Automation Manager

Nordzucker AG; Sweden; On-site; SEK 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site gym

Massage services

Wellness allowance

parental leave top-up

High-quality meals at favorable price

Job summary

Nordic Sugar is seeking an Automation Manager to lead the local automation department and drive stable, efficient automation solutions in a production environment. You will work hands-on while overseeing project execution and ensuring adherence to central standards across DCS, PLC, and HMI systems.

You will report to the Maintenance & Planning Manager and collaborate with operations, technicians, and external suppliers to deliver reliable automation performance.

Qualifications

• University or master’s degree in automation, electrical engineering or equivalent technical field.
• Several years of hands-on experience working with industrial automation systems in a production environment.
• May come from Lead Engineer, Senior Engineer or Tech Lead role and be ready for people management or have prior leadership experience.
• Strong technical understanding of industrial systems, electrical engineering, automated production and instrumentation.
• Experience from project-based work with focus on implementation, execution and delivery.
• Ability to work in a structured, pragmatic and hands-on way, close to daily operations.
• Knowledge of batch and continuous processes, and system architecture (IT/OT integration & control systems)
• Vendor management experience, including contract handling, FAT and SAT.
• Fluent in English and a Scandinavian language, spoken and written.

Responsibilities

• Implement and execute centrally defined automation strategies, standards and architectures at local plant level.
• Act as a hands-on, operational manager with daily involvement in automation systems, troubleshooting and follow-up.
• Work in a project-driven environment with strong focus on execution, delivery and project closure.
• Lead and participate in automation projects from implementation to handover into operations.
• Ensure a stable, reliable, and efficient automation environment within DCS, PLC, and HMI systems.
• Coordinate and collaborate closely with technicians, operators, maintenance, production and external suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with central standards, cybersecurity requirements and lifecycle management principles.
• Personnel and work environment responsibility for the department, with focus on engagement, collaboration, and a healthy workplace.
• Maintain close collaboration with other Nordzucker factories and with DTS.

Skills

Hands-on automation

Project execution

People leadership

Vendor management

IT/OT integration

English proficiency

Scandinavian language

DCS/PLC/HMI systems

Education

Master's degree in automation or electrical engineering

Tools

DCS/PLC/HMI systems

Industrial automation hardware

Job description

Do you want an operational leadership role where you work close to the organization, the systems and the people – and where your contribution makes a real difference every day? Nordic Sugar is now looking for an Automation Manager, a role for someone who enjoys hands‑on automation work, clear responsibility and delivering stable, well‑functioning solutions in a complex production environment.

We are looking for a hands‑on Automation Manager who enjoys being close to operations and turning plans into tangible results. This is a highly operational role where you play a key part in ensuring stable, efficient and well‑functioning automation systems in a complex production environment.

You will have a clear mandate to lead execution at local level, working close to the plant, the people and the systems. With centrally defined automation strategies, standards and architectures from Nordzucker’s Digitalisation & Technology Services (DTS) as your foundation, you ensure successful implementation, follow‑up and delivery in daily operations and projects.

As Automation Manager at Nordic Sugar, you lead the local Automation Department consisting of instrument technicians, automation technicians and automation engineers. Together, the team is responsible for maintaining high availability and operational reliability of automation and process control systems within production and packaging.

The role offers a strong technical focus with high system involvement, where your contribution is visible every day. You will combine operational leadership with hands‑on automation work, take responsibility for project execution and closure, and create real value through structure, presence and reliable delivery. This position is ideal for someone who wants an operational management role with clear responsibility, close collaboration with the organization, and the satisfaction of seeing solutions work in practice. The position is permanent employment and reports to the Maintenance & Planning Manager.

Main responsibilities:

• Implement and execute centrally defined automation strategies, standards and architectures from Nordzucker DTS at local plant level.
• Act as a hands‑on, operational manager with daily involvement in automation systems, troubleshooting and follow‑up.
• Work in a project‑driven environment with strong focus on execution, delivery and project closure.
• Lead and participate in automation projects from implementation to handover into operations.
• Ensure a stable, reliable, and efficient automation environment within DCS, PLC, and HMI systems.
• Coordinate and collaborate closely with technicians, operators, maintenance, production and external suppliers.
• Ensure compliance with central standards, cybersecurity requirements and lifecycle management principles.
• Personnel and work environment responsibility for the department, with focus on engagement, collaboration, and a healthy workplace.
• Maintain close collaboration with other Nordzucker factories and with DTS.

