Job Description

Automation Engineer – High Speed Manufacturing Process

Coleshill

£400 - £450 per day – Ltd Company / Outside IR35

6-Month Contract (Minimum)

Following significant growth and a major programme award, this company is seeking an experienced Automation Engineer to support the development, optimisation and commissioning of a highly automated production line.

This is a rare opportunity to join a critical project where your expertise will directly influence manufacturing performance, process stability and production output on a flagship automotive programme.

The Role

As an Automation Engineer, you will become the hands-on technical expert for a complex automated manufacturing process. Working closely with production teams, suppliers, customers and engineering stakeholders, you will identify process issues, drive improvements and ensure the successful delivery of production targets.

The role requires a strong analytical mindset, excellent fault-finding capability and the ability to troubleshoot sophisticated automation systems in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Act as the technical expert for automated manufacturing equipment and production processes

Diagnose and resolve machine, process and automation issues in real time

Support commissioning, optimisation and performance improvement activities

Analyse production data to identify trends, inefficiencies and improvement opportunities

Drive root cause analysis and implement corrective actions

Work closely with production teams to improve machine performance, quality and throughput

Interface with customers, equipment suppliers and internal stakeholders

Support continuous improvement initiatives across manufacturing operations

Assist with process validation, documentation and production readiness activities

Communicate technical challenges and solutions effectively to both engineering and operational teams

Support implementation of Lean Manufacturing and structured problem-solving methodologies

Essential Skills & Experience

Degree qualified in Engineering or a related discipline

Minimum 4 years' experience within a manufacturing environment

Proven experience working with complex automated production lines

Strong understanding of PLC systems, including Siemens and/or Beckhoff

Experience with machine vision systems

Understanding of machine control systems, feedback loops and automation technologies

Experience within high-volume or high-speed manufacturing environments

Strong fault-finding and problem-solving skills

Ability to analyse and interpret complex manufacturing data

Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills

Desirable Experience

Experience of Packaging machinery and automated production systems within the Automotive manufacturing, FMCG manufacturing or Food production sectors.

Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen and Six Sigma methodologies

APQP, PPAP and FMEA processes

Knowledge of IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 standards

IOSH or equivalent Health & Safety training

What We're Looking For

We're looking for engineers who thrive on solving problems and making improvements. You will be technically curious, proactive and confident working within a fast-moving production environment where performance and quality are critical.

Successful candidates will be:

Analytical and data-driven

Hands-on and solutions-focused

Assertive and confident communicating technical issues

Comfortable working under pressure

Motivated by delivering results and achieving project objectives

What's on Offer?

Competitive day rate of £400 - £450 per day

Minimum 6-month contract

Opportunity to work on a major manufacturing programme

Exposure to advanced automation, machine vision and production technologies

Significant autonomy and influence on project success

Long-term contract potential

Immediate start available

Apply Today

If you're an experienced Automation Engineer, Controls Engineer, PLC Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Process Engineer or Continuous Improvement Engineer looking for your next contract assignment, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now to discuss this exciting opportunity in confidence.

To be considered for this role please either hit the 'Apply' button on this site or email your CV directly to (url removed). I can also be contacted directly on (phone number removed). I look forward to hearing from you!

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You must be eligible to live and work within the UK. Sponsorship is not provided.

ATA is committed to creating a diverse workforce and is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation