AUTOMATION TECHNICIAN

Woodlands Dairy (Pty) (Ltd); Oos-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 320,000 - 520,000; Full time

Job summary

Woodlands Dairy (Pty) (Ltd) is seeking an experienced Automation Technician to maintain and improve plant automation systems, support manufacturing operations, and drive reliability across the site.

The role covers asset management, system backups, change control, RCA investigations, and project participation, requiring a national diploma or degree and at least five years in industrial automation, preferably in FMCG or dairy settings.

Qualifications

• National Diploma or Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Automation, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in an industrial automation environment.
• Experience in manufacturing, FMCG, food processing, or dairy operations will be advantageous.
• PLC programming and control systems.
• HMI and SCADA platforms.
• Industrial Ethernet and communication protocols.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent problem-solving ability.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and update the automation asset register.
• Ensure all automation equipment is incorporated into the maintenance management system.
• Review and update preventative maintenance schedules and job cards.
• Perform and verify routine automation system backups.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce process losses and improve efficiency.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting during major equipment breakdowns.
• Manage and control automation system changes through formal change control procedures.
• Maintain software licensing compliance.
• Conduct automation, network audits, and implement corrective actions.
• Lead and participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations.
• Manage automation-related spare parts and inventory.
• Perform PLC, HMI and SCADA programming, commissioning, and testing activities.
• Participate in automation and engineering projects as project leader or team member.

Skills

PLC programming

HMI/SCADA

Industrial networks

Troubleshooting

Analytical skills

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelor's or Diploma in Electrical/Electronic/Mechatronics/Industrial Automation

Tools

PLC programming tools

HMI/SCADA platforms

Industrial Ethernet & protocols

Job description

Automation Technician

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Automation Technician to join our Engineering team. The successful candidate will be responsible for maintaining and improving plant automation systems, supporting manufacturing operations, managing industrial networks, and participating in capital projects to drive operational excellence and reliability.

Key Performance Areas

• Maintain and update the automation asset register.
• Ensure all automation equipment is incorporated into the maintenance management system.
• Review and update preventative maintenance schedules and job cards.
• Perform and verify routine automation system backups.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to reduce process losses and improve efficiency.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting during major equipment breakdowns.

• Manage and control automation system changes through formal change control procedures.
• Maintain software licensing compliance.
• Conduct automation, network audits, and implement corrective actions.
• Lead and participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) investigations.
• Manage automation-related spare parts and inventory.

• Perform PLC , HMI and SCADA programming, commissioning, and testing activities.
• Participate in automation and engineering projects as project leader or team member.

Knowledge and Skills

• National Diploma or Degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics, Industrial Automation, or related field.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in an industrial automation environment.
• Experience in manufacturing, FMCG, food processing, or dairy operations will be advantageous.
• PLC programming and control systems.
• HMI and SCADA platforms.
• Industrial Ethernet and communication protocols.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent problem-solving ability.