Mechatronics Engineer

Are you someone who can see how everything fits together — from product flow to machine performance — and turn that into practical, real-world solutions?

We're looking for an experienced Mechanical Systems Engineer who enjoys turning ideas into practical automation solutions. You'll bring a solid foundation in machinery or automation design, strong CAD skills, and experience contributing to projects across the full engineering lifecycle.

Punchbowl Automation is growing, and we’re looking for a Mechatronics Engineer to help design and deliver smart, efficient automation systems. This is a role where you’ll take customer requirements and turn them into well-thought-out machine solutions — working from early concept right through to commissioning.

You’ll work as part of a hands-on, collaborative engineering team, partnering across mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines to build systems that move, handle, and process product reliably and efficiently. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys systems thinking and wants to see their designs come to life in the real world.

About the Role

You’ll be involved across the full lifecycle of automation projects, working from early concept and system design through to build, testing, and commissioning. In this role, you will be:

• translating customer requirements into machine concepts, layouts, and system designs
• analysing product flow, throughput, and system performance to develop efficient solutions
• developing machine architecture and engineering recommendations
• collaborating with engineers across mechanical, electrical, automation, and software disciplines
• supporting projects from concept and design through to build, testing, and commissioning
• identifying risks and troubleshooting system performance issues
• participating in FAT, commissioning, and system optimisation activities
• contributing to continuous improvement, product development, and innovation initiatives
• spending time on customer sites to understand real-world operations and ensure solutions address root causes, not just symptoms

About You

This role suits an experienced Mechatronics Engineer who is confident working across the full lifecycle of machine and system design. You’ll bring:

• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or similar.
• 7+ years' experience designing industrial machinery or automation systems.
• Experience designing automated machinery, material handling, or conveying systems.
• The ability to balance performance, reliability, cost and practicality when developing solutions.
• Strong CAD skills and experience taking designs from concept to commissioning.
• A systems thinker who understands end-to-end product flow and machine performance.

Additional experience that would be advantageous:

• experience designing systems that handle physical product, particularly in food, produce, or other flow-driven environments
• direct experience in postharvest horticulture, grading, or packing equipment
• familiarity with conveying systems and exposure to PLC/HMI systems, machine safety standards, robotics, or vision-based technologies

About Us

Here at Punchbowl Group, our mission is simple yet powerful: to Grow Greatness. We achieve this by investing in our community and creating opportunities for our team to grow both personally and professionally. Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we firmly believe they are the driving force behind our success.

Situated in Rural Patumahoe, South Auckland, Punchbowl Automation is part of the Punchbowl Group which comprises innovative and forward-thinking companies, each contributing to our mission of Growing Greatness:

• Punchbowl Automation: Backed by a skilled engineering team, we design bespoke and off-the-shelf automation solutions tailored for the fresh produce and primary industries—boosting efficiency, innovation, and reliability across every project.
• Punchbowl PackCo: Personalised, high-performing kiwifruit orchard and post-harvest services across Auckland, North Waikato, and Northland. We pack about 5 million trays of kiwifruit annually at our packhouse and cool-store facility.
• Punchbowl Packaging: Global leaders in sustainable packaging. We partner with our customers to meet the growing global demand to reduce plastic usage and drive more sustainable outcomes.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking for a varied role where you can take ownership, work with good people, embrace technology, and help shape a new role as it grows, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply via Seek with your CV and a brief cover letter.