Automation Assistant Manager

About the role

The Automation Assistant Manager is responsible for leading and supporting factory automation, control, instrumentation, and manufacturing systems to ensure safe, reliable, and efficient plant operations. The role provides technical leadership for automation troubleshooting, system reliability, preventive maintenance, obsolescence management, cybersecurity, engineering projects, and continuous improvement. The position works closely with Engineering, Production, Quality, Continuous Improvement, Information Technology, equipment suppliers, and system integrators to improve manufacturing performance and maintain robust automation standards.

Key responsibilities

·  Ensure the availability, reliability, and performance of factory automation and control systems.

·  Provide technical leadership and hands-on support for complex automation, electrical control, and instrumentation problems.

·  Lead root cause analysis for recurring automation failures, production interruptions, communication errors, control instability, and equipment performance losses.

·  Develop and implement corrective and preventive actions to eliminate repeated failures.

·  Monitor automation-related downtime, failure trends, and system performance to identify improvement priorities.

·  Establish preventive maintenance and inspection standards for automation hardware, control panels, instrumentation, industrial networks, and related systems.

·  Improve automation system reliability to support factory OEE, production plan attainment, quality, and cost targets.

PLC, HMI, SCADA, and Control Systems

·  Manage and support PLC, HMI, SCADA, industrial control, and machine automation systems across the factory.

·  Troubleshoot PLC logic, HMI applications, control sequences, variable speed drives, servo systems, sensors, instrumentation, and communication networks.

·  Review and approve changes to PLC programs, HMI screens, control logic, recipes, alarm settings, interlocks, and machine parameters.

·  Ensure automation changes follow an approved change management process and are properly tested, documented, backed up, and communicated.

·  Maintain accurate records of automation programs, configurations, software versions, licences, access rights, and system architecture.

·  Establish standard naming conventions, programming practices, alarm philosophy, and control system documentation.

·  Ensure critical interlocks, safety functions, alarms, and process control parameters operate according to approved requirements.

Industrial Networks and System Integration

·  Support industrial communication networks and interfaces between machines, control systems, and manufacturing applications.

·  Troubleshoot communication problems involving PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, drives, remote input/output devices, instruments, and connected equipment.

·  Support integration between production equipment and applicable systems such as historians, OEE platforms, manufacturing execution systems, data collection systems, and enterprise applications.

·  Work with Information Technology and other stakeholders to maintain stable and secure connectivity between operational technology and business systems.

·  Maintain current automation architecture drawings, network diagrams, asset inventories, and interface documentation.

·  Support reliable production data collection for performance monitoring, traceability, reporting, and continuous improvement.

Automation Project Management

·  Lead or support automation projects from concept development through design, installation, commissioning, validation, and handover.

·  Prepare or review user requirements, technical specifications, scopes of work, quotations, project schedules, risk assessments, and acceptance criteria.

·  Coordinate with equipment suppliers, original equipment manufacturers, system integrators, contractors, and internal stakeholders.

·  Review electrical drawings, control panel designs, instrumentation specifications, PLC architecture, network design, and automation software.

·  Participate in factory acceptance tests, site acceptance tests, commissioning, performance testing, and production ramp-up.

·  Ensure projects meet safety, quality, food safety, technical, budget, and schedule requirements.

·  Ensure complete technical handover, including software backups, drawings, manuals, licences, spare parts, training, and maintenance standards.

·  Monitor project progress, manage technical risks, and escalate issues when required.

Operational Technology Cybersecurity

·  Work with Information Technology and relevant stakeholders to maintain appropriate cybersecurity controls for operational technology systems.

·  Maintain controlled user access, passwords, remote access, software versions, licences, and system permissions.

·  Ensure automation programs and system configurations are backed up according to defined standards and periodically verify restoration capability.

·  Support network segmentation, secure vendor access, endpoint protection, and controlled use of removable media where applicable.

