At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the development of innovative control systems for water filtration technology.
- Company: Join Matter., a pioneering Cleantech scale-up in Bristol.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, competitive salary, and generous leave policies.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on environmental challenges while advancing your engineering career.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in industrial automation and experience with PLC systems required.
The predicted salary is between 49410 - 71370 £ per year.
Matter. is a VC backed Cleantech scale-up and has an opportunity for a Senior Control & Automation engineer to establish and lead internal capability across industrial control systems, instrumentation, and data-driven product development. The role is based in Bristol, UK, with occasional travel to industrial customer sites for commissioning and support.
Matter. are innovators in water filtration, developing pioneering filtration technology to capture microplastics and cut carbon emissions. You will be working on some of the biggest challenges of our time, removing micropollutants from the world's waterways.
The Opportunity
In this role, you will play a key role in the development, delivery, and support of complex engineering systems. The role operates within a hybrid delivery model, where the engineer manages and directs external contractors and suppliers, while building and expanding internal capability. Over time, this balance will shift toward a strong internal capability, with external partners used in a targeted and scalable way. This role sits at the intersection of internal engineering and external specialist suppliers, acting as the technical authority for industrial control systems.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead development and evolution of industrial control system architectures for modular skid-based systems
- Own review and improvement of PLC control logic, safety requirements, and HMI systems
- Define control philosophy, system behaviour, and fault handling strategies
- Undertake PLC programming for internal prototyping and development systems
- Lead fault finding and optimisation during commissioning, factory acceptance testing (FAT) and site installations
- Ensure effective integration of control systems with customer environments, including MES interfaces and site utilities
Hardware & Instrumentation
- Own specification and review of control system hardware (e.g. PLCs, I/O, instrumentation, comms, networks, motors, drives)
- Lead control panel concept design with suppliers
- Own instrumentation selection and sizing strategy (e.g. flow meters, pressure sensors, pumps, motors, drives)
- Ensure alignment between mechanical design, instrumentation, and control strategies
Data Acquisition & Performance
- Define and implement data acquisition strategies to support product validation, customer ROI and product reliability and predictive maintenance.
- Establish communications architecture for remote connectivity including security requirements to IEC 62443 standards.
- Extract and analyse operational data from systems (e.g. via PLCs or gateways).
- Conduct hands‐on analysis (e.g. Excel, Python, or similar) to identify performance trends and issues.
- Develop dashboards and reporting tools (e.g. Grafana).
- Act as technical owner and interface for all controls and automation suppliers
- Define requirements, scope work, and lead design reviews
- Direct and challenge suppliers to improve quality, cost, and delivery
- Expand and optimise the supplier base
- Identify and drive technical improvements across control systems and instrumentation
- Lead value engineering and cost reduction
- Feed data‐driven insights into product reliability, predictive maintenance, product evolution and next‐generation systems
- Drive transition to standardised, scalable product architectures
About You
- 8 or more years experience in industrial automation, process control systems, or mechatronics engineering
- Practical experience with PLC-based control systems (e.g. Siemens, Allen‐Bradley, Beckhoff, or similar)
- Experience writing, reviewing and modifying existing PLC code and control logic in IEC 61131‐3, Codesys etc
- Knowledge of control system architecture and control philosophy development
- Hands‐on experience with industrial systems, installations, or commissioning
- Strong understanding of industrial instrumentation and control (sensors, actuators, motors, drives, industry 4.0)
- Experience working with external suppliers or contractors in a technical capacity
- Ability to analyse operational data to support engineering decisions
- Comfortable working in a multidisciplinary team alongside mechanical engineers
- Experience with HMI or SCADA systems
- Experience with data analysis tools (e.g. Python, or similar) and dashboarding
- Familiarity with industrial communication protocols
- Experience specifying or reviewing control system hardware and panel designs
- Exposure to functional safety concepts and safe‐state design
- Knowledge of industrial electrical systems (e.g. three‐phase equipment)
- Experience in water treatment or similar industry
- Working in international locations with knowledge of regional electrical requirements and standards
- Application and requirements of control systems in external environments
Your qualifications
- Degree in Control Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Integrated Engineering, or a related discipline.
Flexible working environment, with core hours of 09:30-16:00 and hybrid working available, based at our central Bristol HQ.
Annual Leave – 26 days + public holidays + entitlement will increase with length of service, 1 day for every year up to 32 days pa.
1 extra day of leave to celebrate you on your birthday.
Ability to swap up to 3 Bank Holidays in a year for days of cultural or religious significance.
Enhanced family leave (maternity & paternity) - 13 weeks full pay (maternity) or 4 weeks full pay (paternity) - available for those who have worked continuously for 26 weeks by the end of the Qualifying Week.
