Senior Plant Engineering & Automation Leader

Ambition; Johor; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Ambition in Malaysia is seeking a Senior Engineering Manager to oversee electrical, automation, and overall engineering health of the manufacturing plant. You will lead the engineering and maintenance functions, drive automation improvements, and provide hands-on leadership to plant teams in support of production, quality, and safety objectives.

You will manage capital projects, budgets, and cross-functional collaboration with Production, Quality, and Food Safety teams to maintain reliability

Qualifications

• 8-10+ years in plant/manufacturing engineering with hands-on electrical and automation expertise.
• Experience in food manufacturing or hygienic/regulatory environments (pharma, FMCG) is preferred.
• Track record of leading engineering/maintenance teams, including shift-based operations.
• Experience leading capital projects – automation upgrades, line installations, commissioning.
• Solid understanding of food safety/hygienic design standards (GMP/HACCP-adjacent) related to equipment.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with hands-on plant-floor leadership.

Responsibilities

• Own the plant's electrical systems, PLC/SCADA and automation infrastructure - uptime, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
• Lead automation upgrades and capital improvement projects from scope through commissioning.
• Ensure electrical systems and automation controls comply with safety, food safety, and regulatory standards.
• Drive predictive/preventive maintenance programs to reduce unplanned downtime on critical equipment.
• Lead, coach, and develop the engineering and maintenance team, including shift-based technicians and engineers.
• Own engineering budgets, spare parts strategy, and contractor/vendor management.
• Partner with Production, Quality, and Food Safety teams to resolve equipment issues without compromising hygiene or compliance.

Skills

Electrical engineering

Automation (PLC/SCADA)

Leadership

Food manufacturing experience

Capital projects

Safety & regulatory standards

Problem solving

Education

Electrical Engineering / Mechatronics degree

Job description

Ambition in Malaysia is seeking a Senior Engineering Manager to oversee electrical, automation, and overall engineering health of the manufacturing plant. You will lead the engineering and maintenance functions, drive automation improvements, and provide hands-on leadership to plant teams in support of production, quality, and safety objectives.

You will manage capital projects, budgets, and cross-functional collaboration with Production, Quality, and Food Safety teams to maintain reliability