With the growing adoption of technologies like ChatGPT taking the working world by storm over the first few months of 2023, discussions of automation are becoming commonplace. Industrial automation, however, has been reshaping manufacturing jobs for several years. The skilled professionals in these fields are ushering in software and processes that will revolutionise all industries.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are helping to streamline manufacturing jobs, and leaders in industrial automation companies are responding to technological innovation by creating new roles that can leverage the advances that will improve yields, speed and quality whilst reducing costs.
The manufacturing and automation engineering market is expected to reach $395 billion by the decade's end. Several lucrative roles within the sector are helping implement lean manufacturing techniques and intelligent process automation associated with “industry 4.0” initiatives and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
In this article, we’ll explore industrial automation and how technological advances have driven the historical innovations that have reshaped manufacturing jobs. We’ll then discuss five of the most popular industrial automation and manufacturing jobs in 2023 and advise readers on preparing for a career in those specialisms.
What is Industrial Automation
The fourth industrial revolution is well underway, with breakthroughs in robotics, the life sciences, computing and artificial intelligence leading to the increasingly widespread adoption of automation and advanced communication technologies.
Industrial automation, in short, involves developing and implementing computer software, robotics and lean manufacturing techniques, which enable increased productivity and quality control, flexibility and resiliency when responding to supply chain disruption and reducing long-term costs.
Automation allows for a reduction in errors and waste since robotic technologies can more precisely carry out complex tasks and increase safety across the board as employees are no longer required to work in hazardous conditions in which they may be exposed to risks from other machines, particulate matter such as aerosolised paint or machining debris, or dangerous chemicals and equipment.
These advanced manufacturing techniques are often associated with a high initial investment as industrial automation companies are contracted to analyse inefficiencies, implement solutions, train staff to operate new equipment, and conduct safety assessments.
Industry 4.0 is the latest in a historical progression of industrial revolutions that have reshaped manufacturing jobs by leading to transitions in how products are developed, produced and distributed.
5 Popular Industrial Automation and Manufacturing Jobs in 2023
Industrial automation is leading to an increase in the complexity of engineering and manufacturing jobs, with many entering these fields expected to hold niche skills. Industry bodies such as the Institution of Mechanical Engineers have discussed how the advanced engineering employees of the future will need communication skills and a commitment to upskilling and life-long learning to succeed in their careers.
With manufacturing jobs making up 8% of the United States workforce and 11% of the country’s GDP, business leaders are also asking what we need to do to prepare the existing workforce for the ways in which traditional roles will be disrupted.
Many roles that have developed due to these advances are amongst the most lucrative in the engineering sector. Still, it can be easier for candidates to recognise the diversity of automation and manufacturing jobs with the in-depth knowledge of sector experts.
Due to this, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most forward-thinking positions in advanced engineering. These roles will be involved in creating the intelligent process automation and lean manufacturing techniques that will define Industry 4.0.
Semiconductor Engineer
A semiconductor engineer is responsible for designing and building semiconductor-powered technologies. Semiconductors are at the foundation of many electronics that progress lives everywhere, from the computer or mobile device you’re reading this article on to the life-saving medical devices and equipment found throughout the clinical and surgical environment.
With the production of 2nm (nanometer) MOSFETs on the immediate horizon, semiconductor engineers are at the forefront of delivering increased computing performance for industries as diverse as eCommerce, consumer electronics, defence and the public sector.
What Does a Semiconductor Engineer Do?
Working across the private and public sectors, semiconductor engineers are responsible for a number of duties in their day-to-day work:
- Designing and developing new semiconductor technologies and implementations for these semiconductors, including software and interfaces
- Analysing, troubleshooting and resolving software incompatibilities
- Communicating with key internal and external stakeholders to assess needs and manage expectations
- Writing data-driven reports and maintaining records, as well as producing specification documents
- Evaluating processes and workflows and suggesting improvements that will increase efficiency and productivity
Semiconductor engineering is an example of one of the manufacturing jobs that enables the technological and digital advances which are powering the fourth industrial revolution. These experts are based in advanced manufacturing environments, with clean-room-level requirements to ensure no contamination of the silicon wafers which make up the average semiconductor.
Semiconductor Engineer Salary and Career Prospects
Experienced semiconductor engineers will typically specialise in areas such as integrated circuit design and testing, ASIC design or process engineering, with several universities offering industry-recognised postgraduate courses in compound semiconductors and electrical engineering.
At the entry level, semiconductor engineers earn an average salary of around £42,000, while experience and additional responsibilities will increase to around £60,000 per year.
