Senior Automation Engineer: Robotics & PLC Programming

Placements24; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 720,000 - 980,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonuses

Health insurance and retirement plan

Paid time off and professional dev.

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer in Stellenbosch to design, program, and commission PLCs and robotic systems for diverse manufacturing clients. You will lead integration projects, develop HMI/SCADA solutions, and ensure safe, compliant operations with ISO 13849 standards.

The role requires hands-on PLC and robotics experience, strong problem-solving, and the ability to collaborate with clients and internal teams across complex automation projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or computer science, or an equivalent field.
• 5+ years in industrial automation with PLC programming and robot integration.
• Proficient with major PLC platforms and associated software.
• Hands-on experience programming robots from leading manufacturers.
• Solid knowledge of Profinet, Ethernet/IP, Modbus and other protocols.
• Experience with HMI/SCADA tools such as Wonderware, Ignition or WinCC.
• Strong analytical, communication, and team collaboration skills.
• Willingness to travel for project deployment and support.

Responsibilities

• Design, program, and commission PLCs for industrial applications using ladder, structured text, and function blocks.
• Integrate and program robots (FANUC, KUKA, ABB) for pick-and-place, assembly, welding, and handling.
• Develop HMI/SCADA systems for monitoring and control of processes.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and perform root-cause analysis on automation issues on-site or remotely.
• Collaborate with clients and project teams to define automation requirements and scope.
• Ensure safety and regulatory compliance (ISO 13849) across systems.
• Create and maintain electrical schematics, code documentation, and manuals.
• Provide training and ongoing technical support to customers and staff.
• Stay updated with automation advances, robotics, and PLC platforms.

Skills

PLC programming

Robotics integration

HMI/SCADA development

Industrial communication

Team collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

Siemens S7

Allen-Bradley ControlLogix/CompactLogix

Wonderware

Ignition

WinCC

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer in Stellenbosch to design, program, and commission PLCs and robotic systems for diverse manufacturing clients. You will lead integration projects, develop HMI/SCADA solutions, and ensure safe, compliant operations with ISO 13849 standards.

The role requires hands-on PLC and robotics experience, strong problem-solving, and the ability to collaborate with clients and internal teams across complex automation projects.