Lead Engineer

Samuel Frank; Huddersfield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonus

Flexible hours

Early finish Fridays

Annual leave 24 days + bank holidays

Technical training

Home working (occasional)

Job summary

Samuel Frank is recruiting a Senior Automation Lead Engineer for a West Yorkshire-based role. You will lead an Automation department of three Software Engineers, two EC&I Design Engineers and a Process Engineer, acting as the technical authority and directing complex projects.

The role emphasizes EC&I leadership and machine/process understanding, with responsibility across design, walkthroughs, and hands-on problem solving. A strong PLC/EC&I background is essential to succeed.

Qualifications

• Experience in EC&I or automation engineering with leadership exposure.
• Ability to design electrical/control systems and produce schematics.
• Proven track record of mentoring engineers and delivering complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Automation team.
• Coordinate electrical, controls and software delivery to schedule and budget.
• Interface with Sales, PM, and other engineering functions on projects.
• Support front-end sales with technical input and pricing.
• Provide design reviews, peer checks, and hands-on problem solving.

Skills

EC&I leadership

Electrical design

PLC knowledge

Fault diagnosis

Team leadership

Education

HNC/HND

Tools

EPLAN

AutoCAD Electrical

Siemens PLC

Allen-Bradley PLC

Job description

Senior Automation Lead Engineer – West Yorkshire – £60-70k + 10% Bonus

+++ Automation department leadership +++ Strong EC&I focus +++ Bespoke pharmaceutical machinery +++ Autonomous role +++

Samuel Frank is recruiting for a Senior Automation Lead Engineer to join a specialist engineering business based in West Yorkshire.

The successful Senior Automation Lead Engineer will lead an Automation department comprising three Software Engineers, two EC&I Design Engineers and a Process Engineer. Acting as the technical authority for the department, you will manage the team, plan its workload and provide clear direction on complex projects.

This is primarily an EC&I-led position rather than a pure PLC software role. It requires an experienced Engineer who understands how complex machinery and processes function, can diagnose difficult technical problems and is comfortable stepping up to make decisions.

Key aspects of the Senior Automation Lead Engineer role include:

• Leading, managing and developing the Automation team
• Planning departmental workload and coordinating electrical, controls and software delivery against agreed timescales, costs and quality standards
• Acting as the link between Automation, Sales, Aftermarket, Project Management and other engineering departments
• Supporting front-end sales with technical input, project concepts and pricing
• Providing technical direction, reviewing designs and carrying out peer checks
• Remaining hands‑on with the more complex projects, particularly fault finding and problem solving
• Producing and reviewing electrical schematics, Functional Design Specifications, P&IDs, pneumatic schematics and supporting technical documentation
• Providing technical input during client meetings, HAZOPs, FMEAs, design reviews and risk assessments
• Supporting PLC and HMI software development, primarily using Siemens and Allen Bradley, without being expected to act as the team's main Software Engineer
• Providing technical support through manufacture, assembly, installation and commissioning
• Promoting standardisation and continuous improvement across EC&I and automation designs

Key skills and experience required:

• A strong track record in EC&I, electrical controls or automation engineering, gained across a number of years
• Previous experience leading, mentoring or managing Engineers
• Strong EC&I and electrical design capability, including electrical schematics and control systems
• A practical understanding of machine functionality and process, with the ability to diagnose faults across electrical, controls and mechanical systems
• EPLAN experience would be a significant advantage; Engineers with AutoCAD Electrical or comparable experience will be considered and training can be provided
• A good working knowledge of PLC systems, ideally Siemens and/or Allen Bradley; high-level PLC programming expertise is not essential
• ATEX and/or CompEx knowledge would be advantageous
• HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in Electrical, Controls or Automation Engineering

Package and working arrangements:

• Salary £60-70k
• 10% performance-related bonus
• 38.75-hour working week
• Flexible working hours, with core hours between 9.30am and 3.30pm
• Early finish on Fridays, providing contracted hours have been completed
• 24 days' annual leave plus eight bank holidays
• Annual leave increases to 25 days after one year, followed by one additional day every five years, up to 30 days
• Investment in technical and leadership training, including PLC, CompEx and ILM courses where appropriate
• Office based position, with occasional home working available at the manager’s discretion

The company’s premises are easily accessible from Leeds, Bradford, Wakefield, Huddersfield and the surrounding West Yorkshire areas.