Technician : Control and Automation

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 300,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa is seeking an Automation and Instrumentation Technician to maintain and calibrate control systems and instrumentation across our manufacturing operations. You will troubleshoot PLCs, SCADA, HMIs, and instrumentation, ensuring system reliability and data integrity.

Key duties include calibration, testing, and supporting PLC/HMI/SCADA configurations, with emphasis on process control, energy efficiency, and regulatory compliance in a fast-paced FMCG environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum: N6 in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, or Control Systems.
• Preferred: National Diploma or BTech in Electrical Engineering (Light Current) or Instrumentation.
• Experience: 3–5 years in a Control & Automation/Instrument technician role in manufacturing.

Responsibilities

• Perform routine maintenance, calibration, and testing of control systems and instruments.
• Ensure optimal operation of sensors, transmitters, analyzers, and control valves.
• Troubleshoot and resolve breakdowns or anomalies in real time.
• Support configuration, troubleshooting, and modification of PLC logic.
• Assist in SCADA (Wonderware) and HMI maintenance and modifications.
• Maintain program backups and ensure version control of automation software.

Skills

PLC programming & diagnostics

SCADA configuration

Field instrumentation

VSD operation

Industrial protocols

PID control

P&IDs interpretation

Maintenance planning

Education

N6 in Electrical Engineering

N6 in Electronics

National Diploma or BTech (Light Current)

Tools

Wonderware System Platform

Intouch

Siemens S7

Allen-Bradley

Job description

• Troubleshooting and maintaining PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, VSDs, and instrumentation systems
• Calibration and configuration of field instrumentation and sensors
• Understanding of industrial control protocols (e.g., Profibus, Ethernet/IP, Modbus)
• System backups, documentation, and change control for automation systems
• Support for plant automation upgrades and projects
• Compliance with engineering and SHEQ standards
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams to resolve automation and control issues

Functional Capabilities

• Troubleshooting and maintaining PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, VSDs, and instrumentation systems
• Calibration and configuration of field instrumentation and sensors
• Understanding of industrial control protocols (e.g., Profibus, Ethernet/IP, Modbus)
• System backups, documentation, and change control for automation systems
• Support for plant automation upgrades and projects
• Compliance with engineering and SHEQ standards
• Collaboration with cross-functional teams to resolve automation and control issues

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Automation and Instrumentation Support

• Perform routine maintenance, calibration, and testing of control systems and instruments.
• Ensure optimal operation of sensors, transmitters, analyzers, and control valves.
• Troubleshoot and resolve breakdowns or anomalies in real-time.

PLC, SCADA, and HMI Management

• Support the configuration, troubleshooting, and modification of PLC logic (Siemens, Allen-Bradley, etc.).
• Assist in SCADA (e.g., Wonderware System Platform, Intouch) and HMI maintenance and modifications.
• Maintain program backups and ensure version control of automation software.

Continuous Improvement and Process Optimisation

• Collaborate with Process Engineers and Production to improve process control strategies.
• Contribute to root cause analysis of recurring automation or instrumentation faults.
• Implement changes for energy efficiency, product quality, and operational consistency.

Compliance and Documentation

• Maintain accurate records of calibrations, loop checks, and software changes.
• Adhere to change management procedures and engineering standards.
• Ensure SHEQ and GMP compliance of all C&A work done on plant.

Support for Projects and Commissioning

• Provide technical input during automation-related project installations or plant upgrades.
• Support commissioning, FAT/SAT, and start-up testing of new equipment and software.
• Liaise with OEMs and vendors on technical support when necessary.

KBI

• Downtime reduction attributed to automation faults (%)
• Automation-related incident recurrence rate
• Preventative maintenance completion rate for instrumentation and control systems
• Control system availability and reliability (%)
• Number of successful system backups and compliance to version control
• SHEQ compliance and audit findings related to automation

Skills and Experience and Education

Education

• Minimum: N6 in Electrical, Electronics, Instrumentation, or Control Systems
• Preferred: National Diploma or BTech in Electrical Engineering (Light Current) or Instrumentation

Experience

• 3–5 years in a Control & Automation Technician or Instrument Technician role in a manufacturing or FMCG environment
• Proven hands-on experience with PLCs (Siemens S7, Allen-Bradley), SCADA systems (Wonderware), and industrial instrumentation
• Experience with process troubleshooting, control loop tuning, and automation diagnostics
• Exposure to production utilities and bottling/packaging environments advantageous

Skills

• PLC programming and diagnostics (Siemens, Allen-Bradley)
• SCADA configuration and fault finding (Wonderware System Platform, Intouch)
• Field instrumentation calibration and maintenance
• Variable Speed Drives (VSD) operation and diagnostics
• Industrial communication protocols (Profibus, Ethernet/IP, AS-i, Modbus)
• Strong understanding of control logic, PID loops, and process control systems
• Ability to read and interpret P&IDs, electrical drawings, and instrumentation loop diagrams
• SAP PM familiarity for job feedback and maintenance logging
• SHEQ, GMP, and food safety awareness in a regulated manufacturing environment

General

The advert has minimum requirements listed.

Management reserves the right to use additional or relevant information as criteria for short-listing.