Lead Automation Engineer

The Role:

• Lead Automation Engineer
• Kilkenny
• Onsite role - the role is designated onsite and the chosen candidate must be available to be onsite daily
• Permanent or Contractor opportunity

Role Brief:

SL Controls require a Lead Automation Engineer to supervise and lead a team of graduate and junior engineers working across a variety of shifts for a key client.

The role will focus on the development of an OEE system for using OSI Pi that will connect to production lines through Kepware OPC. The Lead Automation Engineers task will be to ensure the supervision and guidance of a team of engineers whose principal task will be to ensure correct PLC data is available to generate the required OEE reports and dashboards.

Responsibilities:

• Supervise and guide a team of engineers
• Mentor and develop engineers to ensure strong levels of service delivery and continuous improvement
• Assist with defining the PLC data needed for OEE.
• Supervise the review of PLC code from vendors (mixture of Rockwell ControlLogix and SoftPLCs written in structured text) and do a gap analysis in data requirements.
• Troubleshoot any connection issues between plc tags and Kepware.
• Collaborate with OSI Pi developer on any PLC related topics.
• Design code changes to generate any missing data from PLCs.
• Work with OEM vendor controls engineers, as appropriate, to develop and test code changes.
• Write change requests/change impact assessments to gain approval for implementing code changes.
• Manage implementation of code changes.

Preferred Technical Skills:

• Senior or lead Automation Engineer experience
• Expert knowledge on PLC programming ideally with Rockwell systems.
• Significant experience in the implementation of coding changes.
• Knowledge of OSI Pi systems integration with PLC systems.
• Strong understanding of PLC data extraction and capabilities.
• Experience in generation / execution of software test plans.
• Experience in FAT, SAT, commissioning & validation of high-speed automation equipment.

Person Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Industry Automation, Mechatronics, Computer science, Electrical engineering or equivalent technical experience and demonstrated competence.
• 7+ years automation systems engineering experience with at least 3 years in a Life Sciences or Pharmaceutical manufacturing environment and a strong understanding of GMP standards and regulations.
• Senior or lead engineer level experience with exposure to leading and mentoring more junior engineers
• Strong project management and project delivery skills and experience
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• The role is based in Kilkenny and is designated as onsite so you must be available to be onsite full time as required. Occasional remote working may be possible but full onsite availability is essential. You should be living within a reasonable commute of the site location or able to relocate and commence employment within 1 month maximum.

Opportunity Brief:

This is an excellent opportunity to work with clients who are global leaders in their field, helping to develop and improve upon industry leading technology solutions. SL Controls offer a supportive environment committed to employee development and wellness, along with a competitive and rounded compensation package, which rewards high performers.

Company Brief:

SL Controls are experts in the area of Equipment System Integration and System Support. We specialise in assisting our customers, including many of the world’s top multinational companies in the medical device and pharmaceutical sectors, achieve their Six Sigma and OEE targets.

Over the past 20 years we have grown our business from a Sligo based enterprise into an international business with additional offices in Galway, Limerick, Leinster and Florida USA.

We pride ourselves on our expertise in industrial IT integration and regulatory compliance in support of global end users, OEM’s and Technology providers.

Find out more about working at SL Controls, our Sustainable Development Goals, and our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy.