Are you an expert in Siemens control systems, with a strong track record in PLC programming, HMI design, and electrical fault finding? Do you thrive in a flexible, hybrid working environment and enjoy a mix of remote and on-site work? If so, this could be the role for you!

We’re looking for a Control Systems Engineer who is proficient in Siemens technologies—specifically Step 7 Classic, TIA Portal, S7-1500 PLCs, S120 Servo drives, and WinCC Unified—to join a dynamic team with a focus on upgrading legacy systems and creating bespoke solutions. If you’ve got experience working on older platforms as well as modern ones, that’s a huge plus, especially when it comes to migrating older technologies to newer systems.

What You’ll Be Doing:

A large portion of your role (around 70%) will involve upgrading and migrating systems—think moving from old hardware/software to newer versions. Experience with legacy code is a must, as you’ll be dealing with both new systems and old, and you'll need to modify them to deliver enhanced functionality.

Flexibility is key, as you may be required to help with breakdowns, supporting on-site clients, and assisting in full turn-key installations.

We want someone who’s ready to hit the ground running ideally but could consider providing training and support to help you get up to speed with the technologies and systems if needed.

The Role

This will be a hybrid role, offering a blend of remote and some on-site travel required. The work will vary week to week, and you’ll be expected to travel to key customer locations around the UK, with occasional international opportunities. Locations include Workington, Carlisle, Washington (Sunderland), and Lockerbie—and potentially beyond for global projects. Travel will be shared fairly, and your family life is important to us, so we’ll aim for a balanced approach to site visits.

When working remotely, the hours are flexible—whether you want to work 15 hours in one day and 3 the next or follow a more structured schedule, we trust you to manage your time as long as it fits with the project deadlines and deliverables. The key is to maintain flexibility and productivity, with the possibility of adjusting hours on a rolling basis, depending on your preferences.

Who You Are

• Siemens experience is non-negotiable: You need to be comfortable working with Step 7 Classic, TIA Portal, S7-1500, and WinCC Unified.
• Electronics knowledge is a big bonus—whether it’s fault finding, repair, or even designing your own circuits.
• Experience in electrical design (ePlan, AutoCAD Electrical) and machine safety (EC marking, compliance testing) would be a big plus, but not essential.
• Client-facing skills are a must—you’ll be working in high-pressure environments, particularly when troubleshooting during breakdowns, and you’ll need to stay calm under pressure. Strong verbal communication is key.
• The flexibility to adapt to different systems and technologies, as well as a keen eye for detail and a strong work ethic, will make you a great fit.

Why This Role Could Be a Perfect Fit

• Training and support are available for those willing to learn and adapt.
• Flexible working hours and remote setup offer a great work-life balance.
• There’s plenty of opportunity for variety—from legacy system upgrades to cutting-edge electronic design.

If you’re excited by the prospect of working in a flexible, supportive, and varied role, then we’d love to hear from you. Please feel free to get in touch with Eloisa@optima-cs.com or call 0161 250 5326 to chat further.

• They’re actively looking for this person and have been for 8 months now
• They have actually hire (2 or 3 people) but they’ve left as in the interview they’ve played it as though they can do more than they actually can and one left to go back to his previous company
• Electrical design but if someone can do controls too then that’s a bonus
• Skillset and salaries have been the main issue really (people expecting more than what they can actually do)
• Electrical design: Eplan, design pneumatics, control panels, wiring diagrams, schematics, BOM, documentation, voltages etc
• Control systems: they use siemens
• Commissioning: all UK based (if electrical bias about 2 weeks per year) / (If controls bias it’d be more)
• Open to them being more software bias as they’d make the role suit the person and skillset
• They export their product around the world but this person wouldn’t need to go overseas
• Pharmaceutical industry- this person doesn’t need pharma experience (can be from any background as long as it’s automation)
• Mon/Tues/Thurs they’d be in the office near Liverpool airport
• Weds/ Fri from home
• They have one team of 6 engineers that are a mix of controls, elec design and duall skilled, apprentices etc
• They’d deal with technical sales, costing, design, specifications, testing, documentation, programming, commissioning through to client handover
• Open to years of experience – progression is deffo on the cards but depends on the persons goals
• 60-70k depending on experience
• Pension
• Hybrid
• £100 per night/ £150 for weekend / £200 for a Sunday ?
• Company car when travelling to site

Imagine continually growing so much that you need to purpose build a brand new facility on site to keep up with the workload demands. This is where you’ll come in…

It’s an inward facing role as a Construction Project Manager, overseeing the whole project from start to finish, including advising at conception, as well as managing the redevelopment of the existing site (which is massive by the way, so no chance of you ever getting bored).

