Manufacturing Automation Engineer 30/12/25

North West – Engineering & Manufacturing Environment

We are currently seeking a Manufacturing Automation Engineer to join a well-established UK engineering and manufacturing organisation operating from a North West Engineering Centre of Excellence.

The business has a long-standing heritage in delivering complex, high-integrity engineered products and is recognised for its investment in people, technology and continuous improvement. With ongoing growth and modernisation across manufacturing operations, this role offers the opportunity to play a key part in the introduction and optimisation of advanced automated processes.

About the Role

The primary purpose of the role is to provide hands-on automation expertise, supporting the implementation of automated welding and assembly solutions across heavy fabrication and precision manufacturing environments.

Key responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Capital Equipment & Specification

Identify opportunities for automation within steel/armour welding and aluminium fabrication processes.

Develop technical specifications for large-scale robotic welding cells, CNC fabrication centres and automated material handling systems.

Carry out cost-benefit analysis and ROI evaluations for CAPEX investment projects. Commissioning & Integration

Lead installation activities and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) for new robotic and automated systems.

Work closely with maintenance teams to establish preventative maintenance strategies for automated assets. Programming & Technical Optimisation

Develop and optimise robot programs for complex geometries, including multi-pass heavy plate welding and mixed-gauge aluminium joining.

Use Off-Line Programming (OLP) software to minimise downtime during new product introduction (NPI).

Troubleshoot PLC logic and HMI interfaces to ensure effective system integration. Continuous Improvement & Cross-Functional Working

Analyse production data to identify bottlenecks, cycle time reductions and efficiency improvements.

Apply Lean Manufacturing principles to reduce scrap, particularly in high-value aluminium processes.

Support, mentor and train shop-floor personnel on basic robot intervention and safety procedures.

Coordinate with Quality, Production and Maintenance teams to support structured problem solving and root-cause analysis. Process Governance & Documentation

Develop SOPs and technical documentation to ensure repeatability, safety and quality.

Carry out FMEA and risk assessments on automated processes.

Ensure compliance with Environmental, Health & Safety requirements, including CE/UKCA marking and PUWER regulations. Additional responsibilities include:

Improving dimensional stability through effective jig, fixture and alignment solutions

Driving reductions in build hours per product

Providing Design for Manufacturing (DfM) input at early product development stages

Supporting cross-functional project execution activities

Candidate Requirements

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

HND or Degree in Manufacturing, Engineering or Mechatronics

Proven experience in a similar automation-focused manufacturing role

Proficiency in at least one major industrial robot language and experience with PLCs

Strong understanding of large-scale manufacturing environments

Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement techniques

Practical involvement in NPI and process optimisation

Ability to analyse process data (cycle time, takt, RFT, etc.)

Sound knowledge of relevant Health & Safety regulations

Strong IT skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) Desirable:

Project management accreditation (PRINCE2, Agile, PMP or similar)

Lean certification (Six Sigma Green or Black Belt)

What’s on Offer

Competitive salary

Enhanced pension scheme

Early finish on Fridays

Life assurance

Company sick pay

Employee Assistance Programme

Additional holiday entitlement linked to service

Wellbeing initiatives

Cycle to Work scheme

Free on-site parking and EV charging

This is an excellent opportunity for an Automation Engineer looking to make a tangible impact within a technically challenging, well-invested manufacturing environment