Automation Engineer

X4 Life Sciences; Utrecht; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

X4 Life Sciences is seeking a Project / Senior Automation Engineer in the Netherlands to own automation projects from design through commissioning and on-site deployment. You will lead control-system configurations, program PLCs, and perform FAT/SAT testing, while troubleshooting with customers and project teams.

The role requires 3+ years in industrial automation, an engineering degree, and hands-on commissioning experience; Dutch language skills are advantageous but not essential.

Qualifications

• 3+ years' experience in industrial automation / controls.
• Engineering degree or equivalent technical qualification.
• Experience with commissioning and customer-site work.
• Comfortable reading technical docs, schematics and control designs.

Responsibilities

• Leading the technical delivery of small to medium-sized automation projects.
• Translating functional requirements into control system configurations.
• Designing control strategies and automation network architectures.
• Programming PLCs and configuring automation equipment.
• Supporting the selection of automation hardware and instrumentation.
• Working with electrical engineers/CAD technicians on control panels and electrical designs.
• Testing and validating control systems through FAT/SAT and system verification.
• Supporting commissioning and troubleshooting at customer sites.
• Acting as a technical point of contact for customers and project stakeholders.
• Supporting project managers with technical changes, scope and delivery.
• Potentially leading other engineers/technical team members on projects.

Skills

Industrial automation

PLC programming

Project ownership

Commissioning

Customer liaison

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

Rockwell ControlLogix / Studio 5000

Ignition / Inductive Automation

Schneider Electric – EcoStruxure

National Instruments – LabVIEW

Job description

Project / Senior Automation Engineer | Netherlands

I’m currently supporting an established industrial automation and systems integration business with the appointment of a Project Engineer / Senior Project Engineer in the Netherlands.

This is a great opportunity for an experienced Automation Engineer who enjoys having ownership of projects and wants to work across the full engineering lifecycle from control system design and PLC programming through to testing, commissioning and customer site deployment.

What will you be doing?

You’ll take technical ownership of automation projects, working closely with customers, project managers and engineering teams to deliver complete control solutions.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the technical delivery of small to medium-sized automation projects
• Translating functional requirements into control system configurations
• Designing control strategies and automation network architectures
• Programming PLCs and configuring automation equipment
• Supporting the selection of automation hardware and instrumentation
• Working with electrical engineers/CAD technicians on control panels and electrical designs
• Testing and validating control systems through FAT/SAT and system verification
• Supporting commissioning and troubleshooting at customer sites
• Acting as a technical point of contact for customers and project stakeholders
• Supporting project managers with technical changes, scope and project delivery
• Potentially leading other engineers/technical team members on projects

What are we looking for?

You don't need to have experience across every platform, but you should have a strong foundation in industrial automation and control systems, with hands-on experience in programming, configuration and commissioning.

Experience with one or more of the following would be valuable:

• Rockwell – ControlLogix / CompactLogix / Studio 5000 / FactoryTalk / PlantPAx
• Ignition / Inductive Automation
• Schneider Electric – Modicon / EcoStruxure
• National Instruments – LabVIEW

We're particularly interested in engineers who can demonstrate experience across both software/control engineering and practical field deployment — including commissioning, troubleshooting, system testing and working with equipment in the field.

The ideal background

• 3+ years' experience in industrial automation / controls
• Engineering degree or equivalent technical qualification
• Experience with commissioning and customer-site work
• Comfortable reading technical documentation, schematics and control system designs
• Strong communication skills and able to work directly with customers
• Experience taking technical ownership of projects is highly desirable
• Previous project leadership or team leadership experience is a plus
• Dutch language skills are advantageous, but not essential

Why consider it?

You'll be joining a growing international systems integrator working on technically challenging automation projects across a range of industries.

The role offers the opportunity to move beyond being purely a PLC programmer and take genuine ownership of projects combining automation software, control systems, electrical/field engineering, commissioning and customer interaction.