Obviously, you’ll need a background in managing complex construction projects (specifically with complex concrete, foundations, basements and steel framed buildings), and a solid understanding of all that comes with it; HSE regs (particularly CDM), building regs and planning permissions etc, and it’d be great if you have experience in estimations.

You’ll be the go to person for this, so you’ll need a degree of comfort working autonomously (don’t take that to mean you’ll be unsupported however), you’ll obviously be liaising with the engineers and other people in the business, and will work closely with the Ops Director, but for now, you’re being brought in as a specialist for a reason. There’ll be numerous other parties involved across sub contractors and architects etc. so you’ll need to feel confident liaising with external stakeholders as well as your own team.

For full transparency, they’re expecting the project to last between 3 and 5 years, with potential for another facility being built in future. They’re flexible on your previous project experience in terms of value/s and length, so long as you’ve done something similar and ideally within Engineering.

You’d be based at the site in Sheffield and salary wise they’re looking at around £60-65k, though there could be some flex in there for the right person. Get in touch if it could be worth discussing further - 0161 250 5326

Are you an experienced Control System Engineer that enjoys working across a range of industries on a full cradle to grave basis?

If you are I have a role that could potentially pique your interest…

Ideally, you’ll have more than 6 years’ worth of experience programming PLCs and MCC’s from scratch using Siemens, Mitsubishi or Allen Bradley through to the final commissioning stages. If you’ve had experience with AutoCAD Electrical that’d be a bonus but it’s not essential.

The company have been up and running for over 100 years so there’s no questions needed around the stability that they can offer. Again, they’re huge on progression opportunities so they’ll make you a personalised plan that fit well with your own career goals, so the sky really is your limit …

They work across a range of industries such as water and flood control, nuclear, bridges and transport as well as harbour infrastructure so experience in the heavy industries is key.

You’d be office based in Barnsley, and it’d fall around the £55-68k mark depending on experience.

If you think it’d be worth fleshing out in more detail, please feel free to reach out. 0161 250 5326 | Eloisa@optima-cs.com

Are you the type of person that enjoys working for a company where no two projects are the same?

If you are and you like the idea of a long-term role in a progressive company, I have something that might be right up your street…

The company have been up and running for over 100 years so there’s no questions needed around the stability that they can offer. They work across a range of industries such as water and flood control, nuclear, bridges and transport as well as harbour infrastructure so experience in the heavy industries is key.

If you’re an experienced Electrical Design Engineer that’s had experience designing motor control centres as part of a broader role in developing and implementing electrical systems, I think they’d be interested in hearing from you.

You’d need experience working with AutoCAD Electrical and experience with schematics, SLD’s and cable schedules is a must.

You’d be office based in Barnsley, and it’d fall around the £50-60k mark depending on experience.

If you think it’d be worth fleshing out in more detail, please feel free to reach out. 0161 250 5326 | Eloisa@optima-cs.com

Spotted an email I’d sent to her and managers

• She’s hiring for CPM for a controls engineer and they’re not having much success
• It’s an urgent requirement as they need this person asap
• They’re based in Blackburn so it’ll be a split between there and the EU
• Been looking since December- working with 2 agencies that don’t specialise in recruitment but feedback she’s received is everyone is going contract instead
• She’s only working with a small amount of agencies as trying to cast the net and understands the more agencies the less effort being put in & posted on Linkedin
• 40% EU travel
• 60% UK
• Commissioning / installing software that they’ve wrote- main software os siemens/ allen bradley and rockwell
• Progression is on the table but no promise of time scales

• Holidays 24 days + bank? (she wanted to confirm this)
• Life assurance x 4
• Medicash – covers cost of glasses/ hearing etc
• 40 hour week – early finish Friday -11/12am
• Remote or hybrid could be an option for the right candidate but office is preferred
• Pension 3/ 4 %
• 50-55k atm but could go upto 65k
• Not discussed OT but doesn’t think it’s a thing

Happy to have a meeting regarding different options we can offer next Thurs/ Fri morning

• Exciting opportunity for a junior engineer to flourish in a thriving business
• Compile engineering manuals and assist in implementing production control software
• Be part of a close-knit team that works collaboratively with customers
• Contribute to the growth of a company actively pursuing acquisitions and advanced robotics capabilities

• Compile and maintain accurate and detailed engineering manuals for industrial baking equipment
• Assist in the implementation and integration of the Progress Plus production control software
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including sales and engineering, to ensure seamless project delivery
• Engage with customers' maintenance teams to understand their needs and provide exceptional support
• Stay up-to-date with the latest advancements in industrial baking equipment and production control software
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of documentation processes and software utilisation

The market for jobs hard going at the moment.  Well, good ones, at least.  Everywhere you look it seems as though another business is closing, restructuring or struggling in some way so being in a stable job is understandably important.

