Lead PLC Control Systems Engineer

ZipRecruiter; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering engineering team seeks a Lead PLC Control Systems Engineer to design and maintain advanced control systems. This role involves innovative problem-solving, programming PLCs using Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 and Siemens TIA Portal, and collaborating in multidisciplinary teams focusing on safety and performance.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering or Control Systems (Master’s).
• Strong experience with Beckhoff (TwinCAT 3) and Siemens (TIA Portal).
• Familiarity with version control using Git.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and maintain advanced PLC control systems.
• Collaborate with mechanical and electrical teams for system integration.
• Produce comprehensive technical documentation for systems.

Skills

Programming PLCs

Structured text

Object-oriented programming

Version Control (Git)

System Commissioning

Safety Programming

Collaboration

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s in Control Systems or related field

Job description

Job Description

Are you a Lead PLC Control Systems Engineer ready to to join a pioneering team that's delivering innovative, energy-efficient propulsion solutions?

This is an opportunity to be part of a ground-breaking engineering project with real-world impact. If you're driven by problem-solving, thrive in dynamic environments, and enjoy working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams — this role is for you.

What You'll Be Doing

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Innovate and Create: Design, develop, and maintain advanced PLC control systems focused on performance, reliability, and maintainability.

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Precision Programming: Build solutions using Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 and Siemens TIA Portal, applying structured text and object-oriented programming principles.

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Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Work closely with mechanical, electrical, and software teams to ensure seamless system integration.

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Modular Development: Develop scalable, reusable control libraries that follow structured version control workflows (Git/Git Flow).

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Documentation Excellence: Produce comprehensive technical documentation to support independent commissioning and maintenance by third parties.

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Commissioning: Support deployment and commissioning of systems, both remotely and on-site as required.

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User-Centric Design: Ensure systems are maintainable by non-specialist users, even in demanding environments.

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Safety & Standards: Implement safety-critical functionality and work with a range of control hardware — including drives, sensors, and actuators.

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Lifecycle Support: Provide ongoing system support and implement improvements as systems evolve.

What You’ll Bring

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Academic Background: Degree in Electrical Engineering, Control Systems, or a related field (Master’s ).

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Technical Expertise: Strong experience programming PLCs, particularly using Beckhoff (TwinCAT 3) and Siemens (TIA Portal).

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Programming Skills: Proficiency in structured text and object-oriented programming.

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Version Control: Familiarity with Git and Git Flow versioning practices.

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Commissioning Experience: Demonstrated ability to commission systems in production environments with a focus on usability and robustness.

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Safety Knowledge: Experience programming safety PLCs and implementing safety-related functions.

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Hardware Familiarity: Knowledge of electronic drives, sensors, actuators, and optionally, hydraulic or pneumatic systems.

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Team Player: Comfortable collaborating with engineering peers, writing documentation, and using agile tools such as Jira.

Nice to Have

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Experience supporting production systems and understanding end-user needs

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Willingness to travel occasionally for commissioning and reviews

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Interest in sustainable technology and innovation

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Thrives in a small, high-performing technical team