Jake Norman Jake Norman

Applications Engineer – Vision Systems

Application Engineer at OAL

📍 Location: Peterborough, PE2 6YN (Primary location - customers sites) | Up to £Competive (Subject to Experience) | Full-Time, Permanent

About the role

We’re looking for a practical, technically strong Application Engineer to help deploy the next generation of AI vision systems into UK food factories. You’ll work on high-speed production lines, implementing real-time image analysis solutions that detect, count, and verify products, replacing manual quality checks with powerful machine learning.

This is a hands-on role focused on applying AI to solve real production problems. You’ll help OAL deploy cutting-edge vision, contributing to some of the most innovative projects in the UK food industry.

Why You’ll Love Working With Us

  • Vision-Driven Innovation: Help deploy leading-edge vision solutions that improve food safety, quality, and traceability.

  • Autonomy with Support: Take ownership of your projects while collaborating with expert engineering teams.

  • Real Impact: This is not a lab job. Your systems will directly improve efficiency, reduce waste and solve complex food manufacturing challenges.

Your Role Will Involve

  • Designing and implementing machine vision inspection systems.

  • Running trials and developing proof-of-concepts to validate AI models for real-world conditions.

  • Programming and configuring PLCs and SCADA systems.

  • Installing, commissioning, and supporting automated solutions on customer sites across the UK.

  • Creating and maintaining clear documentation, including functional design specs and support manuals.

  • Acting as the technical liaison with customers during deployment and troubleshooting.

  • Supporting the wider automation team in delivering complete project solutions.

  • Conducting trials and feasibility studies for customer-specific vision requirements.

Benefits You’ll Enjoy

  • UK-wide travel.

  • Flexible Working: Find the balance with our flexible work arrangements.

  • Generous Holiday Package: Enjoy 25 days of holiday plus public holidays, with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days.

  • Company vehicle.

  • Pension Scheme: Plan for the future with our company pension scheme.

  • Peace of Mind: Feel secure with our death in service benefit.

  • Continuous Learning: We’ll cover your professional fees, supporting your career development.

  • Smart Health: Access a 24/7 online GP, mental health support, and wellbeing services anytime.

What We’re Looking For

  • Experience deploying machine vision or image analysis systems in an industrial or research setting.

  • Comfortable working with AI/ML platforms or deep learning vision tools

  • Hands-on engineering experience with automation or robotics systems.

  • Able to work on site, troubleshoot systems hands-on, and communicate clearly with operators and engineers.

  • Has over 5 years of experience in a similar role.

  • Full UK driving licence and happy to travel UK-wide (50%+ field-based).

About OAL

OAL helps food manufacturers automate. An innovative family business, based in Peterborough, the company provides automation and system integration services to food manufacturers. It’s a market leader for digital transformation, label and date code verification and robotic powder weighing. We're a growing SME offering fantastic opportunities in a fast-paced organisation. If you're ready to contribute to groundbreaking work in a supportive environment, we'd love to meet you.

Please fill in the form below to apply.


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Jake Norman Jake Norman

I Want to Work at OAL

📍 Peterborough | Full-time or Part-time | £Competitive

About the role

We’re always looking for brilliant people to join our team, even if the right role isn’t listed right now.

If you’re excited about the future of food manufacturing and think you can bring something special to OAL, we want to hear from you.

Whether your background is in automation, robotics, systems engineering, software development, operations, or something else entirely, we’re open to conversations with people who share our values and ambition.

About OAL

OAL helps food manufacturers automate.

We’re an innovative, family-run business based in Peterborough, delivering automation and system integration projects to the UK’s leading food and beverage manufacturers. As a market leader in digital transformation, packaging verification, vision and robotics, we’re helping the industry tackle critical problems with smart, practical solutions.

If you’re ready to make a meaningful impact and be part of a fast-paced, supportive environment, we’d love to meet you.

What We Value

We're proud of our culture and look for people who live our values:

  • Positive – You bring energy and optimism to every interaction

  • Honest, Open & Respectful – You build trust by being transparent, respectful and supportive

  • Committed to Customers – You take ownership and go the extra mile to help our customers succeed

  • Team Player – You collaborate closely and lift others around you

  • Communication – You communicate clearly, directly and early to avoid surprises

  • Professional – You hold yourself to high standards and take pride in your work

If this sounds like you, you’ll fit right in.

What You Can Expect

We offer:

  • A welcoming and flexible work environment

  • Competitive salary and benefits

  • Opportunities for personal growth and career progression

  • A chance to work on cutting-edge automation and digital projects with real-world impact

  • Generous Holiday Package: Enjoy 25 days of holiday plus public holidays, with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days.

  • Pension Scheme: Plan for the future with our company pension scheme.

  • Peace of Mind: Feel secure with our death in service benefit.

  • Continuous Learning: We’ll cover your professional fees, supporting your career development.

