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