Sick Pay - Short Term Sickness is full pay for 10 days in any 12-month rolling period / Long Term Sickness is full pay for any instance of a consecutive period of sickness longer than a week (7 consecutive days) up to 13 weeks.
Private Medical Insurance (BUPA) – you and your family (Level 1 cover).
Medical Cash Plan (SimplyHealth) - you and your family (Level 1 cover).
Critical Illness Cover (Zurich) - after 13 weeks of Illness 75% of wages paid up to 5 years.
Dental Plan (BUPA) – you and your family (Level 1 cover).
Life Assurance (Zurich) - one‐off payment of 2 times your annual salary to next of kin.
Virtual GP.
Employee Assistance Programme.
Onsite kitchen, dining, breakout areas & healthy snacks.
Monthly lunch clubs.
Regular team events and parties.
On‐site parking for bicycles and cars.
Cycle to work scheme.
Ethical discounts through Lumina.
Training & Development support incl. 5% of contractual hours used for self‐development.
Professional membership - one per year where relevant to role.
Apply today!
What to expect
After acknowledging your application, we will update you on the next stage of your hiring journey with Matter within 48 hrs.
At Matter, we believe that representation is crucial, and we are committed to creating a more inclusive organisation. We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates, as we are dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a voice. We know that with increased diversity in our organisation, we can achieve even more.
Senior Control & Automation Engineer in West Bromwich employer: Matter.
Matter. is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and flexible work environment in the heart of Bristol, where innovation meets sustainability. With a strong focus on employee growth, you will have access to extensive training and development opportunities, alongside generous benefits such as enhanced family leave, private medical insurance, and a supportive culture that values diversity and inclusion. Join us in tackling some of the world's most pressing environmental challenges while enjoying a collaborative atmosphere and a commitment to your professional journey.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Control & Automation Engineer in West Bromwich
✨Get Involved in Control Systems Communities
Dive into control systems forums and relevant LinkedIn groups to showcase your expertise. Engage in discussions, answer questions, and share your knowledge—this can help us get noticed by potential employers looking for someone just like you!
✨Attend Industry Conferences and Workshops
Join conferences or workshops specifically tailored to control systems engineering, like the IEEE conference. These events are goldmines for networking with industry leaders and might just lead us to that perfect role at Matter..
✨Get Practical Experience Through Projects
Start or contribute to projects that highlight your control systems skills. Whether it’s a simulated environment or real-world application, having tangible results will give us a huge edge when chatting with Matter..
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Focus on niche job boards that specialise in engineering roles. Channels like Engineers.co or similar can help ensure that we’re not only applying to random jobs but targeting positions that align perfectly with our control systems engineering skills!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Control & Automation Engineer in West Bromwich
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Technical Skills:When applying for the Senior Control & Automation Engineer role, make sure to showcase your technical expertise in control systems. Be specific about the software and programming languages you’ve worked with—mention anything from MATLAB to PLC programming. This will help us see your proficiency in the tools that are essential for the job.
Quantify Your Achievements:In the engineering world, numbers speak volumes! Use your CV to quantify your achievements—whether it’s a percentage improvement in system efficiency or successful project completions under budget. This will not only make your application stand out but also showcase your problem-solving capabilities to us.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Don’t hesitate to get personal in your cover letter! Talk about why you’re passionate about control systems engineering and how your previous experiences have prepared you for this role at Matter.. We want to see your genuine interest and motivation to contribute to our projects.
Professional Documentation:For a full-time role, ensure that your application documents are professional and well-structured. Include a clear CV format and cover letter that highlights key projects or systems you've worked on. Don’t forget to mention any relevant certifications or training that would make you a valuable addition to us at Matter..
How to prepare for a job interview at Matter.
✨Brush Up on Control Systems Concepts
Make sure we're up to speed with control systems theory—think stability analysis, PID tuning, and state-space representation. Revising these fundamentals will help us answer technical questions more confidently and demonstrate our expertise during the interview.
✨Familiarise Yourself with Simulation Tools
Get hands-on with popular simulation tools like MATLAB/Simulink or LabVIEW. A lot of interviews might include technical assessments or practical tasks to gauge our understanding of system modelling and control design using these tools, so being proficient could really set us apart.
✨Be Ready for Problem-Solving Scenarios
We should expect scenario-based questions where we'll have to solve real-world control system challenges. Practising how to approach problems logically and articulately will help us show our analytical thinking to the interviewer at Matter..
✨Show Your Passion for Engineering
As this role is full-time, it's crucial we convey our genuine enthusiasm for control systems engineering. Sharing personal projects or experiences where we tackled interesting engineering tasks can illustrate our commitment and eagerness to contribute to the team at Matter..
