Controls Engineer- Food Manufacturing

ZipRecruiter; Southall; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food manufacturer is looking for a talented Controls/Automation Engineer to join their team in Southall. In this role, you'll provide essential maintenance support, work on continuous improvement projects, and enhance the efficiency and reliability of operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background and experience in control and automation systems, as well as proficiency with programming and fault diagnosis.

Benefits

Competitive base salary

Comprehensive benefits package

Opportunities for career progression

Qualifications

• Strong engineering background with expertise in Control and Automation systems.
• Proven experience in designing control systems and programming PLCs.
• High proficiency with IT systems and engineering tools.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a strong shop floor presence and proactively identify issues.
• Conduct fault finding and programming of robotics systems.
• Engage in lean initiatives and support training of new staff.

Skills

Mechanical expertise

Electrical diagnostic skills

Root cause analysis

Programming PLC

Continuous improvement mindset

Education

Relevant computer or engineering qualification (degree, HND)

Tools

Siemens TIA Portal

Rockwell automation platforms

Job description

Job Description

Reporting to the Engineering Manager, the Controls Engineer will join a well-established, highly skilled team based at the Southall site in West London. The successful candidate will play a key role in providing top-tier maintenance support to ensure the factory operates efficiently and reliably, as well as participate in continuous improvement and technology advancement projects.

Client Details: My client is a well-established global food manufacturer, supplying high-quality products to all major retailers across the UK and Europe.

Renowned for their innovative manufacturing processes, exceptional product standards, and strong workplace culture, they are now looking to expand their Engineering team. An opportunity has arisen for a talented Controls/Automation Engineer to join them on a day shift.

Description:

1. Maintain a strong shop floor presence, spending approximately 95% of your time building relationships with production teams and proactively identifying issues before they arise.
2. Apply your dual mechanical and electrical expertise to ensure all reactive and proactive maintenance is completed Right First Time (RFT), on schedule, and in compliance with quality and HSE standards.
3. Demonstrate full mechanical competence, including power transmission systems, product manufacturing, transport systems, and support for in-house fabrication work (milling, welding, etc.).
4. Possess comprehensive electrical diagnostic skills for fault finding across all electrical systems up to and including PLCs, with experience on Siemens S7.
5. Accurately interpret and understand electrical diagrams.
6. Conduct fault finding and programming of robotics systems, including Kuka and Fanuc.
7. When RFT is not achievable, raise work order activities and ensure a proper handover of temporary fixes to the oncoming shift and Engineering Manager.
8. Actively engage in lean initiatives such as Total Productive Maintenance (TPM).
9. Exhibit a continuous improvement mindset, consistently seeking ways to enhance plant performance and reliability.
10. Ensure full compliance with all engineering data management systems.
11. Demonstrate strong root cause analysis and fault-finding capabilities for both electrical and mechanical systems.
12. Work independently, making well-informed decisions based on analytical reasoning.
13. Be flexible with working hours to meet production and business requirements.
14. Support and contribute positively to the training and onboarding of new staff members.
15. Coordinate contractors, ensuring all health and safety regulations are strictly followed during projects.

Profile:

• Strong engineering background with comprehensive technical expertise in Control, Automation, and Safety Systems and equipment.
• Relevant computer or engineering qualification (degree, HND) or equivalent industrial experience.
• Proven experience in designing control and automation systems.
• Programming PLC, HMI, and SCADA systems.
• Managing all phases of the project lifecycle, from design and coding to testing, installation, and documentation.
• High proficiency with IT systems and engineering tools.
• Experience with Siemens TIA Portal / Unified platform.
• Familiarity with Rockwell automation platforms.
• Skilled in configuring and commissioning Variable Speed Drives, particularly Siemens models.

Job Offer:

• Competitive base salary
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Opportunities for career progression within a stable, mid-to-large sized company