Senior Automation Software Architect & Development Manager

Smiths Interconnect; Genova; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Smiths Interconnect is seeking a senior leader to shape software architecture and development for high-precision automation systems in Genova. You will blend hands-on tech contribution with leadership, coaching, and standardisation across control, supervision, and data solutions.

You will coordinate software and electrical engineering teams, drive architecture decisions, and ensure scalable, reusable frameworks across European and global sites, balancing performance, cost and delivery timing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electronic, Software or Automation Engineering or equivalent practical experience.
• 15–20 years of experience in industrial automation with leadership experience.
• Proven ability to define architectures and standardise software frameworks across machines.

Responsibilities

• Define, standardise and deploy scalable software architectures across automation projects.
• Lead, coach and support software developers and electrical designers.
• Own the control-software scope from concept through commissioning and testing.
• Design and program PLC/HMI, robot/cobot, vision and motion-control solutions for custom automation.
• Develop PC-based supervision and data interfaces to SQL and MES platforms.
• Guide technical decisions, design reviews and troubleshooting as the escalation point.

Skills

Technical leadership

Software architecture

Coaching

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electronic, Software or Automation Engineering

Tools

IEC 61131-3

PLC/HMI programming

Robotics control

Industrial communication (Modbus/Profinet)

Job description

Your Job

Lead the software architecture and development capability for high-precision, high-mix/low-volume automation systems. This role combines hands-on technical contribution with leadership, coaching and standardisation across control, supervision and industrial data solutions.

Our Team

The Automation Centre of Excellence develops custom machines by combining mechanical, electrical, controls and software engineering. You will coordinate and develop software and electrical engineers while partnering with the wider ACoE team from concept and cost evaluation through commissioning.

What You Will Do

• Define, standardise and deploy scalable software architectures, programming methods and engineering best practices across automation projects.
• Lead, coach and support software developers and electrical designers, establishing development paths aligned with individual skills and experience.
• Own the control-software scope from machine concept and design through testing, validation and final commissioning.
• Design and program PLC, HMI, robot/cobot, vision, intelligent-sensor and motion-control solutions for custom automation equipment.
• Develop PC-based supervision and field-data retrieval solutions, including interfaces to SQL and MES platforms.
• Guide technical decisions, design reviews, software validation and troubleshooting, acting as the senior escalation point for complex issues.
• Promote reusable frameworks and common solutions across different machine types and European/global sites.
• Collaborate with mechanical, manufacturing, process, quality and project teams to balance performance, robustness, cost and delivery timing.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in Electronic, Software or Automation Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 15 to 20 years of experience in industrial automation, including technical leadership or management of a small engineering team.
• Demonstrated experience defining architectures and standardising software frameworks across multiple machine types.
• In-depth knowledge of IEC 61131-3 programming and commissioning for PLC/HMI systems, plus robotics and industrial communications.
• Availability to travel across Europe and globally.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Experience with Mitsubishi PLC/HMI platforms, Mitsubishi or IAI robots/cobots, and Cognex or Keyence vision systems.
• Knowledge of PC supervision, Python, SQL, MES, Ethernet, Modbus, CC-Link and Profinet.
• Experience with motion control, automated test programming such as LabVIEW, GMP environments or digital-twin methods.
• Strong organisational, analytical, communication and presentation skills, with a curious, practical and open-minded approach.
• Experience delivering special-automation projects from conception through design, test and commissioning, including Industry 4.0 initiatives.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.