Electrical Engineer

DATS Recruitment Ltd; Chester; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

25 days annual leave

Private healthcare

Company sick pay

Pension scheme

Job summary

We are seeking an experienced Electrical Control & Instrumentation Engineer to join a Capenhurst-based team. The role involves delivering complete control system solutions across the project lifecycle, from design to commissioning, with travel to European supplier sites and client locations.

The position is hybrid with up to two days WFH. You will work on specifications, hardware, and software for control systems, ensuring safety, quality, and regulatory compliance while collaborating with

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering or related field.
• Experience specifying or designing control systems for process/industrial facilities.
• Ability to produce high-quality technical specifications and reports.
• Experience working with subcontractors in multinational environments.
• Knowledge of PLC hardware, I/O, networking and power supply needs.
• Understanding of control cabinets and compliance standards (UKCA/CE/UL).
• Experience in instrumentation design, metrology, EMC considerations.
• Familiarity with PLC programming standards and SCADA design/testing.
• Strong interpersonal and cross-discipline communication skills.
• French or German language ability is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality control/instrumentation engineering across projects.
• Prepare detailed specifications, control logic and hardware requirements.
• Develop simulation programs for control systems and assess performance.
• Review supplier test specs and participate in FAT activities.
• Liaise with stakeholders to ensure successful delivery and reporting.
• Present technical information at design reviews and customer sites.
• Assist with proposals, schedules and cost forecasts.
• Travel to European suppliers and other client locations as required.
• Ensure health, safety and environmental compliance in all activities.
• Support customer-facing activities and provide clear progress updates.

Skills

Control systems

PLC programming

SCADA design

Instrumentation

HSE compliance

Communication skills

Education

Electrical/Electronic engineering degree

Job description

Electrical Control & Instrumentation Engineer

Location: Chester

Salary: £51,296 – £58,915.

Job Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Hybrid, with up to 2 days working from home subject to business and security requirements

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Control & Instrumentation Engineer to join a specialist engineering team based in Capenhurst, Cheshire.

Reporting to the Section Head, you will be responsible for delivering high-quality control and instrumentation engineering solutions across a range of technically complex projects. The role offers the opportunity to work across the full engineering lifecycle, from specification and design through to testing, commissioning and customer delivery.

You will work closely with internal engineering teams, customers, suppliers and subcontractors, with some travel required to European supplier sites and other customer locations.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure all engineering activities are delivered to the highest standards of health, safety and environmental compliance.
• Produce detailed technical specifications, including equipment functional specifications and control system logic specifications.
• Develop specifications and logic simulation programmes for control system designs and simulate control system performance.
• Produce specifications for control system hardware.
• Work with subcontractors, including reviewing and approving detailed design drawings and documentation.
• Review supplier test specifications and attend factory acceptance and other equipment testing activities.
• Liaise with the Section Head and specialist engineers to understand engineering requirements and ensure successful delivery.
• Present technical information at design and technical reviews.
• Support customer-facing activities, including presenting design information and demonstrating equipment or software at company or customer premises.
• Analyse plant process, commissioning and test data to identify opportunities for performance and efficiency improvements.
• Develop and maintain core reference design standards for control system engineering.
• Contribute to project proposals, including preparation of schedules and cost forecasts.
• Manage engineering deliverables and provide clear progress and status reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
• Travel to European suppliers and other company/customer sites as required.

About You

We are seeking a technically capable Control & Instrumentation Engineer with experience in the design or specification of control systems within process or industrial environments.

You will ideally have:

• A degree in Electrical, Electronic Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience specifying or designing control systems for a range of applications within process or industrial facilities.
• The ability to produce high-quality technical specifications, reports and engineering documentation.
• Experience working with subcontractors, ideally within a multinational engineering environment.
• Knowledge of PLC hardware requirements, including I/O capability, network communications and power supply requirements.
• Understanding of control cabinet construction and associated requirements.
• Knowledge of relevant product and compliance standards, including UKCA, CE and UL.
• Experience of instrumentation design, including measurement ranges, measurement techniques, accuracy and EMC compatibility.
• Knowledge of PLC programming requirements and standards.
• Experience of SCADA design and configuration, including user interface and alarm management standards.
• Practical experience of equipment testing.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Good computer literacy and the ability to work effectively across multiple engineering disciplines.

Desirable: The ability to speak French or German in addition to English would be advantageous.

What We Offer

As well as joining a highly skilled and motivated engineering team, you will receive a competitive benefits package including:

• Competitive salary
• Company performance-related bonus
• 25 days' annual leave, increasing to 28 days with length of service
• All statutory bank holidays
• Private healthcare
• Hybrid working, with up to 2 days from home per week, subject to business and security requirements
• Additional day off every 4 weeks
• Generous flexible working arrangements
• Monthly flexi day off, subject to accumulated working hours
• Company sick pay
• Defined contribution pension scheme