Manufacturing Automation Engineer

With over a century of engineering expertise and innovation, KNDS UK is a renowned world leader in rapidly deployable military bridging systems and a key partner in the UK MoD’s Boxer armoured vehicle programme. We are proud of our heritage and our reputation of providing the highest quality engineering solutions for over 100 years. As a trusted partner to military customers around the world, our employees are the very heart of our company.

We have a skilled and experienced workforce dedicated to achieving excellence in all areas of the business from Engineering to Project Management, Business Support to Operations. As our business evolves, we are looking to strengthen our workforce with talented and motivated individuals across a range of disciplines to work from our Northwest Engineering Centre of Excellence and currently have this opportunity available:

We are seeking a practical, hands-on Automation Engineer to support and maintain robotic welding and fabrication systems across production. This role is focused on keeping equipment running, improving processes in real time, and supporting continuous improvement on the shop floor. This role will also be a point of reference to support the AME team during the introduction of new equipment

Key duties include, but are not limited to:

• Support concept development and act as a technical liaison with suppliers when required
• Support specification and implementation of automation equipment where required
• Support hands-on commissioning, installation, and Acceptance Testing (FAT and SAT) of robotic and automated systems
• Support the development of preventative maintenance routines in collaboration with maintenance teams
• Support maintenance with specialist knowledge, carrying out rapid fault finding and implementing software fixes to maintain production uptime on the new automation systems
• Work closely with integrators and internal teams to diagnose and resolve equipment and process issues
• Programme, modify, and develop PLCs and associated control systems
• Identify opportunities for automation improvements within welding and fabrication processes (steel and aluminium)
• Develop and refine robot programmes for welding applications, together with the Weld Engineering team
• Familiarity with off-line programming tools
• Programme and optimise robots on-site, including continuous improvement updates and introduction of new parts
• Support analysis of production issues and implement practical improvements on automation equipment
• Apply continuous improvement and lean principles directly on the shop floor
• Support operators with basic robot operation, fault recovery, and safety awareness
• Update cell documentation including operating procedures and automation standards
• Have an awareness of and ensure all equipment modifications comply with EHS, CE/UKCA, and PUWER requirements
• Support manufacturing and quality standards through consistent process control and adherence to procedures

Our ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

• HND in Manufacturing, Engineering or Mechatronics discipline
• Proficiency in at least one major robot language and experience with PLCs
• Degree in Manufacturing, Engineering or Mechatronics discipline
• PRINCE2, Agile, PMP or similar project management accreditation.
• Lean certification such a Six Sigma Green or Black Belt would be advantageous.
• Proven experience in a similar role
• Computer skills (MS Office Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Lean Manufacturing experience.
• Working within a manufacturing and engineering environment.
• Ability to identify and mitigate technical, schedule and cost risks.
• Understanding of large-scale manufacturing,…