Lead Drives & Control Systems Engineer

Omega Resource Group; Chelmsley Wood; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering company in the UK is looking for a Lead Drives & Control Systems Engineer to oversee the design and delivery of advanced control systems. This position involves leading engineering teams, ensuring compliance with safety standards, and mentoring junior engineers. Candidates should have a BEng/BSc or equivalent, a minimum of 7 years' experience in industrial automation, and expertise in Functional Safety. The role offers competitive benefits including a bonus scheme, medical plan, and flexible working.

Benefits

25 days of holidays plus Bank Holidays

Bonus scheme

BUPA Medical plan

Car allowance

Pension scheme

Life Insurance

Employee assistance programme

Flexible working

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years' experience in industrial control systems.
• Strong Functional Safety experience with SIL/PL rated systems.
• Proven track record of leading engineering teams successfully.

Responsibilities

• Lead electrical/controls workstream on projects.
• Produce design deliverables like Functional Design Specifications.
• Mentor graduates, apprentices, and junior engineers.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Functional Safety knowledge

Project management

Team mentoring

Education

BEng/BSc in Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Level 6 Apprenticeship

Tools

PLC

SCADA

HMI

Drive systems (Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider, Beckhoff)

Job description

Lead Drives & Control Systems Engineer

Location: Commutable of Liverpool or Birmingham

Salary: £85,000 - £100,000

Our client are expanding their Engineering team and have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Lead Engineer with a strong background in Drives, Motion Control and Automation Systems to take full ownership of the electrical and control systems delivery on major projects. This is a senior “lead” position where you will combine deep technical expertise (especially in variable speed drives, servo systems and safety-related control systems) with proven project leadership and people-management skills. Previous experience in a Project Engineering or Project Management role within industrial automation is highly advantageous.

Key Highlights

• True leadership role - supervise, mentor and motivate multi-disciplinary engineering teams (internal + external resources)
• Full ownership of the Functional Safety lifecycle (FuSa) on safety-critical projects
• Work closely with Project Managers to deliver complex systems on time and on budget
• Opportunity to shape internal standards through the Engineering Management Working Group
• Hands‑on design, software delivery, FAT, commissioning and SAT on customer sites

Responsibilities

• Lead the electrical/controls workstream on projects from concept through to site acceptance
• Produce high‑quality design deliverables: Functional Design Specifications, Safety Requirements Specifications, drive system architectures, network topology, cause & effect matrices, etc.
• Software design and configuration of PLC, HMI, SCADA, Robot, Drives and BMS platforms
• Own the Technical Construction File and ensure compliance with Machinery Directive, IEC 61508/61511, and other relevant standards
• Mentor graduates, apprentices and junior engineers
• Identify technical risks, propose mitigations and drive continuous improvement

Qualifications / Experience

• BEng/BSc or Level 6 Apprenticeship in Electrical/Electronic Engineering
• Minimum 7 years' experience in industrial control systems with significant expertise in variable speed drives and motion control
• Proven track record of leading engineering teams and delivering full project lifecycles
• Strong Functional Safety experience (SIL/PL rated systems)
• Excellent client‑facing and communication skills
• Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel to customer sites when required
• Previous role as a Project Engineer or Project Manager in automation
• TUV Functional Safety Engineer certification or equivalent
• Experience with Siemens, Rockwell, Schneider or Beckhoff drive platforms

Benefits

• Holidays 25 days (plus Bank Holidays)
• Bonus scheme
• BUPA Medical plan
• Car allowance
• Pension scheme
• Life Insurance
• Employee assistance programme
• Flexible working

For more information on this role, please contact Andrew Haddon on (phone number removed) or send a copy of your CV to (url removed)