Operations Technology & Automation Lead

The a2 Milk Company; Pokeno; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, life & income protection保险

Quarterly bonus

Free breakfast and lunch onsite

Subsidised gym membership

Social club

Job summary

The a2 Milk Company in Pokeno, North Island is seeking an experienced OT/Automation Lead to ensure reliability, security, and performance of site OT systems. Based at Pokeno, you will own automation platforms and drive the digital transformation roadmap.

You will lead CAPEX projects, coordinate with IT/maintenance, and support audits including GxP and food safety. A strong background in PLC/SCADA/MES is required, plus 3+ years of leadership.

Qualifications

• 8+ years OT/automation experience in dairy/ FMCG
• 3+ years in team leadership
• Strong PLC/SCADA/HMI/MES and industrial networks
• Experience with CAPEX, digital transformation, and URS/qualification
• Vendor and cross-functional stakeholder management

Responsibilities

• Oversee reliability, security, and performance of OT systems on site
• Lead automation lifecycle management including design, change control, and obsolescence planning
• Drive production uptime and OEE improvements through proactive troubleshooting
• Ensure industrial cybersecurity and IT/OT alignment
• Coordinate OT integration with ERP/WMS/CMMS for data integrity
• Support audits and regulatory compliance (GxP, food safety)
• Lead OT projects and CAPEX planning and vendor management

Skills

PLC

SCADA

HMI

MES

Industrial networks

Troubleshooting OT

Education

Tertiary qualification in Automation/Electrical Engineering/Control Systems/Mechatronics

Job description

The a2 Milk Company in Pokeno, North Island is seeking an experienced OT/Automation Lead to ensure reliability, security, and performance of site OT systems. Based at Pokeno, you will own automation platforms and drive the digital transformation roadmap.

You will lead CAPEX projects, coordinate with IT/maintenance, and support audits including GxP and food safety. A strong background in PLC/SCADA/MES is required, plus 3+ years of leadership.