PLC Control Systems Engineer
PLC Control Systems Engineer Location: Cambridgeshire / London / Belvedere – Hybrid Learn more about the general tasks related to this opportunity below, as well as required skills.
Working Pattern: Office-based 2 days per week, with UK site travel as required
Salary: Competitive / DOE
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Reports to: Controls Lead
About the Role We are looking for an experienced PLC Control Systems Engineer with approximately 5–10 years' experience to join our growing controls team.
This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer with strong industrial automation and power systems experience to take ownership of control system projects from initial design through to programming, testing, commissioning and handover.
You will work across a range of power solutions projects, including diesel generator control systems, switchgear, ATS/AMF panels, synchronisation and load-sharing systems , together with associated HMI and SCADA applications.
The role covers the full project lifecycle , including FDS/DDS development, PLC and HMI programming, FAT, SAT, site commissioning and customer handover. You will work closely with electrical design engineers, project managers, panel builders and clients to deliver safe, robust and maintainable control systems.
UK and USA Government clearance is required for this position.
Key Responsibilities Control System Design & Development Produce and take ownership of control system documentation, including: User Requirement Specifications (URS)
Functional Design Specifications (FDS)
Detailed/Software Design Specifications (DDS/SDS)
I/O lists
Cause & Effect matrices
Alarm schedules
Test plans Develop PLC, HMI and SCADA applications in accordance with company coding standards and client specifications.
Write system code from conception and design through to final implementation.
Configure and integrate generator controllers, including DSE, ComAp and Woodward .
Develop and integrate: Generator synchronisation
Load sharing
Load management
ATS/AMF systems
Black-start functionality
Priority management
Breaker control Interface PLC systems with protection relays, power meters, circuit breakers, UPS systems and BMS/EMS platforms.
Work closely with electrical design teams on control panel design, wiring schematics and cable schedules.
Liaise with panel builders during manufacture, testing and modification.
Testing & Commissioning Lead and support FAT, SAT, I/O checks, loop testing and system simulation .
Commission PLC, HMI, SCADA and generator control systems on customer sites.
Troubleshoot PLC hardware/software, HMI/SCADA applications and industrial communications networks.
Identify root causes of system issues and implement robust corrective actions.
Produce commissioning documentation and site reports.
Prepare handover documentation, as-built software and change logs.
Provide customer training and technical support for O&M teams.
Documentation, Quality & Compliance Maintain effective software version control, change management and reusable code libraries.
Contribute to Git-based development and version-control workflows.
Ensure systems are designed and implemented in accordance with applicable industry standards and good engineering practice.
Work with functional safety principles and relevant standards, including where applicable: IEC 60204-1
IEC 61511 / SIL principles
PUWER
Machinery Directive / UKCA
BS 7671 principles Contribute to RAMS for commissioning and site activities.
Work within ISO 9001 quality procedures and company engineering standards.
OT Networking & Cybersecurity Design, configure and commission industrial Ethernet networks.
Work with managed switches, VLANs, NAT and routing.
Configure and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols, including: Modbus TCP/RTU
Profinet
Profibus
EtherNet/IP
OPC UA Knowledge of IEC 61850 and DNP3 would be advantageous.
Implement secure OT network architectures, segmentation and access controls.
Support the hardening of PLC, HMI and SCADA systems.
Apply appropriate password management, backup and access-control policies in line with industry best practice.
Continuous Improvement & Technical Support Mentor and support junior control systems engineers.
Contribute to company coding standards, reusable function blocks, templates and engineering tools.
Provide remote and on-site technical support.
Carry out root-cause analysis and recommend preventative maintenance measures.
Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, maintainability and lifecycle cost.
Support the development of standardised and reusable control solutions.
Technical Skills & Experience PLC / HMI / SCADA Essential:
Strong experience developing industrial PLC control systems from initial design/concept through to commissioning.
Experience with Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Studio 5000 .
Experience with Siemens TIA Portal , including SCL and/or Ladder.
Experience with WinCC / WinCC Unified and/or FactoryTalk View .
Ability to produce structured, maintainable and well-documented PLC software.
Desirable:
Schneider EcoStruxure
Mitsubishi GX Works
Beckhoff TwinCAT
AVEVA / Wonderware
Ignition
Generator & Power Systems Experience with generator and power control systems is highly desirable, particularly:
Deep Sea Electronics (DSE)
ComAp
Woodward
Generator synchronisation
Load sharing and load management
Breaker control
ATS / AMF systems
Protection relay interfaces
Power meters
UPS systems
BMS / EMS interfaces
Industrial Networks & Communications Good understanding of industrial networking, including:
Layer 2 / Layer 3 networking concepts
VLANs
NAT
Routing
Industrial Ethernet
Industrial firewalls
Modbus TCP/RTU
Profinet
Profibus
EtherNet/IP
OPC UA
Electrical & Safety Ability to read, interpret and mark up electrical schematics.
