Job Description
We are seeking a Senior Controls Engineer to take ownership of the Electrical, Pneumatics and Controls discipline for an innovative, containerised, robotically driven manufacturing platform deployed across Europe and North America.
This is a senior, hands-on position with full responsibility for electrical and controls engineering across the entire system. You will define standards, specify components, oversee commissioning activities and support ongoing product development and deployment.
Working closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, you will play a key role in delivering highly automated machinery designed for scalable, sustainable manufacturing applications.
Key Responsibilities
System Design & Engineering
- Own the electrical, controls and pneumatics architecture across all machine sub-systems.
- Design power distribution systems supporting 380–480V AC, 50/60Hz, 3-phase supplies.
- Develop industrial control networks incorporating EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP and IO-Link protocols.
- Integrate Beckhoff IPCs, servo drives, VFDs, valve terminals and robotic control systems.
- Design hardwired machine safety systems, including light curtains and safety circuits.
- Produce electrical schematics, panel layouts, harness designs and bills of materials.
Compliance & Safety
- Design systems in accordance with UK, EU and North American machinery standards.
- Conduct machinery risk assessments and support compliance activities.
- Produce technical documentation to support CE, UKCA and equivalent international requirements.
- Ensure compliance with relevant electrical, EMC and machinery safety regulations.
Commissioning & Deployment
- Coordinate electrical panel builds with external suppliers.
- Lead commissioning, testing and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) activities.
- Support installation and deployment activities at customer sites.
- Investigate faults, perform root cause analysis and implement engineering improvements.
Documentation & Supplier Management
- Maintain and develop functional design specifications and technical documentation.
- Produce service manuals, technical files and commissioning procedures.
- Select, qualify and manage panel builders, harness suppliers and electrical subcontractors.
Requirements
Essential
- Significant experience designing, building and commissioning industrial electrical and control systems for automated machinery, manufacturing equipment or robotic cells.
- Strong experience with industrial pneumatics, including valve terminals, cylinders, vacuum systems, pressure control and safe pneumatic circuits.
- Hands-on knowledge of 3-phase 400/480V electrical systems.
- Strong understanding of industrial Ethernet networks, particularly EtherCAT.
- Experience selecting, configuring and troubleshooting servo drives and VFDs.
- Solid understanding of machine safety principles, standards and regulations.
- Ability to produce high-quality electrical schematics, panel layouts and bills of materials.
- Practical commissioning and fault-finding experience within industrial environments.
- Strong technical documentation and communication skills.
- Ability to work both in the workshop and at customer sites when required.
Desirable
- Experience designing systems to UKCA, CE, EN 60204-1 and IEC 61439 requirements.
- Knowledge of UL 508A, NFPA 79 and NEC standards.
- Experience using EPLAN or similar ECAD software.
- Beckhoff TwinCAT experience.
- ABB robot integration experience.
- FAT and SAT leadership experience.
- Experience with containerised, mobile or relocatable industrial equipment.
Benefits
- Salary of £70,000.
- Share options.
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays and seasonal office closure.
- Private health and dental insurance.
- Company pension scheme.
- Opportunity to work within a state-of-the-art engineering and R&D facility.
- High levels of autonomy and ownership.
- Exposure to cutting-edge automation, robotics and advanced manufacturing technologies.
- Opportunity to contribute to a fast-growing, internationally expanding technology business.