Automation Controls Engineer

Automation Controls Engineer – Gainsborough, Lincolnshire – Rockwell PLCs / Motion Control – £55–65k + Overtime

Samuel Frank is recruiting an experienced Automation Controls Engineer for an established manufacturer of automated food processing and packaging machinery in Gainsborough. This is a hands-on, site-based opportunity for a machinery controls specialist who wants genuine ownership of the controls function and a say in how the next generation of machines is developed.

The business has a strong reputation for reliable equipment, approximately 2,000 machines installed and ambitious plans to grow turnover from around £2.5m to £5m over the next three years. They're investing in product development and looking for someone who can improve existing machine controls, introduce structure and help move the technology forward.

• Take technical ownership of machinery controls and PLC software, establishing consistent standards, documentation and development practices.
• Write, modify, test and commission PLC/HMI software (Rockwell / Allen Bradley) on automated machinery, working directly with equipment on the shop floor.
• Develop and improve machine sequences, drives and motion control, alongside fault finding, troubleshooting and performance upgrades.
• Work closely with mechanical and electrical colleagues on new machinery and product improvements, from concept through build, testing and commissioning.
• Support the development of controls capability within the business and contribute ideas for future products and technologies.
• Provide technical support to field engineers and customers, primarily from the Gainsborough facility.

• Proven controls engineering experience with machine builders, OEMs or manufacturers of special purpose machinery – ideally food processing or packaging equipment.
• Strong practical PLC programming experience, particularly Rockwell / Allen-Bradley, with a sound understanding of machinery motion control, drives and machine sequencing.
• Comfortable moving between PLC development, electrical controls fault finding and hands-on machine commissioning.
• Able to understand machinery operation as a complete system, rather than solely process plant controls or office-based systems integration.
• An improvement-focused approach, with the confidence to take responsibility, challenge existing methods and contribute to machinery development.
• Experience with HMI development, electrical schematics, machinery safety and relevant industrial networks would be useful.

• £55-65k basic salary plus overtime.
• Predominantly based at the Gainsborough facility, five days per week, working closely with the machines and engineering team.
• Very limited customer travel – potentially around one day per month when on-site software support is required.
• 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays, with ongoing technical development.
• Opportunity to shape the controls function within a growing, approximately 20-person manufacturing business backed by a wider engineering and packaging group.

This position would suit a Senior Controls Engineer, Automation Engineer, PLC Software Engineer or Machinery Controls Engineer from a machine-building environment who wants more technical ownership and influence over future product development.