If finding a role where you have that, but that’ll also challenge you to be the best version of yourself appeals, you might want to hear more about this one.

Starting with the work; as a Mechanical Design Engineer you’ll be using Inventor to design complex special purpose machinery.  Every project is 100% bespoke so whilst you’ll probably find some crossover with elements of other projects, no 2 projects will be the same. 

I really want to stress that this isn’t your 3-metre straight line conveyor system that goes into a food site.  We’re talking gas combustion ovens, coolers, hot plates, dispensers and “pick and place” systems covering multiple fully automated product lines.

Culturally; this is a team that works closely together with the customers’ maintenance team in mind.  Sales actively encourage engineering involvement so there’s no risk of over promising.  That means you’ll have a chance to meet customer and be truly involved from concept all the way through to commissioning.  You’ll probably want to stay close to the electrical and software teams too, to make sure everything will run smoothly for the customer on delivery. 

The business is firmly on the acquisition trail.  That means they’re actively pursuing additions to their existing skillset either with completely new technology in a similar technical area or its desire to add in more advanced robotics capability. 

Right now, there’s quite a flat team structure.  That’s probably quite good if you’re keen to expand your knowledge and experience as an engineer but not so good if you’re hoping this’ll be a step into team leadership or something like that – might as well be honest rather than letting you think you’ll likely be running the place inside 5 years.  That said, as things continue to grow and expand there’s no saying you won’t take the lead on some pretty innovative and interesting projects that could see your opportunities to climb the ladder increase.

Salary wise; you’ll probably start on a base of around £40k - £42k, though I’d imagine that’ll grow as your time and influence on the team does.  It’s a company with really solid staff retention, which is never a bad sign.

The offices are in Nelson.  Just off the motorway and in a really nice new (ish) industrial unit.  You’ll be based there during the working week (site visits aside) – some people will see that as a dealbreaker, which is fair enough.  If you see it as a chance to collaborate with an experienced and growing engineering team on a massive growth trajectory, I really think we should speak.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a CV ready to go just yet.  We can cross that bridge when we come to it. 0161 250 5326 | daki@optima-cs.com  

 It's been really busy but doing really well-

- Company has been officially running for 3 months and they've turned over half a million pound 

- Really similar to Niscam- logisitx so aiports and warehouses mainly but don't restrict themselves from any industry

-No office so would be working from home 

-They offer everything so 

Elec design, panel build and install using autocad electrical - would like to move to eplan so that'd be ideal

Programming- mainly siemens  through to comissioning 

- Dependfs on the project for site time but 70/30 split- a bit of give and take but a couple of days here and there- may be more but then in quieter periods they'd have a few days off etc 

Flexible hours- between 7-6pm aslong as hours are done and they behave like an adult get the job done he's not too precious (37 hour week)

Looking for 2/3 perm engineers - hardware design and programming x 1 and 2 x software bias guys 

65k + medical and flexibility

Progression? Stioll a start up so mainly on the tools but hoping to build the team to 10/12 engineers 

Materials handling/ converyors exp is ideal but not essential as happy to teach 

Uk based avoid weekends - midlands/ north west - 

Few names 

Waqas 

Max

Sam driver

Ikechi 

Iain Mclean? 

Said Shah

Welsey 

Are you the type of person that likes the idea of having a long-term progression plan when joining a new company?

If so and you’re an experienced Electrical Design Engineer, I have a role that could be right up your street…

I’m working with a company that design and manufacture bespoke machines that work hand in hand with robots for a variety of industries meaning no two projects will be the same.

You’d need to be confident designing Electrical Control Panels, wiring diagrams and schematics from scratch ideally using Eplan or AutoCAD Electrical.

Progression wise, the company are hoping to have the electrical design department as its own entity with its own management structure meaning you’ll have plenty of different paths to take depending on your preference and goals.

The role itself is hybrid, so you’d work remotely for the majority of the week and go into the office in Stockport one day a week, the company are huge on work life balance and also offer flexi hours, so you’d never miss a school pick up again.

Salary wise, it’ll fall between £40,000-£60,000 depending on your experience.

If this sounds like something that’d be worth fleshing out in more detail, please feel free to pop me a call or email.

Eloisa@optima-cs.com | 0161 250 5326