Automation Engineer

About the company
Our client is a leading manufacturing organization within the food industry, operating multiple modern production sites in the Netherlands. The company is in the midst of a professionalization journey in industrial automation, digitalization, and data-driven manufacturing.

Innovation, safety, and continuous improvement are key pillars within the organization. To support this ambition, they are expanding their technical team with an Industrial Automation Engineer.

The role
As an Industrial Automation Engineer, you will play a pivotal role in bridging technology, people, and processes. You will work on automation pilots and projects, helping to develop them into standardized and scalable solutions across the organization.

This is not a traditional PLC/SCADA programming role. Instead, you act as a technically strong automation professional who coordinates, challenges suppliers, and connects internal stakeholders. You are a key link between OT and IT and an ambassador for new technologies on the shop floor.

Your responsibilities

• Coordinating and supporting automation pilots and innovation projects
• Acting as a technical sparring partner for external suppliers (vision systems, robotics, SCADA, AI)
• Supporting FAT/SAT, commissioning, and start-up activities
• Contributing to OT architecture, data integration, and digitalization initiatives
• Integrating machine and sensor data (e.g. via industrial Ethernet, OPC/UA) into information systems
• Identifying opportunities related to Industry 4.0, smart vision, AI, and predictive maintenance
• Collaborating closely with maintenance, project engineers, IT, production, and QA
• Performing small PLC or automation adjustments when required

Your profile

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Industrial Automation, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or similar
• Initial experience or strong affinity with industrial automation and OT environments
• Basic knowledge of PLCs, SCADA/HMI, sensors, and industrial networks
• Interest in data, digitalization, and emerging technologies
• Strong communication skills and the ability to connect different disciplines
• Curious, pragmatic, and self-driven mindset