Automation Engineer

JOB SUMMARY

Working on both projects and bid proposals, the Automation Engineer is responsible for the execution of automation systems, or parts thereof. The Automation Engineer is responsible for:

• Developing an automation solution which meets the requirements of the proposal or project
• Ensuring design and execution outputs are delivered in line with the time schedule and quality requirements
• Providing technical support regarding automation design aspects throughout project and bid lifecycles
• Undertaking other technical tasks as required (e.g. site surveys, feasibility studies, support to sales, etc)
• Providing aftermarket support for customers with on 24/7 support up to 1 week per month (possible travel)
• Spanish Language skills preferable

In general, the Automation Engineer will work as part of a team and will collaborate closely with other team members and functional disciplines to ensure successful delivery of the project or bid scope.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Automation Engineer's duties include, but are not limited to the following:

Automation Engineer

The primary role will be to undertake automation engineering design and execution tasks on projects or proposals, including:

• Safety & Environment
• Ensuring that automation solutions are safe
• Ensuring that e-stop, isolation & maintenance aspects of solutions have been considered appropriately
• Participating in relevant reviews, as defined in SPX Flow procedures and, additionally, customer contracts, and ensuring that her/his resultant actions have been completed. (Example reviews include: Design Reviews, Risk Assessments)
• Ensuring compliance with local legislation and regulations (for the locality of the plant/process) which apply to engineering design (e.g. EU Machinery Directive)
• Acting in a safe fashion, particularly when operating outside of the known office environment (e.g. on customer and supplier sites)

• Automation Design & Execution Tasks
  • Automation architecture diagrams
  • Hardware and software selection and specification
  • Control philosophy
  • Software structure
  • Functional design descriptions (e.g. FDS)
  • Detailed design specifications (e.g. DDS)
  • PLC software code (e.g. device logic, equipment modules, control modules, etc)
  • Network and comms configuration
  • Design and configuration of HMI applications
  • Design and configuration of SCADA applications
  • Interface with SCADA systems, I/O servers, etc
  • Interface with MIS/MES systems and databases, where applicable
  • Interface with ERP systems, where applicable
  • Signal exchange / interfaces with other systems
• Generating automation solutions and defining and implementing their characteristics by means of (for example):
• Adhering to SPX Flow procedures, and utilising applicable tools and design standards, during the development of automation solutions
• Completing design calculations (e.g. estimating number of tags) to support automation design and equipment selection
• Undertaking software simulation / Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Customer Acceptance Testing (CAT)
• Ensuring that tasks are completed in accordance with the project schedule, to the required quality and within the allocated budget.

• Solution Ownership
  • Applicable legislation and regulation
  • Customer contractual requirements (or, in case of proposal, RFQ/URS requirements)
  • SPX references, standards and best practices, where applicable
  • Documentation (e.g. FDS, DDS, SFC) utilises common standards across the project/proposal and that it is delivered to a consistent level in terms of content and quality
  • Ensuring that S88 based software structures are maintained and applied consistently across an installation
• Ensuring that the solution, for which they are responsible, is functional, and is executed in line with:
• Ensuring that design output is complete and of a consistent standard. Examples include ensuring that:
• Ensuring all scope elements/sub-systems for which they are responsible integrate coherently and that external interfaces are clearly understood and defined
• Considering economic factors with a view to ensuring that the overall project is delivered on budget

Communication & Team Working

• • Undertaking technical discussions with customers and suppliers
  • Attending relevant project or proposal meetings e.g.:
    • Launch / kick-off meetings
    • Progress reviews
    • Design reviews
  • Communicating information to stakeholders in a timely fashion
  • Supporting other disciplines, during the design phase, to achieve project or proposal deliverables e.g.
    • Supply Chain (e.g. initial specification, review of supplier quotes, purchase requisitions, etc)
    • Process design (e.g. liaising re functional requirements)
    • Electrical design (e.g. sharing I/O lists to allow allocation to panel, agreeing tagging and addressing standard)
  • Supporting Installation & Commissioning team during the site execution phase e.g.:
    • communicating design intent
    • assisting with planning of commissioning activities
    • undertaking automation commissioning
    • owning resolution of automation snags
  • Assisting with hand-over of records (e.g. source files) to aftermarket team

• Documentation
• Ensuring that all design information is captured, stored and maintained, in the allocated location, in a structured and accessible fashion
• Preparing user manuals
• Compiling operating & maintenance manuals, including preparation of spares lists
• Assisting in compilation of technical files, or equivalent, as defined by relevant legislation (e.g. EU Machinery Directive)

• Additional Sales Support & Proposals Tasks
• Attending pre-contact customer meetings to provide technical support to the sales team
• Undertaking pre-contract studies (e.g. feasibility, site surveys)
• Reviewing technical aspects of quotation text

Engineering Community Member

As a member of the global engineering team, the Automation Engineer will be expected to actively participate in the wider technical community and provide support to colleagues, including:

• General Technical Support
  • Conceptual design guidance during proposal stage
  • Technical review of quotation text prior to bid submission
  • Participating in design reviews as an "external" expert
• Acting as a "subject matter expert" in areas where they have appropriate experience and partake in knowledge sharing as required
• Supporting other staff in areas where they are inexperienced
• Providing general technical support outside of the specific projects/proposals for which they are responsible. Examples include:

• Continuous Improvement
• Providing input into continuous improvement initiatives (e.g. tools development, standardisation)
• Documenting and communicating "lessons learned"
• Involvement in knowledge sharing initiatives (e.g. documenting best practices)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Fluent English - both spoken and written
• Spanish language an advantage
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work on multiple tasks, within a matrix environment
• Ability and willingness to work and build relationships with colleagues across multiple functions and geographically diverse sites
• Good analytical/problem-solving skills and attention to detail
• Good initiative and ability to work independently
• The ability to meet high performance standards in a team whilst maintaining ethics and integrity
• Must have experience with Studio5000 from Rockwell
• Preferable experience with Siemens SimaticNET and TIA Portal
• Must be proficient with Wonderware InTouch
• Must have experience with Microsoft Excel
• C++, C#, Visual Studio an advantage

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Degree level qualification in appropriate engineering discipline (e.g. Electrical)
• Automation execution experience in food, beverage, pharmaceutical and/or other hygienic industries
• Understanding of control requirements for common hygienic processes (e.g. pasteurisation, CIP) beneficial
• Experience of working within, and leading, a technically oriented team
• Good level of competence in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Knowledge and experience of Siemens and AB Rockwell programming environments (e.g. S7, TIA Portal, Control Logix)
• Experience of Wonderware SCADA and associated products (e.g. InTouch) beneficial
• SAP experience beneficial

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

In general, this is an office-based job with a considerable amount of time spent at a computer. Ability to travel to other SPX locations and customer sites is a requirement. On some occasions, extended working away from the office may be required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Ability to travel globally up to approximately 40% of the time.

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Anticipated salary range for this position: $82,400/yr to $114,500/yr. The anticipated salary range is what we believe to be the likely base salary range for this position at the time of posting. Actual salary for this position will depend on relevant qualifications, skills, and experience

SPX FLOW VALUES

SPX Flow employees are expected to behave in accordance with our company values as outlined below.

QUALITY

Quality encompasses all aspects of SPX's business, and every employee shares the responsibility to prevent the occurrence of any nonconformity relating to product, process and the quality system. All employees have an obligation to identify and record any such nonconformity, and through designed channels, initiate and recommend solutions.