Lead Automation Engineer

Lead Automation Engineer

Location: Huddersfield
Salary: £60,000-£70,000 + package
Contract: Permanent

About the Role

Elevation Recruitment Group are currently working with a well-established engineering and manufacturing business specialising in bespoke equipment and solutions for the pharmaceutical, biotech and high-containment industries.

Due to continued development within the business, they are looking to appoint a Senior Automation Lead Engineer to take technical responsibility for the Automation function, combining hands-on engineering with the leadership and development of a team.

This is a varied role offering the opportunity to work across the full project lifecycle, from initial technical specifications and design through to manufacture, installation and commissioning.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and provide technical support to the Automation team, ensuring robust and effective controls solutions are delivered.
• Develop and deliver electrical, automation and controls designs for bespoke machinery.
• Produce electrical and pneumatic schematics, P&IDs, functional specifications and associated engineering documentation.
• Support PLC/HMI software development and provide technical input into control panel build, installation and commissioning.
• Work closely with Project Managers and Mechanical Design Engineers to develop fully validated engineering solutions.
• Provide technical input into HAZOP, FMEA, design qualification and risk assessment meetings.
• Review customer requirements, URS and technical enquiries, supporting the transition from initial concept through to detailed engineering.
• Produce BOMs and support purchasing with technical requirements.
• Ensure designs comply with relevant company and statutory standards, while promoting standardisation and continuous improvement.
• Provide technical support to customers and attend customer meetings and site visits as required.
• Lead and develop the Automation team, sharing knowledge and supporting the ongoing development of engineering capability.

About You

The successful candidate will have a strong background in Automation/Controls Engineering within an engineering or manufacturing environment, ideally with experience designing controls systems for bespoke machinery.

You will ideally have:

• Previous Lead Engineer, Senior Engineer or Team Leadership experience.
• Strong electrical/controls design capability, including producing electrical schematics.
• Experience using EPLAN or AutoCAD.
• Knowledge of PLC systems, ideally Siemens and/or Allen Bradley.
• Experience developing Functional Specifications, P&IDs and electrical/pneumatic schematics.Good understanding of electrical safety, control systems and relevant engineering legislation.
• Experience working with bespoke machinery and complex engineering projects.
• HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in Electrical/Controls Engineering.

Experience within pharmaceutical, containment, ATEX, IECEx, HVAC or pneumatic systems would be advantageous, although not essential.

What’s on Offer

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Automation/Controls Engineer to take a senior technical and leadership position, working on highly bespoke equipment within a specialist engineering environment.

The role offers genuine variety, combining technical design, project involvement, customer interaction and team leadership, with the opportunity to contribute to the development of engineering standards, processes and future solutions.