  • Smart Health: Access a 24/7 online GP, mental health support, and wellbeing services anytime.

Upload your CV with a short note about why you’d like to work at OAL and where you think you’d add value. We’ll review every application and be in touch if there’s a potential fit – now or in the future.


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Jake Norman Jake Norman

Install & Workshop Engineer

Install & Workshop Engineer at OAL

📍 Location: Peterborough, PE2 6YN | Up to £45k (Subject to Experience) | Full-Time, Permanent

About the role

We’re looking for a skilled and hands-on Install and Workshop Engineer to join our dynamic delivery team. You’ll be a key player in building, installing and commissioning automation systems that make a real difference.

In this dual role, you’ll spend time both in our Peterborough workshop and on customer sites across the UK. From wiring control panels to installing systems on factory floors, you’ll take ownership of the build and install process, ensuring quality and performance from end to end.

Why Join OAL?

  • Competitive salary - up to £45k depending on experience

  • Professional development - training and career progression to support the development path to “Project Engineer”

  • Team culture - supportive, ambitious and collaborative

  • Real impact - work on projects that modernise and improve food production

  • A growing SME - with exciting opportunities ahead in automation and robotics

Ideal Candidate:

  • 1–2 years’ experience in an electrical and mechanical production environment

  • Confident with electrical panel building and on-site installation work

  • Ideally ECS Certification: Electrical Fitter & Electrical Safety Essentials.

  • Ability to read and work from technical drawings

  • Strong practical skills and a problem-solving mindset

  • A full UK driving licence

  • Willingness to travel to customer sites and stay away when needed

About OAL:

OAL helps food manufacturers automate. An innovative family business, based in Peterborough, the company provides automation and system integration services to food manufacturers. It’s a market leader for digital transformation, label and date code verification and robotic powder weighing.

We're a growing SME offering fantastic opportunities in a fast-paced organisation. If you're ready to contribute to groundbreaking work in a supportive environment, we'd love to meet you.

Please fill in the form below to apply

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Jake Norman Jake Norman

Project Engineer

Project Engineer at OAL

📍 Location: Peterborough, PE2 6YN (Primary location - customers sites) | Up to £60k (Subject to Experience) | Full-Time, Permanent

About the role

We are looking for a proactive and hands-on Project Engineer to join our team at OAL. In this role, you will play a critical part in delivering cutting-edge automation and robotic systems to our customers. You’ll be responsible for the successful installation, commissioning, and testing of deployed systems, while ensuring customer satisfaction and adherence to high safety and quality standards.

Why You’ll Love Working With Us

  • Innovative Projects: Work on groundbreaking projects like our Carbon Trust net-zero initiative using robots to make food.

  • Collaborative Culture: Thrive in a workplace that’s all about teamwork, fun, and making an impact.

  • Professional Growth: Stay ahead of technology trends with on-the-job training and professional development opportunities.

Your Role Will Involve

  • Carry out engineering works to install, commission, and test deployed automation and robotic systems.

  • Manage your own activities in a safe and efficient manner, ensuring colleagues adhere to safe working practices and company standards.

  • Act as the primary on-site liaison with the customer during installation, commissioning, and testing phases, ensuring the system meets expectations.

  • Providing training to customers on applications and systems.

  • Production and maintenance of documentation, for use by the customer and OAL.

  • Responsible for fault reporting and implementation and testing of design modifications.

  • Providing support to the customer, the team, and other teams within OAL.

  • To work within agreed budgets/costs.

Benefits You’ll Enjoy

  • UK-wide travel.

  • Flexible Working: Find the balance with our flexible work arrangements.

  • Generous Holiday Package: Enjoy 25 days of holiday plus public holidays, with the option to buy/sell up to 5 days.

  • Company vehicle.

  • Pension Scheme: Plan for the future with our company pension scheme.

  • Peace of Mind: Feel secure with our death in service benefit.

  • Continuous Learning: We’ll cover your professional fees, supporting your career development.

  • Smart Health: Access a 24/7 online GP, mental health support, and wellbeing services anytime.

What We’re Looking For

  • Hands-on engineering experience with automation or robotics systems.

  • Strong communication and interpersonal skills for effective on-site customer interaction.

  • Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.

  • A commitment to safe working practices and continuous improvement.

  • Has over 5 years in a similar role.

  • A full UK driving licence.

  • Happy to travel and spend time at food manufacturing sites across the UK, more than 50%.

About OAL

OAL helps food manufacturers automate. An innovative family business, based in Peterborough, the company provides automation and system integration services to food manufacturers. It’s a market leader for digital transformation, label and date code verification and robotic powder weighing. We're a growing SME offering fantastic opportunities in a fast-paced organisation. If you're ready to contribute to groundbreaking work in a supportive environment, we'd love to meet you.

Please fill in the form below to apply.


Read More