·  Identify automation and operational technology vulnerabilities and coordinate mitigation actions.

·  Ensure cybersecurity requirements are considered during equipment procurement, system upgrades, and new automation projects.

·  Support incident response and system recovery for automation-related cybersecurity events.

Obsolescence and Lifecycle Management

·  Maintain an updated inventory of critical automation assets, including PLCs, HMIs, SCADA servers, drives, servo systems, industrial computers, network devices, instruments, and software.

·  Assess automation equipment for obsolescence, manufacturer support status, spare parts availability, and operational risk.

·  Develop and maintain a multi-year automation lifecycle and replacement roadmap.

·  Recommend upgrades or replacements based on safety, reliability, cybersecurity, production risk, supportability, and total cost of ownership.

·  Define critical spare parts requirements and support inventory optimization.

·  Reduce business continuity risks associated with unsupported hardware, outdated software, and points of failure.

·  Manage software licences, technical documentation, and vendor support agreements for critical automation systems.

Continuous Improvement and Manufacturing Performance

·  Work with Production, Engineering, Quality, and CI teams to identify automation opportunities that improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and equipment performance.

·  Use production and equipment data to identify speed losses, minor stops, process variation, repeated alarms, and other performance issues.

·  Develop automation solutions to improve OEE, reduce downtime, improve process consistency, and reduce manual intervention.

·  Optimize machine sequences, alarm management, control settings, and data visibility without compromising safety or product quality.

·  Support standardization of automation solutions across equipment and production lines.

·  Support digital manufacturing initiatives, automated reporting, real-time performance monitoring, and manufacturing data analytics.

·  Verify and document the operational benefits delivered by automation improvement projects.

Safety, Quality, and Compliance

·  Ensure automation and electrical control activities comply with company safety standards, applicable legal requirements, and engineering practices.

·  Ensure modifications do not compromise machine safety, emergency stops, safety interlocks, guarding systems, or process protection.

·  Follow formal management of change requirements for automation modifications.

·  Support compliance with GMP, HACCP, food safety, hygiene, and quality system requirements.

·  Ensure automation systems support required product quality controls, traceability, data integrity, and process consistency.

·  Participate in safety reviews, risk assessments, audits, incident investigations, and corrective action activities.

·  Ensure contractors and system integrators comply with site safety, technical, food safety, and documentation requirements.

Team Leadership and Capability Development

·  Lead, coach, and develop automation engineers, technicians, or other assigned technical employees.

·  Provide technical guidance to maintenance and production teams during troubleshooting and improvement activities.

·  Develop competency matrices and technical training plans for automation-related skills.

·  Train relevant employees on PLC troubleshooting, HMI operation, instrumentation, industrial networks, backup procedures, change control, and control system fundamentals.

·  Develop troubleshooting guides, one-point lessons, standard operating procedures, and technical work instructions.

·  Promote disciplined problem solving, knowledge sharing, standardization, and technical ownership.

·  Coordinate external technical support while building sustainable internal capability.

·  Support performance management, resource planning, work prioritization, and succession development for the automation function.

Qualifications and Experience

·  Bachelor degree in Automation Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Control Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, or a related technical field.

·  Minimum 7 to 10 years of experience in industrial automation, controls engineering, electrical engineering, instrumentation, maintenance, or manufacturing engineering.

·  At least 2 to 3 years of experience in a supervisory, project leadership, technical leadership, or assistant manager capacity is preferred.

·  Experience in food, beverage, dairy, plant-based, FMCG, pharmaceutical, or other high-volume manufacturing environments is highly preferred.

·  Strong hands-on experience with PLC, HMI, SCADA, industrial control systems, instrumentation, drives, servo systems, and industrial communication networks.

·  Experience supporting automated processing, filling, packaging, utilities, material handling, or warehouse equipment would be an advantage.

·  Experience in automation project design, installation, commissioning, testing, and technical handover.