Senior Automation Engineer in Christchurch
Posted by Holt Engineering
£60,500 – £68,250 a year
Christchurch · Permanent
Christchurch, Dorset
Senior Automation Engineer salary: £60,500 – £65,250 + up to 5% bonus
Please note: only applicants with the full-time, permanent right to work in the UK will be considered.
Senior Automation Engineer Overview:
✅ Own the installation and qualification of a new multi-million-pound high-speed automation line
✅ Lead automated assembly projects from concept through commissioning and production release
✅ Work across robotics, vision systems, PLCs, traceability and precision medical-device assembly
✅ Become the site SME for both new and existing automation equipment
✅ Combine hands-on fault finding with technical leadership, validation and supplier management
This Senior Automation Engineer role is with a specialist manufacturer in Christchurch operating within a highly regulated medical-device environment. The immediate priority is taking technical ownership of a new high-speed automated assembly line, supporting installation, commissioning, validation and the transition into stable production.
The Senior Automation Engineer will also become the site subject matter expert for automation, working across existing equipment, future capital projects and continuous improvement. This is not purely a project-management role or an advisory position. Initially there will be significant hands-on involvement, with the role developing over time into broader technical leadership and automation strategy.
The Senior Automation Engineer role
As Senior Automation Engineer, you’ll lead the technical automation content of major projects while working closely with Project Management, Operations, Quality, Validation, R&D and external machine builders.
A key part of the role will be high-speed assembly of multi-component plastic products within a regulated manufacturing environment, including process validation, equipment qualification and production readiness.
Day-to-day responsibilities of a Senior Automation Engineer
- Lead installation, commissioning and qualification of high-speed automated assembly equipment
- Manage automation projects from concept and URS through to production release
- Act as technical lead with machine builders, systems integrators and automation suppliers
- Lead design reviews, FAT, SAT and equipment acceptance activity
- Develop and review URS, FDS, DQ, IQ, OQ and PQ documentation
- Support process validation and ensure automated equipment is suitable for regulated manufacture
- Work across robotics, servo systems, machine vision, inspection, traceability and automated testing
- Provide hands-on fault finding and technical support on existing automation equipment
- Support NPI, DFM, DFA, PFMEA and manufacturing risk-reduction activity
- Analyse equipment performance and drive improvements in OEE, quality and reliability
- Lead root cause investigations and implement sustainable corrective actions
- Provide expert automation input to wider engineering and capital projects
- Mentor engineers and manufacturing teams on automation best practice
- Strong experience with high-speed automated assembly of multi-component plastic products
- Proven automation experience within medical-device, drug-delivery or similarly regulated manufacturing
- Experience validating automated equipment and processes for regulated production
- Able to lead automation projects from concept through installation, qualification and production release
- Strong hands-on capability with automated machinery, fault finding and commissioning
- Experience managing machine builders, automation suppliers or systems integrators
- Good understanding of robotics, servo motion, machine vision and precision assembly
- PLC automation experience with Siemens, Rockwell, Beckhoff or similar platforms
- Strong understanding of FAT, SAT, risk assessment and machine safety
- Degree or equivalent background in Automation, Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics or a related discipline
- Experience with automated assembly platforms from Mikron, Hahn, Hekuma or similar suppliers
- Background with autoinjectors, injection pens, inhalers, wearable devices or combination products
- ISO13485, GMP, GAMP or FDA-regulated manufacturing experience
- Cognex or Keyence vision systems
- Fanuc, KUKA, Yushin or similar robotics experience
- MES, traceability or serialisation integration
- Statistical tools such as Minitab, DOE or process capability analysis
What’s on offer - Senior Automation Engineer
Senior Automation Engineer salary: £60,500 – £65,250 + up to 5% bonus
A senior technical role with immediate ownership of a major automation installation and the opportunity to shape future automation capability.
25 days holiday plus bank holidays, 6% employer pension contribution, life insurance at 4x salary, health cash plan and income protection.
Monday to Thursday 8:30am–5:15pm and Friday 8:30am–3:00pm, with earlier Friday finishes typically possible once work is completed.
Relocation assistance is available where required.
How to apply for the Senior Automation Engineer position
If you’re interested in this Senior Automation Engineer role, get in touch to talk through the automation line, validation scope and longer-term technical opportunity.
Call or message Hayden at Holt Engineering on (phone number removed).
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