Senior PLC Automation Engineer

Location: Eygelshoven

At Ranpak, sustainability has been in our DNA since our founding in 1972.

At Ranpak, sustainability has been in our DNA since our founding in 1972. Our goal then was to create the first environmentally responsible system to protect products during shipment. Today, our mission remains the same: to deliver sustainable packaging solutions that improve supply-chain performance and costs, reduce environmental impact, and support a wide range of growing business needs globally.

The development and improvement of materials, technologies such as automation, and total-solution systems have made Ranpak an innovative leader in e-commerce and industrial supply-chain solutions.

As a Senior PLC Automation Engineer, you will shape the control systems behind our advanced packaging automation machines. This is a senior industrial automation role for an engineer who enjoys taking PLC logic from initial prototype through to robust, scalable and maintainable serial-production solutions. You will work at the intersection of PLC, HMI, drive systems, machine controls, industrial networks and machine safety.

You will collaborate with Mechanical and Electrical Engineering colleagues on new product development, customer-specific solutions and continuous improvement. In addition to core PLC engineering, you will help develop machine-data collection and dashboarding solutions, strengthen industrial networking and cybersecurity, and maintain safety PLC applications in line with applicable machinery-safety standards.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Design and develop PLC logic, from prototype concepts through to reliable and maintainable solutions for serial production.

Ensure seamless integration between PLC, HMI, drive systems, and machine controls.

Participate in new product development projects, customer-specific solutions, product maintenance activities, and continuous quality improvement initiatives.

Collaborate closely with Mechanical and Electrical Engineering teams to define machine functionality and develop integrated technical solutions.

Test and commission machine software, including I/O validation, motion control systems, machine functionality, industrial networks, and data exchange interfaces.

Develop and maintain PLC logic primarily in Beckhoff environments; knowledge of Omron systems is considered an advantage.

Develop machine data collection and communication solutions for performance monitoring and dashboarding.

Support industrial networking and cybersecurity implementation in accordance with industry best practices.

Develop and maintain safety PLC applications in compliance with applicable machinery safety standards.

Willing to travel up to 5% of the time.

Participate in service support activities, including occasional after-hours troubleshooting and hotline support when required.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree or higher in Automation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

At least 8 years of proven experience in PLC engineering of automation machines, in cooperation with electric and mechanical engineering.

Proven ability to program and configure PLC and HMI systems, for example Beckhoff, Siemens, and Omron, for industrial automation applications.

Demonstrated ability to develop PLC logic from proof-of-concept through to robust, scalable, and maintainable production solutions.

Experience with IEC 61131-3 programming languages, particularly Structured Text (ST).

Knowledge of industrial communication protocols and networks such as Profinet, OPC UA, EtherCAT, and Ethernet/IP.

Continuously seeks industry best practices and actively contributes to process and technology improvements.

Self‑motivated, innovative, and a strong team player with a passion for product development. Keeps…