Software Engineer
📍 Location: Peterborough, PE2 6YN | Up to £45k (Subject to Experience) | Full-Time, Permanent
The software you build this month might prevent a product recall. Next month it might run a robotic cell.
OAL's software engineers work across compliance, vision, robotics and traceability systems for UK food manufacturers. One project might be a label verification system for a major retailer. The next might be software for a robotic palletising cell, a vision inspection system catching defects on apples, or a traceability platform tracking every ingredient for your favourite loaf of bread from intake to dispatch. You develop them at OAL's Peterborough base, deploy them at customer sites and support them once they are running.
This is not a pure desk role. You will write code, but you will also travel to factories to commission what you have built, support field engineers remotely, and pick up customer support tickets to SLA targets. Expect a mix of development, deployment and support throughout the year.
Develop software to control advanced robotic food manufacturing systems
Your skills probably already fit
Languages and frameworks: .NET, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Entity Framework, VB6
Platforms: Inductive Automation's Ignition (SCADA/MES), Azure DevOps
Databases: MSSQL, SQL Server
Industrial awareness: familiarity with PLCs (Rockwell or Beckhoff), machine vision systems, or robotic system integration
Ways of working: Agile methodologies, version control, structured documentation
You do not need all of these, and you do not need food manufacturing experience. If you are strong in some areas and willing to learn the rest, that works. What matters is clean code and taking responsibility for what you deliver.
What we expect, and what you get
You own the quality of what you deliver. The work is structured: defined processes, technical reviews, proper version control. You will travel to customer sites for deployments. Support is part of the role, and you need to be comfortable switching between planned development and reactive tickets.
In return: software running on real production lines, a broad technical stack spanning SCADA, databases, PLC integration, machine vision and robotics, variety across customers and sites, and progression based on what you deliver.
What we are looking for
At least 3 years of experience in software development
Degree in Computer Science, IT or a related field
Experience with at least some of: .NET, JavaScript, MSSQL, Ignition, PLC integration
Full UK driving licence and willing to travel to customer sites across the UK
Interested?
Please complete the form below. Tell us what you have worked on, what platforms you are comfortable with, and what interests you about this role. We do not need a long cover letter.
Senior Automation Engineer
Location: Peterborough | Full-time, Permanent | Competitive salary depending on experience
If a food factory's production line is running reliably six months after handover because the integration was done correctly and the documentation was complete, that is your standard.
You develop, support and own the technical quality of automation systems that run in UK food factories. You are the technical authority on your work. You follow controlled processes, maintain accurate configuration records, and take ownership of issues through to full resolution.
The work spans PLC controls, SCADA, HMI systems, MES integration, industrial networking and OT/IT architecture. You will act as a Level 3 escalation resource for complex automation support tickets. You will need to diagnose problems methodically under pressure and communicate clearly with both engineering teams and customer operations staff.
If you have proven experience developing and supporting industrial automation systems and you want a role where getting it right matters, where process, precision and accountability are valued, this role is built for that.
What this role actually looks like
The work moves between development, support escalation and project delivery. Some periods are desk-based: programming, documenting, reviewing architectures and maintaining configuration control. Others require you to be on site at a customer facility, working through a commissioning phase or resolving a live production incident.
On development and project work, you configure and support PLC, SCADA, MES and integration solutions across customer environments. You ensure all changes follow controlled processes and documented procedures. You maintain version management across automation platforms and contribute to the standardisation of engineering practices across OAL's project and support contracts.
On escalation and support, you act as the Level 3 resource for complex automation and OT/IT incidents. You take ownership of high-impact issues through to full resolution, provide structured root cause analysis and corrective action reports, and maintain clear escalation pathways. You make sure SLA response and resolution targets are met.
A typical week depends on where your projects and support contracts sit in the cycle. During development phases you will be at OAL's Peterborough base, configuring systems and running tests. During deployment or go-live phases you will be at customer sites leading commissioning or resolving issues. Between projects you will be involved in architecture reviews, knowledge base development and SOP improvement.
Your skills probably already fit
This role suits engineers who have built, supported and improved industrial automation systems in structured environments. If you have acted as a senior technical resource, worked to defined procedures and SLAs, and taken ownership of complex incidents, you already have the core of what we need.
