Location: Bangalore - Indraprastha, India

Thales people architect solutions that enable two-thirds of planes to take off and land safely. We create in-flight entertainment systems that engross 50 million fliers every year and we develop the avionics that control the world’s largest commercial aircrafts. Our simulators train the next generation of pilots for fighter jets, transporters and search and rescue helicopters. And, together, each and every member of our aerospace team makes a difference.

Present in India since 1953, Thales is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and has operational offices and sites spread across Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune among others. Over 1800 employees are working with Thales and its joint ventures in India. Since the beginning, Thales has been playing an essential role in India’s growth story by sharing its technologies and expertise in Defence, Transport, Aerospace and Digital Identity and Security markets.

Industrial Automation Manager

Primary Purpose of the Role

Thales is expanding its presence in India through the development of a Group Engineering Competence Centre (ECC), reinforcing its position as a leader in all its markets. Launching in early 2019 in Bengaluru, the ECC will expand Thales’ footprint in its core business areas and cement its long-standing relationship with India. Strong of more than 500 engineers as of today, ECC will grow to >1200 by 2029.

This role is part of the Industrial Process Engineering function. The position is Manager – Industry 4.0 responsible for Industrial Automation & Robotics, Maintenance, Data & Digital.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

You are responsible to lead remote automation engineering projects/activities for our customers based in France. This role combines leadership in industrial automation with hands-on responsibility for implementing Industry 4.0 practices, including data analytics, digitalization, and smart maintenance activities.
You will manage the team in India to ensure successful delivery of end-to-end automation and digital transformation initiatives.
You will have Individual responsibilities to deliver tasks apart from Managerial activities

Detailed Responsibilities below:

1.Automation Project/Development Leadership

Lead the end-to-end delivery of industrial automation systems design, develop & deployment, including:
- PLC programming (Siemens TIA Portal)
- HMI development and deployment
- Industrial communication protocol setup (Profinet, Modbus, OPC UA)
- Electrical/control panel design and integration
Manage the full automation project lifecycle: design, development, FAT, SAT, commissioning (remote or on-site coordination).
Ensure all automation solutions meet client-specific requirements, European industry standards, and safety regulations (e.g., CE marking)

2.Industry 4.0 Enablement (Core Role Scope)

Implement and manage advanced Industry 4.0 technologies, including:
- IIoT connectivity for real-time data acquisition from shop-floor equipment
- Edge and cloud integration for scalable data processing and analysis
- Use of digital twins and virtual simulation tools for design validation and optimization
Lead the adoption of Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) to improve production tracking, work order execution, and integration with automation and ERP layers:
- Integrate MES with PLCs, SCADA, and ERP systems for seamless production data flow

3.Data Analytics Design

Develop Real-time production dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Grafana)
Predictive maintenance models using sensor and machine data
Anomaly detection and quality trend analytics

4.Digitalization Leadership

Promote culture of continuous digital innovation among teams and stakeholders by automating workflows and enhance operational visibility.
Identifying manual or legacy processes for digitalization and developing custom solutions.
Leading change management initiatives to ensure adoption and proficiency in new digital technologies.
Integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to enhance predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and process optimization

5.Remote Engineering Team Management

Manage and coordinate a remote engineering team across automation, analytics, digitalization, and maintenance domains.
Do, Delegate tasks, monitor progress, and ensure high-quality and timely delivery of engineering deliverables.
Promote agile, collaborative workflows within & outside of the team
Conduct Periodical Meeting with Clients to share the activity status
Business Expansion by identifying & proposing new activities to customers
Lead Value Engineering Initiatives
Ensure continuous upskilling and capability development within the team

The position is based in Bangalore.

Major Challenges

Work with IPE team of France in a different Time Zone
Work with multiple teams in tandem
Continuously Develop the required technical skills (skilling-up) and capability of the teAM
Promote collaboration within the team IPE
Work with Multi Stakeholders (Design/Purchase/Supply chain/TMT)

Opportunities

The chance to work in an organization that is driving towards building a structured engineering footprint in line with Thales’ growth and competitiveness ambition
The chance to be in contact with people having different cultural background from all across the world
A young and enthusiastic team looking to take new interesting projects on board
A working environment that facilitates professional development through continuous learning, close collaboration within teams and a solution-oriented attitude
An opportunity to work in Bengaluru, the innovation and technological hub of India

Skills & Knowledge Required

Management Skills:

Team management & Development
Business Expansion
Scheduling, Job Allocation
Risk Management & Contingency Planning

Technical Knowledge:

Exposure to Industrial Automation Products, Technologies
Experience in Handling Project Upstream to Industrialization
Automation Architecture
Safety standards
Electro-mechanical(Pneumatics)
Robotics
Drive & Motor Controller
Networks of communication
Electrical Schematic à See Electric Design
Control system (PLC), Specialized in Siemens PLC Programming with safety (S7 300, TIA Portal)
Programming standard, IEC Standard
Exposure in MES System
Pick to Light System
Test Benches Development
Maintenance Engineering– Spare Parts management, Documentation, PMP Creation

Software Skills:

Siemens (TIA Portal)
WinCC Flexible
PLCSim
See Electrical
AutoCAD
Power BI
OpenSearch

Soft Skills:

Proactive mindset with the ability to deliver results despite challenges or adversities.
Attention to detail
Communication and storytelling using data
Problem-solving mindset
Project and time management
Multi- Disciplinary team working
Strong willingness to interact with different stakeholders

You need to be a strong believer of Thales global strategy.

Years of experience

Minimum 12 years of experience in Industrial Automation and Maintenance, with at least 5 years of hands-on expertise across all relevant areas.
Prior experience in the automotive or aerospace sectors is preferred.
Experience in managing remote engineering activities is an added advantage.

Educational Qualification

Bachelor of Engineering/Diploma (Mechatronics, Electrical & Electronics Engineering) with knowledge & experience in automation projects.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now!