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- Tasks: Lead technical teams, manage automation incidents, and drive continuous improvement.
- Company: Join Royal Mail, a trusted name in logistics and delivery.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive pay, bonuses, generous leave, and family-friendly support.
- Other info: Inclusive recruitment process; we welcome diverse applicants.
- Why this job: Be part of a dynamic team that values trust, innovation, and personal growth.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in PLC systems; HNC/HND required, degree preferred.
The predicted salary is between 39600 - 44000 £ per year.
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Job reference 327426
Subject Matter Expert
£45,944 – £49,654 (dependent on experience), plus 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
About The Role
The Subject Matter Expert is a shift-based technical management role that combines technical leadership in automation and controls with engineering team development and operational delivery. This role ensures the safety, reliability, and performance of automated systems within Royal Mail’s processing environment by managing engineering responses, driving root cause investigations, coaching engineering staff, and maintaining compliance with engineering standards.
The role acts as the primary technical escalation point while also supporting continuous improvement, performance reporting, and strategic knowledge retention from OEMs and internal stakeholders.
Key Accountabilites
- Primary technical engineering support, managing escalations related to automation incidents, complex breakdowns, and IT-automation interfaces.
- Coach, develop, and assess shift engineering teams, delivering technical training, conducting performance reviews, and supporting skills development to maintain high standards
- Drive automation reliability through technical investigation, root cause analysis (RCA), and collaboration with OEMs (e.g., Beumer), regional engineering teams, and project stakeholders.
- Maintain control system integrity by ensuring timely implementation of approved software/hardware modifications and configuration tracking (Siemens, CODESYS),
- Facilitate technical knowledge transfer from suppliers and OEMs, ensuring self-sufficiency post-support contract through upskilling and documentation.
About You
- Shift-based technical leader covering 24/7 operational needs.
- Direct technical leadership over engineering shift team.
- Key contributor to hub-level asset availability, incident response time, and automation KPIs.
- Minimum 5 years’ experience with PLC systems including Siemens S7, SIMATIC, SIMOVE, and CODESYS.
- Strong experience with Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) including integration, diagnostics, and performance optimisation.
- Understanding of Fleet Manager systems for AGV coordination, path control, and load management.
- Strong understanding of LV/small power systems design, commissioning, and fault resolution.
- HNC/HND (Level 4/5) required; Degree (Level 6) in Engineering preferred
- Professionally registered or working towards EngTech/IEng status.
- Certified or willing to gain PUWER Assessor and IOSH Managing Safety qualifications.
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/
Please note, this advert may close early if the appropriate number of applications has been reached.
Seniority level
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Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
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Subject Matter Expert employer: Royal Mail
Contact Detail:
Royal Mail Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Subject Matter Expert
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific automation technologies mentioned in the job description, such as Siemens S7 and CODESYS. Being able to discuss your hands-on experience with these systems during the interview will demonstrate your technical expertise.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led engineering teams or projects in the past. Highlighting your leadership skills and ability to coach others will be crucial, as this role involves developing shift engineering teams.
✨Tip Number 3
Research Royal Mail's current automation initiatives and challenges. Showing that you understand their operational environment and can contribute to continuous improvement will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Be ready to discuss your approach to root cause analysis and incident management. Providing concrete examples of how you've resolved complex breakdowns in the past will illustrate your problem-solving capabilities and technical acumen.
We think you need these skills to ace Subject Matter Expert
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Before applying, make sure to thoroughly read the job description for the Subject Matter Expert role at Royal Mail. Understand the key responsibilities and required qualifications, such as experience with PLC systems and Automated Guided Vehicles.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to highlight relevant experience and skills that align with the job requirements. Emphasise your technical leadership experience, coaching abilities, and any specific knowledge of automation systems mentioned in the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for the role and the company. Mention specific examples from your past experiences that demonstrate your ability to manage escalations and drive continuous improvement in engineering teams.
Prepare for the Interview: Since Royal Mail provides interview questions in advance, take advantage of this by preparing detailed responses. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and ensure you highlight your relevant achievements.
How to prepare for a job interview at Royal Mail
✨Know Your Technical Stuff
As a Subject Matter Expert, you'll need to demonstrate your deep understanding of PLC systems and automation technologies. Brush up on Siemens S7, SIMATIC, and CODESYS, and be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with these systems.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role involves coaching and developing engineering teams. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past, focusing on your approach to training, performance reviews, and fostering a collaborative environment.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, especially regarding automation incidents and breakdowns. Think of specific situations where you drove root cause analysis or improved system reliability, and be ready to share those stories.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
Royal Mail values continuous improvement, so be prepared to discuss how you've contributed to this in previous roles. Highlight any initiatives you've led or participated in that enhanced operational efficiency or compliance with engineering standards.