Understanding of panel layouts, wiring diagrams and cable schedules.
Awareness of relevant electrical and machinery safety standards.
Understanding of functional safety and SIL concepts.
Awareness of IEC 60204-1, BS 7671 and PUWER .
Experience contributing to RAMS and safe systems of work.
Qualifications & Certifications The ideal candidate will have:
Degree or HND in Electrical, Electronic, Control/Automation or Mechatronics Engineering , or equivalent practical experience.
Previous experience in industrial controls, automation or power systems.
Full UK driving licence.
Ability and willingness to travel to customer sites across the UK.
ECS/CSCS or relevant safety passport would be advantageous.
Functional Safety training or certification, such as TÜV, would be advantageous.
CompEx / ATEX awareness would be advantageous where relevant.
Personal Attributes We are looking for someone who is:
Methodical, organised and safety-focused.
Quality-driven with excellent attention to detail.
A strong problem solver who can work effectively under pressure, particularly during commissioning.
Confident communicating with customers, site teams, project managers and other engineers.
Comfortable working independently while also being a strong team player.
Willing to mentor and support junior engineers.
Proactive in identifying improvements and resolving technical issues.
Professional and customer-focused.
Working Pattern & Travel This is a hybrid role requiring attendance at our London/Belvedere office approximately two days per week , with additional travel to customer sites, factories and FAT locations as required.
The successful candidate must be willing to travel to sites across the UK and occasionally work away from home depending on project requirements.
What We Offer Competitive salary based on experience.
Full-time, permanent employment.
Company pension scheme.
25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
Company laptop and mobile phone.
Training and professional development support.
Support towards relevant engineering and project management certifications, including: Siemens
Allen-Bradley
18th Edition
APM / PRINCE2 Professional membership support, including IET and APM .
Flexible site travel expenses.
Private healthcare following successful completion of probation.
Opportunity to work on technically challenging power and control systems projects.
Career development opportunities within a growing engineering business.
Eligibility & Security Clearance Candidates must have the right to work in the UK and hold either a British passport or UK settlement status .
Due to the nature of our projects, UK and USA Government security clearance is required for this position.
Equal Opportunities Bells Power Control Systems is an equal opportunities employer. xehkeey We welcome applications from all suitably qualified and experienced individuals and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment.
Working Pattern: Office-based 2 days per week, with UK site travel as required
Salary: Competitive / DOE
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
Reports to: Controls Lead
About the Role We are looking for an experienced PLC Control Systems Engineer with approximately 5–10 years' experience to join our growing controls team.
This is an exciting opportunity for an engineer with strong industrial automation and power systems experience to take ownership of control system projects from initial design through to programming, testing, commissioning and handover.
You will work across a range of power solutions projects, including diesel generator control systems, switchgear, ATS/AMF panels, synchronisation and load-sharing systems , together with associated HMI and SCADA applications.
The role covers the full project lifecycle , including FDS/DDS development, PLC and HMI programming, FAT, SAT, site commissioning and customer handover. You will work closely with electrical design engineers, project managers, panel builders and clients to deliver safe, robust and maintainable control systems.
UK and USA Government clearance is required for this position.
Key Responsibilities Control System Design & Development Produce and take ownership of control system documentation, including: User Requirement Specifications (URS)
Functional Design Specifications (FDS)
Detailed/Software Design Specifications (DDS/SDS)
I/O lists
Cause & Effect matrices
Alarm schedules
Test plans Develop PLC, HMI and SCADA applications in accordance with company coding standards and client specifications.
Write system code from conception and design through to final implementation.
Configure and integrate generator controllers, including DSE, ComAp and Woodward .
Develop and integrate: Generator synchronisation
Load sharing
Load management
ATS/AMF systems
Black-start functionality
Priority management
Breaker control Interface PLC systems with protection relays, power meters, circuit breakers, UPS systems and BMS/EMS platforms.
Work closely with electrical design teams on control panel design, wiring schematics and cable schedules.
Liaise with panel builders during manufacture, testing and modification.
Testing & Commissioning Lead and support FAT, SAT, I/O checks, loop testing and system simulation .
Commission PLC, HMI, SCADA and generator control systems on customer sites.
Troubleshoot PLC hardware/software, HMI/SCADA applications and industrial communications networks.
Identify root causes of system issues and implement robust corrective actions.
Produce commissioning documentation and site reports.
Prepare handover documentation, as-built software and change logs.
Provide customer training and technical support for O&M teams.
Documentation, Quality & Compliance Maintain effective software version control, change management and reusable code libraries.
Contribute to Git-based development and version-control workflows.