Relevant technical experience includes:
PLC and industrial controls: Rockwell, Siemens TIA Portal, Mitsubishi or equivalent — programming, commissioning, fault-finding
SCADA and HMI: iFix, FactoryTalk, Ignition, Wonderware or similar platforms
Systems integration: getting multiple technologies to work together reliably on a production line
Industrial communication protocols: Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, MQTT, fieldbus and integration principles
OT/IT infrastructure: Windows Server, SQL Server, industrial networking, VMware or VEEAM
Edge technologies: Node-RED, RevPi or similar (desirable)
Engineers who do well in this role at OAL have typically come from systems integrators, automation suppliers, managed service or support environments, or manufacturing engineering roles where they owned the technical quality of what they delivered.
You do not need food manufacturing experience. The engineering is transferable. You will learn the specifics of food production environments through project delivery and customer support work.
What you should expect from us, and what we expect from you
We will be direct about this, because it helps both sides.
You are accountable for technical accuracy. Whether you are writing a SCADA configuration, responding to an escalation or supporting a go-live, the quality and correctness of your work is your responsibility. We will support you with clear processes, good tooling and experienced colleagues.
The work is methodical. You will follow documented procedures, maintain version control, produce structured reports and communicate to a defined standard. Engineers who find structure useful rather than frustrating thrive here. This is not a role where informal or undocumented work is acceptable.
Escalation periods require calm under pressure. When a production line is down and the customer is waiting, you need to diagnose, decide and act clearly. We need engineers who work through problems systematically, even when the stakes are high.
Standards are high. OAL delivers automation systems that run 24/7. The work you do — the configurations you maintain, the documentation you produce, the decisions you make under pressure — directly affects whether a customer's line stays running.
Travel is part of the role. Customer sites are across the UK. Deployment and commissioning phases require time on site. We ask for flexibility around this and we are realistic about planning it.
In return, you get:
A role with clear scope, defined responsibilities and the tools to do the job properly
Exposure to a wide range of automation technologies: PLC, SCADA, MES, networking, OT/IT integration
Variety across different customers, sites and technologies
A team of engineers who take quality seriously
The satisfaction of knowing the systems you support are genuinely reliable because of how carefully you work
Progression based on what you deliver, not how long you have been here
What we are looking for
Proven experience developing and supporting PLC, SCADA and HMI systems
Strong knowledge of at least one major automation platform (Rockwell, Siemens TIA Portal, Mitsubishi)
Experience working within structured support or managed service environments
Experience acting as a senior escalation point for complex automation or OT/IT incidents
Solid understanding of industrial communication protocols and integration principles
Ability to interpret P&IDs and electrical drawings
Strong troubleshooting, root cause analysis and technical documentation skills
Comfortable working to defined procedures and service level agreements
Full UK driving licence
Willing to travel and stay away from home when projects require it
Experience in food manufacturing is not required. If you have the automation engineering and support skills, we will help you apply them in this sector.
The mission you are contributing to
OAL automates UK food manufacturing. Food factories face labour shortages, tightening compliance requirements and pressure on costs. The systems you develop and support directly address those problems.
You will work on packaging verification systems that prevent product recalls, robotic cells that replace repetitive manual work, and vision systems that catch errors human inspection cannot sustain. These systems run on live production lines across the UK. You will build them, commission them, support them and make sure they keep running long after the project closes.
Interested?
Please complete the form below.
We do not need a long cover letter. Tell us what systems you have worked on, what platforms you are comfortable with, and what interests you about this role.
Project Engineer
Location: Peterborough | Full-time, Permanent | Up to £60k depending on experience
You own the project. From first build at OAL to a system running in production at a customer site.
This is a senior engineering role. You are responsible for delivering complete automation and robotics projects: pre-building and testing systems at OAL's Peterborough facility, deploying them at customer sites across the UK, and making sure they work reliably in live production.
You are the lead engineer on your projects. You manage the technical delivery, coordinate the engineering team around you, act as the primary point of contact for the customer on site, and take ownership of the outcome. If a system is running well in a food factory six months after handover, that is your project.
You will work across machine vision, PLC controls, industrial robotics and SCADA systems. You will manage project budgets and timelines. You will need to make technical decisions under pressure and communicate clearly with both engineers and factory operations teams.
If you have five or more years of experience delivering automation or systems integration projects and you want to own the full lifecycle rather than just a piece of it, this role is built for that.
What this role actually looks like
Every project follows a cycle: design, pre-build and test at OAL, site installation, live commissioning, go-live support and customer handover.
As Project Engineer, you are responsible for the full delivery. Your work starts during the design phase and does not finish until the customer is running the system independently.
At OAL's Peterborough facility, you oversee the pre-build and testing of systems before they leave the building. You work with commissioning engineers, installation engineers and software engineers to assemble, wire, program and prove equipment in a controlled environment. You make sure the system meets specification and is ready for site before it ships.
