Automation & Mechanical Engineer

Advanced Food Processing & Automation

Murray Downs | Full Time

We are seeking an experienced and practically minded Automation & Mechanical Engineer to join our highly automated almond processing, sorting and packing operation at Murray Downs.

This is a broad, hands-on engineering role for someone who is equally comfortable investigating a mechanical failure on the plant floor, diagnosing an automation or control problem, working with an equipment manufacturer, or developing an engineering solution to improve the performance of the operation.

The facility incorporates sophisticated processing, sorting, packing, conveying, automated material handling, warehousing and Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) systems, integrated through modern industrial automation and production technologies.

For the right engineer, this represents an opportunity to work across an unusually diverse combination of mechanical engineering, automation, controls, material handling and operational technology within one facility.

The Technology:

• Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) used for movement of almonds, bins, packaging and materials throughout the facility
• High-speed almond processing, sorting and packing equipment
• Automated conveyors, elevators, hoppers, chutes and material-handling systems
• PLC-controlled machinery
• HMI and SCADA systems
• Sensors, instrumentation and variable speed drives
• Industrial networks and communications
• MES and WMS systems integrated with production, automation and warehousing
• Automated storage and material-flow systems
• Mechanical drives and processing machinery
• Safety systems including guarding, emergency stops, interlocks and isolation systems.

Experience with complex automated machinery is particularly important, the business is looking for someone who can understand not just an individual machine, but also how mechanical equipment, PLC controls, sensors, software, AGVs, production systems and material flow interact with one another.

The Role:

Automation & Control Systems

Provide hands-on engineering support across the plant’s PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, sensors, instrumentation, variable speed drives and industrial control systems.

Key responsibilities include:

• Diagnosing automation faults and recurring failures
• Improving availability, throughput, reliability and OEE
• Supporting PLC/HMI programming, modifications and upgrades
• Identifying opportunities for further automation
• Supporting integration between PLC/SCADA, MES, WMS, AGVs and processing equipment
• Maintaining system documentation, software backups and change controls.

Mechanical Engineering & Reliability

Bring strong mechanical engineering capability to the facility’s processing, sorting, packing, conveying and material-handling equipment, with a focus on eliminating recurring problems and improving reliability.

This includes:

• Diagnosing mechanical failures and conducting root-cause analysis
• Designing and improving conveyors, elevators, hoppers, chutes, drives, guarding and associated machinery
• Improving equipment reliability and maintainability
• Supporting preventative and predictive maintenance
• Designing, risk assessing and commissioning mechanical modifications.

AGVs & Automated Material Handling

Experience with AGVs, automated warehousing or sophisticated material-handling systems will be particularly highly regarded.

You will help optimise the plant’s Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) systems, including:

• AGV traffic, routing, prioritisation and congestion management
• Troubleshooting faults and communication issues
• Improving utilisation, travel efficiency and availability
• Integration with PLC/SCADA, MES and WMS systems
• Supporting specialist suppliers with software, firmware and system upgrades
• Ensuring safe operation around personnel and other automated equipment

The Person:

This role will suit a technically strong, practical engineer who looks beyond the immediate fault to understand why equipment failed, how the wider system contributed, and what engineering solution will prevent it recurring.

You’ll bring:

• Strong mechanical engineering, fault-finding and root-cause analysis capability
• Sound knowledge of industrial automation, PLCs, HMIs, sensors and instrumentation
• Practical experience troubleshooting complex automated machinery
• Experience with conveyors and automated material-handling systems
• Understanding of equipment reliability and preventative maintenance
• Ability to interpret mechanical, electrical and engineering drawings
• Strong understanding of machinery safety and engineering risk management
• Good communication skills and the ability to work across Operations, Maintenance, Quality, IT, OEMs and specialist suppliers.

Importantly, you’ll be a hands-on systems thinker who understands how mechanics, automation, controls, sensors and material flow interact. You’ll be comfortable on the plant floor, working with operators and maintenance teams to find root causes, develop permanent solutions and continually improve reliability, throughput, safety and automation performance.

Qualifications & Experience:

You will hold a Bachelor degree or equivalent qualification in:

• Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, Automation Engineering, Computer Science or Electrical Engineering or a closely related engineering discipline.

You will also need demonstrated experience in industrial engineering, automation, mechanical engineering or a highly automated manufacturing environment, together with experience troubleshooting automated machinery and industrial control systems.

Candidates with practical experience in any of the following will be of particular interest:

• AGVs,
• Automated Material Handling,
• Siemens & Allen-Bradley PLCs,
• SCADA,
• MES & WMS,
• Industrial Networks,
• Robotics,
• Automated Warehousing,
• High-Speed Sorting,
• Automated Packing,
• CAD,
• Equipment Commissioning

Previous experience in food manufacturing or processing would also be advantageous, particularly familiarity with HACCP, GMP or BRCGS requirements.

Projects, Commissioning & Future Development

You will also contribute to the future development and automation of the plant, working on engineering projects from concept through installation and commissioning.

This can include equipment selection, technical specifications, procurement support, working with manufacturers and OEMs, installation, commissioning, testing and validation.

You’ll also contribute to future plant expansion through layout design, improved material flow and automation strategy.

Safety, Quality & Engineering Standards

As this is a food-processing operation, engineering solutions need to achieve more than simply making a machine work.

Equipment modifications and new installations must consider:

• Machinery and personnel safety
• Guarding, emergency stops and interlocks
• Lockout/tagout and equipment isolation
• Hygienic equipment design
• Food safety and contamination risks
• Australian Standards and relevant WHS requirements
• Engineering documentation and change control.

The successful engineer will therefore need a strong appreciation of safe engineering design, risk management and disciplined engineering practices.