Ensure systems are designed and implemented in accordance with applicable industry standards and good engineering practice.
Work with functional safety principles and relevant standards, including where applicable: IEC 60204-1
IEC 61511 / SIL principles
PUWER
Machinery Directive / UKCA
BS 7671 principles Contribute to RAMS for commissioning and site activities.
Work within ISO 9001 quality procedures and company engineering standards.
OT Networking & Cybersecurity Design, configure and commission industrial Ethernet networks.
Work with managed switches, VLANs, NAT and routing.
Configure and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols, including: Modbus TCP/RTU
Profinet
Profibus
EtherNet/IP
OPC UA Knowledge of IEC 61850 and DNP3 would be advantageous.
Implement secure OT network architectures, segmentation and access controls.
Support the hardening of PLC, HMI and SCADA systems.
Apply appropriate password management, backup and access-control policies in line with industry best practice.
Continuous Improvement & Technical Support Mentor and support junior control systems engineers.
Contribute to company coding standards, reusable function blocks, templates and engineering tools.
Provide remote and on-site technical support.
Carry out root-cause analysis and recommend preventative maintenance measures.
Identify opportunities to improve system reliability, maintainability and lifecycle cost.
Support the development of standardised and reusable control solutions.
Technical Skills & Experience PLC / HMI / SCADA Essential:
Strong experience developing industrial PLC control systems from initial design/concept through to commissioning.
Experience with Allen-Bradley / Rockwell Studio 5000 .
Experience with Siemens TIA Portal , including SCL and/or Ladder.
Experience with WinCC / WinCC Unified and/or FactoryTalk View .
Ability to produce structured, maintainable and well-documented PLC software.
Desirable:
Schneider EcoStruxure
Mitsubishi GX Works
Beckhoff TwinCAT
AVEVA / Wonderware
Ignition
Generator & Power Systems Experience with generator and power control systems is highly desirable, particularly:
Deep Sea Electronics (DSE)
ComAp
Woodward
Generator synchronisation
Load sharing and load management
Breaker control
ATS / AMF systems
Protection relay interfaces
Power meters
UPS systems
BMS / EMS interfaces
Industrial Networks & Communications Good understanding of industrial networking, including:
Layer 2 / Layer 3 networking concepts
VLANs
NAT
Routing
Industrial Ethernet
Industrial firewalls
Modbus TCP/RTU
Profinet
Profibus
EtherNet/IP
OPC UA
Electrical & Safety Ability to read, interpret and mark up electrical schematics.
Understanding of panel layouts, wiring diagrams and cable schedules.
Awareness of relevant electrical and machinery safety standards.
Understanding of functional safety and SIL concepts.
Awareness of IEC 60204-1, BS 7671 and PUWER .
Experience contributing to RAMS and safe systems of work.
Qualifications & Certifications The ideal candidate will have:
Degree or HND in Electrical, Electronic, Control/Automation or Mechatronics Engineering , or equivalent practical experience.
Previous experience in industrial controls, automation or power systems.
Full UK driving licence.
Ability and willingness to travel to customer sites across the UK.
ECS/CSCS or relevant safety passport would be advantageous.
Functional Safety training or certification, such as TÜV, would be advantageous.
CompEx / ATEX awareness would be advantageous where relevant.
Personal Attributes We are looking for someone who is:
Methodical, organised and safety-focused.
Quality-driven with excellent attention to detail.
A strong problem solver who can work effectively under pressure, particularly during commissioning.
Confident communicating with customers, site teams, project managers and other engineers.
Comfortable working independently while also being a strong team player.
Willing to mentor and support junior engineers.
Proactive in identifying improvements and resolving technical issues.
Professional and customer-focused.
Working Pattern & Travel This is a hybrid role requiring attendance at our London/Belvedere office approximately two days per week , with additional travel to customer sites, factories and FAT locations as required.
The successful candidate must be willing to travel to sites across the UK and occasionally work away from home depending on project requirements.
What We Offer Competitive salary based on experience.
Full-time, permanent employment.
Company pension scheme.
25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
Company laptop and mobile phone.
Training and professional development support.
Support towards relevant engineering and project management certifications, including: Siemens
Allen-Bradley
18th Edition
APM / PRINCE2 Professional membership support, including IET and APM .
Flexible site travel expenses.
Private healthcare following successful completion of probation.
Opportunity to work on technically challenging power and control systems projects.
Career development opportunities within a growing engineering business.
Eligibility & Security Clearance Candidates must have the right to work in the UK and hold either a British passport or UK settlement status .
Due to the nature of our projects, UK and USA Government security clearance is required for this position.
Equal Opportunities Bells Power Control Systems is an equal opportunities employer. xehkeey We welcome applications from all suitably qualified and experienced individuals and are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive working environment.