Your background:

• University or master’s degree in automation, electrical engineering or equivalent technical field.
• Several years of hands‑on experience working with industrial automation systems in a production environment.
• You may come from a Lead Engineer, Senior Engineer or Tech Lead role and be ready to take on your first formal people management position or already have experience in an operational leadership role.
• Strong technical understanding of industrial systems, electrical engineering, automated production and instrumentation.
• Experience from project‑based work with focus on implementation, execution and delivery.
• Ability to work in a structured, pragmatic and hands‑on way, close to daily operations.
• Knowledge of batch and continuous processes, and system architecture (IT/OT integration & control systems)
• Vendor management experience, including contract handling, FAT and SAT.
• Fluent in English and a Scandinavian language, spoken and written.

Who Are You?

You are a pragmatic and execution‑oriented leader who enjoys being close to operations and turning plans into results. You thrive in a hands‑on environment where daily work, ongoing issues and project delivery are part of your leadership role, and you take pride in creating stable and well‑functioning operations. You bring structure and clarity through clear priorities and consistent follow‑up, and you lead by example in your way of working. With a collaborative and present leadership style, you build trust across the organization and communicate decisions and improvement ideas in a clear and engaging way. You are proactive and responsible, with the ability to balance a strong delivery focus with a holistic perspective. You act in the best interests of the organization, drive improvements forward, and work effectively with many stakeholders through openness, humility and strong communication skills.

What Do We Offer?

Nordic Sugar is more than just a workplace – it is a place where we work together to shape a flavourful future. We want to offer you the opportunity to gain meaningful and rewarding experience, become part of our community, and truly make a difference.

Through our collective agreement, you are covered by extensive protection related to sickness and pension. With us, you also have the unique option to take vacation by the hour, and we offer working time reduction of up to 58 hours per year. We provide strong development opportunities and a range of benefits such as an on‑site gym and massage services, a wellness allowance, parental leave top‑up, and high‑quality meals at a favourable price.

Application and Information

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Sugar Factory ORT Christian Jørgensen Storm, tel. [phone], or recruiter Caroline Teinvall, tel. 0709‑537597.For questions related to unions, please contact PTK / Unionen representative Eva Nilsson, tel. 0709‑539636. Please submit your application for the position of “Automation Manager” nordzucker.com no later than 2026-08-07. Please note that we do not accept applications via email. We will review all applications after the holiday period and get back to you as soon as possible thereafter.

Please note that Nordic Sugar has a zero‑tolerance policy regarding drugs and alcohol. Drug testing is conducted in connection with employment, and a background check is carried out as part of the recruitment process.

We kindly decline all contacts regarding additional advertising channels, marketing or external recruitment support.

Nordic Sugar – Career Company 2026

Nordic Sugar demonstrates a long‑term commitment to the development and well‑being of its employees through a culture defined by stability, responsibility and collaboration. The company combines strong values with a focus on innovation and sustainability, creating a workplace where people thrive and want to stay. Nordic Sugar stands out as an attractive employer with a clear forward‑looking direction and is a well‑deserved Career Company 2026.

Nordic Sugar is proud to be named one of Sweden’s Career Companies 2026 – a mark of quality that shows we offer a workplace where people can grow, feel engaged and take pride in their work. The award is given to employers that offer particularly strong career opportunities for students and young professionals, and for us it is confirmation of our long‑term commitment to competence development, sustainability, innovation and a culture built on responsibility and cooperation.

We believe that the future of the food industry will be shaped by people who want to make a difference – and with us, you will have the opportunity to be part of that journey.

More About Nordic Sugar

At Nordic Sugar, we are proud to be Sweden’s sugar company. We are passionate about delivering high‑quality sugar products to consumers and businesses across the country. With deep roots in the fertile soil of Skåne, we are the only sugar refinery in Sweden. Together with our beet growers, we secure national self‑sufficiency in sugar and contribute to Sweden’s food preparedness. We also support agriculture by supplying high‑quality animal feed as a byproduct of our production.

Our strength lies in collaboration and proactive work. We have many dedicated and knowledgeable sugar experts, but it is through cooperation and dialogue that we create real value for our customers – from beet cultivation to food production.

We also take strong responsibility for the future by continuously reducing our energy consumption and climate footprint, improving our processes, and ensuring that every part of the beet is used efficiently. By prioritizing health and safety in everything we do, we create a secure and harmonious work environment. We also place great emphasis on our customers’ well‑being by ensuring safe products and reliable deliveries.

We are proud to be a modern sugar company that combines responsibility and care with innovative strategies. And above all, we spread joy and camaraderie. We are not only experts and leaders – we are people who dare to think differently and take initiative. We believe in courage, collaboration and inspiring one another.

Welcome to Nordic Sugar – life would be a lot less sweet without us.