

Qualifications

• 5+ years as a Controls / Automation Engineer on complex projects.
• Deep PLC programming expertise in Siemens TIA Portal and / or Allen‑Bradley.
• Experience in modular automation design and simulation.

Responsibilities

• Develop PLC / HMI / SCADA code for highly automated systems.
• Create modular software blocks and reusable libraries.
• Run simulation & HiL testing before FAT.

Skills

PLC programming expertise – Siemens TIA Portal

Project management

Automation design

Fault-finding

Education

Degree in Electrical / Control Engineering

Tools

Siemens TIA Portal

Rockwell Studio 5000

Job description

Next Generation Agri-Tech

Birmingham

c. £65,000 pa + Extensive and Competitive Package

The Company

This state‑of‑the‑art Agri‑Tech / Bio‑Technology business are working with cutting edge equipment, technologies and processes to deliver the best in class and most sustainable food production equipment and processes to the global consumer market. They work with some of the leading distributers and suppliers across the UK and Europe and their facility is purpose built and a true modern engineering showcase and the next generation of food production process.

This is a career‑defining, highly technology role.

You won't just be writing PLC code - you'll be the catalyst that transforms the entire Controls department and enables truly modular, 'flat‑pack' solutions that can be built in the UK and shipped anywhere in the world (including resource‑constrained regions) with minimal on‑site engineering skill required.

The Mission :

• Own the creation of a best‑in‑class software roadmap & standardised, modular PLC / HMI / Drive architecture
• Drive digitalisation : full simulation modelling & digital twin validation before any code leaves the building
• Design systems that slash OPEX for clients through extreme automation and reliability
• Lead the shift to repeatable, deskilled global deployment of multi‑megawatt Agi‑Tech systems

Day‑to‑day you'll :

• Develop PLC / HMI / SCADA code (Siemens TIA Portal & Rockwell essential, others welcome) for highly automated systems
• Create modular software blocks, node maps, and reusable libraries
• Run simulation & HiL testing to prove code before FAT
• Produce FDS, risk assessments, RAMS, and drive hardware standardisation
• Manage subcontractors (panel build, site wiring, commissioning) for cost & timeline
• Support FAT / SAT and occasional site commissioning / fault‑finding
• Build the 'lessons learnt' culture so we never make the same mistake twice

You'll thrive here if you have :

• 5+ years as a Controls / Automation Engineer on complex M&E projects (manufacturing plants, food processing, data centres, pharma, or similar)
• Deep PLC programming expertise – Siemens TIA Portal and / or Allen‑Bradley Studio 5000
• Experience of modular / repeatable automation design and digital twins / simulation
• Strong project management – able to run multiple streams and subcontractors
• Degree in Electrical / Control Engineering or equivalent

This is the role for the Controls Engineer who wants to look back in 10 years and say 'I standardised the way the world now builds this technology'.

Strictly confidential – your application comes direct to us as the retained search partner.

Apply and please quote job.

Reference number 10205.

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