Senior Systems Engineer

Review: Senior Systems Engineer at Bilfinger UK, Warrington

Bilfinger UK, a prominent engineering and maintenance provider, is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to join their team in Warrington. This role offers a significant opportunity for experienced professionals to take on a leadership position within a company that serves a vast array of critical industries, including chemical & petrochemical, nuclear, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, power & energy, and renewables.

With a robust workforce of over 4,500 employees operating from 14 strategic hubs, Bilfinger UK is committed to enhancing asset efficiency, ensuring high availability, and reducing maintenance costs across all lifecycle phases. This Senior Systems Engineer position is crucial to delivering on that commitment, offering a blend of technical mastery, project leadership, and team development.

The Opportunity: A Deep Dive into the Role

This role places you at the heart of technical project delivery, demanding a proactive and committed individual ready to take full responsibility for complex solutions. It's more than just an engineering position; it's a chance to lead, innovate, and shape project outcomes.

• Leadership and Technical Ownership: You will be responsible for the successful technical delivery of complete project solutions, working to agreed scopes, budgets, and timelines. This means having a direct impact on project success and client satisfaction.
• Full Project Lifecycle Engagement: The role offers comprehensive involvement, from initial sales handover and design studies to detailed development (PLC code, SCADA scripts, mimics), integrated system testing (CFAT, SAT), site installation, commissioning, and ongoing warranty support. This end-to-end responsibility ensures a deep understanding of projects and allows for continuous learning.
• Team Collaboration and Mentorship: A key aspect is the ability to allocate tasks, supervise team members, monitor progress, and provide mentorship to other engineers. This makes it an ideal role for those looking to develop their leadership and people management skills alongside their technical expertise.
• Exposure to Diverse Technologies and Methodologies: You'll work with a range of control system solutions, including essential hands-on experience with PLC and SCADA systems from major vendors like Rockwell, Siemens, and Schneider. The desirable experience list highlights exposure to cutting-edge areas such as Cyber Security, Functional Safety, Industry 4.0, IoT, Edge Computing, and IT/OT Convergence, offering significant opportunities for professional development in emerging fields.

Key Advantages for Potential Candidates

For an ambitious engineer, this role presents several compelling advantages for career progression:

• Significant Impact and Responsibility: Lead the technical delivery of projects from conception to completion, directly influencing client outcomes and asset performance.
• Career Growth and Professional Development: The emphasis on mentorship, task allocation, and project leadership provides a clear pathway for advancing into more senior technical or management roles. Support for achieving or working towards Chartered Engineer status is a strong indicator of Bilfinger's commitment to professional development.
• Diverse Industry Exposure: Work across multiple critical sectors, gaining invaluable experience and broadening your professional network within various industrial applications.
• Technological Advancement: Engage with and potentially develop expertise in a wide array of modern industrial control technologies, including those related to Industry 4.0, IoT, and advanced networking.
• Structured and Quality-Focused Environment: Operate within established company procedures and quality processes, ensuring high standards of delivery and a robust framework for project execution.

Key Considerations for Candidates

To excel in this role, candidates should be prepared for the following:

• High Level of Ownership: This is a role for individuals who thrive on taking full technical accountability for project success.
• Proactive and Collaborative Approach: Success hinges on being proactive in task management, problem-solving, and working seamlessly with project managers and engineering teams.
• Broad Technical Acumen: While deep expertise in PLC and SCADA is essential, a good appreciation of control panels, electrical installation, and instrumentation solutions is also critical. Candidates should be comfortable engaging with a wide technical spectrum.
• Adaptability to Project Demands: The role involves supporting various stages from sales to warranty, requiring flexibility and the ability to switch focus between different project phases. Site surveys, installation, and retesting imply a degree of travel and on-site presence will be required.
• Continuous Learning Mindset: The desirable experience list suggests a forward-thinking environment where continuous learning, especially in new technologies, is highly valued.

Who Should Apply?

This Senior Systems Engineer position at Bilfinger UK is an excellent fit for an experienced engineer with a minimum of 5 years in integrated control system solutions. If you are passionate about technical leadership, keen to mentor others, and eager to contribute to critical projects across diverse industries while advancing your professional registration, this opportunity in Warrington could be your next significant career step. It demands a highly competent individual ready to embrace challenges and deliver high-quality engineering solutions.