Automation Software Engineer - PLC / C++

About Us

We are Ocado Technology and we empower global grocery retailers with cutting-edge cloud, robotics, AI, and IoT. Our Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) powers highly automated Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs), enabling efficient, single-pick online grocery delivery.

About The Role

We are looking for someone to develop, prototype, commission and troubleshoot automated machinery and systems used within Ocado’s OSP warehouses.

You will be responsible for control system aspects of a group of products within the Warehouse Automation area, across the full product lifecycle. This includes creation of new cutting edge machinery, from design to launch in a live warehouse environment, as well as providing support for automated machinery already present and operating in Ocado supplied warehouses globally.

Software Development

• Develop software libraries that enable quick and consistent creation of new Ocado machinery.
• Undertake reviews of architecture and design of supplied third party systems to ensure compliance with Ocado standards.
• Create design documentation including interface specifications in collaboration with the relevant teams.
• Create reliable systems, integrating the previously mentioned library, that allows diagnosis of the status of the machinery and helps the warehouse engineers to effectively support it.
• Create a suite of automated tests in order to validate the system behaviour before the software gets deployed into a real machine.
• Use software revision management tools such as Git to ensure robust version management and change control.
• Work collaboratively with peers during development and code reviews to ensure a robust maintainable code-base.
• Ensure security of the system, applying Ocado best practice to manage potential threats.
• Gain a thorough understanding of the machinery's relevant KPIs and performance and find ways to optimise the machinery operation.

Prototyping And Testing

• Undertake commissioning and testing of prototypes and first-of-a-kind machinery at Ocado and Client sites, including global travel when required.
• Execute software integration tests to validate the correct system interactions with the full Ocado software stack.
• Document and report issues or improvements identified during commissioning or testing.
• Collaborate with electrical and mechanical designers during commissioning to troubleshoot any issues that may arise.
• Support factory acceptance tests and business acceptance tests at the relevant supplier or client site.
• Generate reliability reports for the business testing team to allow handover of the equipment from project to site engineering teams.
• Working with the project team, supervise and act as technical authority to suppliers where aspects of a project or whole systems are supplied by a third party.
• During new product introduction, on site, ensure that control system project deliverables are met and the machinery can be handed over to site engineering teams within the expected timelines.

Support

• Respond to support requests from site teams, diagnosing reported issues and finding appropriate solutions.
• When familiar with the systems, participate in an on-call rota, providing support to sites globally if significant issues are encountered that cannot be solved by local teams.
• Identify electrical and mechanical failures and work with local engineering teams to resolve them. 
• Use logs and other data produced by machinery to perform detailed troubleshooting of live and historic failures.
• Conduct regular reviews of machine performance against expected KPIs, using available data and reports to explore and address any identified deficiencies.
• Provide training to engineering operations on manual recovery of machines, use of SCADA and fundamentals of PLC architecture and operation.
• Contribute to the control system aspects of documentation provided to site teams, providing details supporting their correct operation.

About You

• Experience developing software (preferably for industrial applications) using either C++, Java, Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 with structured text using OOP extension or another object-oriented programming language.
• Knowledge of object-oriented software design principals, software design patterns and development best practice.
• Knowledge of version control systems such as Git, including git-based web platforms such as GitHub or GitLab.

What We Offer

We believe in supporting our people with meaningful, flexible benefits that prioritise well-being and work-life balance. Here’s a snapshot of what you can expect:

• Time to recharge:25 days annual leave (rising to 27 after 5 years), plus the option to buy more – and 30 days a year to work from anywhere in the world.
• Health & wellbeing:Private Medical Insurance from your first month, wellbeing support through specialist apps and EAP, plus Income Protection and Life Assurance.
• Family-first policies:22 weeks paid maternity/primary carer leave and 6 weeks paid paternity leave (after qualifying period).
• Financial support:Pension with employer matching up to 7%, share schemes (Sharesave & BAYE), and interest-free loans for train tickets.
• Commuter perks:Cycle to Work Scheme and free shuttle buses to/from Hatfield and Welwyn Garden City stations.
• Exclusive discounts:15% off at Ocado.com with free delivery (starting in your first month).

Ocado Group is an equal opportunities employer and as such makes every effort to ensure that all potential employees are treated fairly and equally, regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, age, or disability or union membership status.

~Li-Hybrid