Job reference 327426
Shift Expert Automation Engineer
£45,944 - £49,654 (dependent on experience), plus shift allowance based on current rota equivalent to £9,206.52 per annum, 10% annual bonus potential, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising with service and a company pension scheme with highly competitive contribution rates
Permanent, Full time
Midlands Super Hub, Dirft Drive, Crick, NN6 7GZ
Are you a technical leader with deep expertise in automation and engineering systems? We’re looking for a Subject Matter Expert to join our team at the Midlands Super Hub. This shift-based role is central to ensuring the safety, reliability, and performance of our automated processing systems, while also coaching engineering teams and driving continuous improvement.
About The Role
Reporting to the Technical Maintenance Manager, you’ll act as the primary technical escalation point for automation incidents and lead engineering performance across shifts. You’ll work closely with OEMs, internal teams, and operations to ensure high standards of safety, compliance, and system optimisation.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead technical incident response and manage escalations across automation systems.
- Coach and assess engineering shift teams, supporting skills development and training.
- Drive root cause analysis and collaborate with OEMs to improve reliability.
- Maintain control system integrity, including Siemens and CODESYS platforms.
- Champion health & safety compliance, including PUWER and risk assessments.
- Support maintenance delivery and performance reporting across engineering operations.
About You
You’re a hands-on technical expert with strong leadership skills and a background in automation, controls, and engineering operations. You thrive in a fast-paced, shift-based environment and are confident managing complex systems and stakeholder relationships.
What You’ll Bring:
- Able to support as a shift-based technical leader covering 24/7 operational needs.
- 5+ years’ experience with PLC systems (e.g., Siemens S7, SIMATIC, CODESYS).
- Strong knowledge of AGVs, SCADA systems, and LV/small power systems.
- Experience leading engineering teams and technical incident response.
- HNC/HND (Level 4/5) required; Degree (Level 6) preferred.
- PUWER Assessor and IOSH Managing Safety certification (or willingness to obtain).
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and coaching skills.
Extra Benefits
- Family friendly support - enhanced maternity pay, paternity leave, adoption leave and shared parental leave
- Discounts and offers - there are more than 800 offers to help you save on things like groceries, days out, holidays and your household bills*.
- Supportive and generous company sick pay
- Your Wellbeing - you and your family have 24/7 access to services and tools to help you get the most out of life. From your physical and mental health to financial and social support and advice. It’s free, and it’s for everyone.
- Available only to perm employees
Next Steps
Trust is the foundation of Royal Mail. We aim to be transparent about the qualities we seek and what a career with us entails, building trust from the start of your journey with us. Your interview is the first step, and we want you to shine. To help you prepare, we’ll provide your interview questions in advance, so you can have your best examples ready. At Royal Mail Group, we value trust and our people.
Royal Mail Group is committed to inclusion and representing the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals. As a proud Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, we especially encourage applications from the Armed Forces community, including cadet instructors and spouses/partners.
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process. If you require any adjustments to support you during the hiring process, please discuss these with your recruiter when contacted.
We are Forces family friendly and a Gold signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant. We welcome applications from ex-Armed Forces personnel, reservists, veterans, cadet instructors and military spouses/partners.
For more information on Royal Mail Group and our values please click here: https://www.internationaldistributionsservices.com/en/about-us/
Closing Date: 10th August. Please note, this advert may close early if the appropriate number of applications has been reached.
