Controls and Automation Engineer

If you are an experienced Controls and Automation Engineer looking for a varied role in which no two days are the same, this could be the role for you. Siemens TIA portal and Fanuc robot training are already planned for the successful candidate who will be working alongside a highly supportive engineering team.

You will be involved with capital projects which would involve overseas visits to our sites and suppliers across Europe, supporting operational excellence, coaching on the shop floor, writing new PLC programs, and assisting in resolving problematic factory issues. You will be heavily involved with projects, both overseeing third party standards as well as engineering our own in house solutions to obsolescent systems.

Refresco UK are part of the Refresco Group a multi-national independent soft drinks manufacturer with 78 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America, and Australia in 15 countries. In the UK we have 6 sites. We work with all the large UK supermarkets plus many well-known branded drinks producers.

Controls and Automation Engineer (Senior)– Bridgwater, Somerset

Shift Pattern: Days Monday – Friday 38 hours

Competitive salary, 10% annual bonus, a good company pension, enhanced holiday entitlement plus the option to buy additional annual leave

The Controls and Automation Engineer will champion the hardware & software automation standards for the Bridgwater site. You will be the key player in overseeing the automation aspect of new control systems implemented across the site through equipment upgrades & capital projects. Be the inspirational site automation lead, ensuring the behaviours you exhibit reflect the Refresco Values.

• Share automation knowledge with the sites engineering team through ‘hands on’ coaching and communicating Single Point Lessons (SPL).
• Identify automation knowledge gaps within the engineering team and propose a training strategy to mitigate downtime risk to the site.
• Take pride in keeping our people and customer’s safe, you will play a key role in ensuring work is conducted in accordance with our policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Manage the sites automation, ensuring that backups are kept up to date as well as critical spare parts are kept as stores stock.
• To make a personal & professional impact, have passion and be inspirating to others in the engineering team.
• Contribute to a collaborative, creative and responsive team at the cutting edge of engineering innovation.

Automation Support

• Provide guidance and expertise to the maintenance & systems engineering teams in problem solving issues associated with PLC/HMI and networked control systems at the Bridgwater site
• Perform software updates to existing systems and implement/manage a periodic software back up strategy for the sites automation equipment.

Automation Standards

• Monitor & review the Refresco automation engineering standards, including hardware selection, infrastructure design & approved programming standards.
• Review & approve any third-party automation contractors proposed changes to the site’s automation and ensure that any alterations comply with the Bridgwater automation standards

Automation Upgrades

• Evaluate & prioritise the sites’ obsolete equipment, compile a strategy and generate/deliver small scale improvements & obsolescence-based automation upgrades.
• Be able to interpret electrical drawings, FDS documentation and contribute to new plant & equipment URS documents
• Provide automation support to capital projects and third-party equipment installations.
• Drive continuous improvement & energy saving through enhancing existing control software and hardware systems.

Training & Development

• Develop the sites automation knowledge base by identifying automation gaps within the engineering team and proposing a training strategy.
• Have the capacity to work in a hands-on manner and demonstrate SME (Subject Matter Expert) levels of knowledge within their designated area.
• A strong electrical background with a good knowledge of automation & control.
• Have a strong understanding of automation to support the Engineering function

About you:

• An experienced controls and automation engineer with a strong PLC, controls, automation and networking background
• Able to Identify, implement, and lead on-site upgrades, training, and development, etc
• Strong PLC/HMI and networked control systems knowledge
• Project/upgrade/implementation background
• Ideally have a HNC or C&G L3 in controls, automation or electrical
• FMCG/Manufacturing experience beneficial

About Refresco

Our drinks on every table. That's the Refresco vision. We're passionate about producing tasty, refreshing drinks but we’re thirsty for more and growing fast. We’re a global business and have invested heavily to expand our manufacturing footprint to make us the largest independent bottler of soft drinks and fruit juices in the world. We currently produce 12 billion litres from 78 manufacturing plants in 15 countries and we’re only just getting started.

Our UK business has six manufacturing plants providing a great place to work for 1800 employees producing own label soft drinks and fruit juices for all the leading UK supermarkets. We also manufacture many of the best-known branded drink’s such as Monster Energy, Innocent, Ocean Spray and Vimto. Whether it’s packed in cartons, bottles, or cans, we ensure that our products are made to the highest quality standards and are on our customers’ table for every occasion!

Refresco are an equal opportunity employer. We are fully committed to diversity and inclusion.

#LI-GK1 – Controls and Automation Engineer – Control Engineer – Software Engineer