At customer sites across the UK, you lead the installation, commissioning and go-live. You are the primary point of contact for the customer's technical and operations teams. You manage the on-site engineering work, resolve issues as they come up, coordinate with OAL's Peterborough base when needed, and make sure the system is handed over properly with documentation and training complete.
Day to day, you are responsible for:
Leading the technical delivery of automation and robotics projects from pre-build through to customer handover
Overseeing pre-build, assembly and testing of systems at OAL's Peterborough facility
Managing on-site installation, commissioning and go-live at customer factories
Acting as the primary engineering contact for customers during project delivery
Coordinating the work of commissioning engineers, installation engineers and software engineers on your projects
Managing project budgets and timelines, keeping delivery on track
Diagnosing and resolving technical issues, both during pre-build and on site
Producing and maintaining project documentation for OAL and customer records
Providing training to customer teams on systems and applications
Driving continuous improvement by feeding back design and process lessons from each project
A typical week depends on where your projects are in the cycle. During pre-build phases, you will be at OAL's Peterborough base coordinating the build and running tests. During deployment phases, you will be at customer sites leading the installation and go-live. Between projects, you will be involved in design reviews and preparation for the next delivery.
Your skills probably already fit
This role suits experienced engineers who have delivered automation projects end to end. If you have led installations, managed customer relationships on site and taken ownership of technical outcomes, you already have the core of what we need.
Relevant technical experience includes:
Machine vision: camera systems, inspection, verification
PLC and industrial controls: programming, commissioning, fault-finding
Robotics: industrial robots, safety systems, cell integration
SCADA and HMI: Ignition, or similar platforms
Systems integration: getting multiple technologies to work together reliably on a production line
Industrial networking: Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, fieldbus protocols
Engineers who do well in this role at OAL have typically come from systems integrators, automation suppliers, machine builders, robotics companies, or manufacturing engineering roles where they owned the delivery of capital projects.
You do not need food manufacturing experience. The engineering is transferable. You will learn the specifics of food production environments during project delivery.
What you should expect from us, and what we expect from you
We will be direct about this, because it helps both sides.
You own the delivery. This is not a role where you follow someone else's plan. You are accountable for the technical outcome of your projects, from pre-build quality through to customer satisfaction after handover.
The work is hands-on, both at OAL and on site. You will spend time in OAL's workshop overseeing pre-builds and time at customer factories leading deployments. These are real production environments: chilled, ambient, high-care.
Travel is part of the role. Customer sites are across the UK. Deployment phases require time on site, including overnight stays. We ask for flexibility around this, and we are realistic about planning it. The split between Peterborough and customer sites shifts through the year depending on the project pipeline.
You will manage people and priorities. You coordinate the engineers working on your projects. You manage budgets and timelines. You make decisions when things do not go to plan.
Go-live periods are pressurised. When a production line is scheduled to start, the system has to work. You will need to lead calmly and effectively when timelines are tight and the customer is watching.
Standards are high. OAL delivers automation systems that run 24/7. The projects you deliver have to be reliable, documented and supportable long after handover.
In return, you get:
Full ownership of projects from workshop to live production
Variety across different customers, sites and technologies
Exposure to the complete automation stack: vision, robotics, controls, SCADA, software
A team of capable engineers who take the work seriously
The satisfaction of seeing a system you built and delivered running reliably in a customer's factory
Progression based on what you deliver, not how long you have been here
What we are looking for
Degree or equivalent qualification in engineering, IT or a related discipline
Five or more years of hands-on experience delivering automation or systems integration projects
Proven ability to lead project delivery and manage customer relationships on site
Comfortable working with PLC systems, Windows environments, networking and SQL databases
Strong fault-finding and troubleshooting ability across multiple technologies
Able to manage project budgets and timelines
Clear communicator who can work effectively with engineers, factory operations staff and senior customer stakeholders
Full UK driving licence
Willing to travel and stay away from home when projects require it
Experience in food manufacturing is not required. If you have the project delivery and engineering skills, we will help you apply them in this sector.
The mission you are contributing to
OAL automates UK food manufacturing. Food factories face labour shortages, tightening compliance requirements and pressure on costs. The projects you deliver directly address those problems.
You will deliver packaging verification systems that prevent product recalls, robotic cells that replace repetitive manual work, and vision systems that catch errors human inspection cannot sustain. These systems run on live production lines across the UK. You will build them at OAL, deploy them at customer sites, and see them operating in the factories long after handover.
Interested?
Please complete the form below.
We do not need a long cover letter. Tell us what projects you have delivered, what technologies you are comfortable with, and what interests you about this role.