How to Become a Semiconductor Engineer
Becoming a semiconductor engineer requires candidates to possess strong skills in mathematics and a logical outlook towards their work. Many engineers who enter the semiconductor manufacturing environment will have an undergraduate degree in a related field, such as electrical engineering, applied physics and computer or materials science.
In many countries, semiconductor engineers must also hold professional accreditation and licensing. There is the expectation that experts working in this sector will commit to continuous professional development opportunities as they arise, with additional accreditations and industry-recognised certificates becoming available after reaching certain career milestones, often measured in years of experience.
Field Systems Engineer
Field systems engineers provide on-site customer support and maintenance, helping implement automation technologies and equipment across various manufacturing and process-driven environments.
These professionals collect performance data and client feedback to implement adjustments to improve system efficiencies, production yields and employee safety. These field systems engineers are often split into three categories, depending on their area of expertise:
- Computer systems engineers develop the computer systems and infrastructure which enable their clients to carry out their work, from user interfaces to control manufacturing processes to inventory management systems for eCommerce and logistics companies
- Product systems engineers are tasked with employing mechanical engineering principles to design new products or improve existing offerings and are also known as development engineers
- Biosystems engineers develop waste treatment technologies, food processing equipment and sustainable solutions to problems within the agricultural, environmental and food science industries
What Does a Field Systems Engineer Do?
The role and duties of a field systems engineer depend on which area they specialise in. However, there are many similar responsibilities shared between the sub-categories outlined above, including:
- Overseeing the development of new systems and manufacturing processes and helping to implement these by liaising with significant stakeholders and employees at all levels of seniority
- Testing and maintaining new systems, identifying issues that could impact system efficiency or output and designing solutions that minimise downtime
- Collecting and parsing performance-related data to create analytics and reports for clients and internal management or board-level employees to evidence the value of new systems
- Planning and project management duties, including identifying and allocating all the resources that will be necessary to implement and continually maintain new systems
Field systems engineers are, by their name, involved in travelling to the site in which the systems they work will be implemented. However, they’ll often work alongside office-based systems engineers to design and plan new processes.
Field Systems Engineer Salary and Career Prospects
Choosing to enter a field systems engineer career offers many exciting opportunities for advancement, particularly for the ambitious candidates that are seeking chartered status with an institutional body. Many field systems engineers will go on to specialise in a specific sub-discipline, such as computer systems or manufacturing processes.
An average field systems engineer will earn around £41,000 annually, whilst experienced engineers working in the sector typically achieve salaries over £60,000, particularly if they specialise in a sector niche or offer consulting services.
How to Become a Field Systems Engineer
Becoming a field systems engineer requires candidates to have at least an undergraduate degree in a related area, whether that is mechanical or electrical engineering, computer science, or applied physics. Whilst a BEng degree will enable graduates to pursue technician-level roles, those seeking seniority and additional responsibilities will require a Master’s-level qualification in an area such as engineering management, process systems or advanced control engineering.
Alongside the academic requirements, field systems engineers need to possess strong communication skills since they’ll find themselves called on-site to investigate issues and implement solutions. A history of interdisciplinary collaboration will also set candidates apart since field systems engineers will often find themselves working alongside other specialists in computing or manufacturing to develop new processes.
Automation Project Manager
The role of the automation project manager is business-critical. As the point of contact for all professionals working on a specific aspect of an automation engineering project, they need the time-served experience to understand the short and long-term needs of complex engineering work.
Project managers are responsible for ensuring that work remains within budgetary constraints. Resources must be in place for all employees to carry out their jobs and guarantee that work is delivered on time and to high quality. Automation project managers will be meticulous and organised in all aspects of their careers.
What Does an Automation Project Manager Do?
Automation project managers will understand the many different requirements of complex engineering projects and how to facilitate the work of all of the professionals who will be involved from the design phase to ongoing product maintenance. They’ll often be tasked with the following:
- Communicating project timescales, delays and budgets with clients
- Overseeing the planning, design, development, scheduling and staffing of various automation projects and managing client expectations
- Ensuring that vendors and suppliers are paid on time for project-critical materials and equipment
- Collecting and analysing data for internal and external reporting purposes
- Maintaining adequate staffing levels and recognising training opportunities for employees
Automation project managers typically split their time between an office environment and on-site visits, particularly in the later stages of an automation project where their expertise and oversight may be required.
Automation Project Manager Salary and Career Prospects
Project management experts will often seek the professional qualifications and additional training offered by organisations such as the Association for Project Management and Chartered Management Institute, particularly if they’ve achieved chartered status with an engineering body. As a result, ambitious candidates will often progress into programme management or director-level roles, taking charge of the long-term strategy and planning for their organisations.
The average salary for an automation project manager in 2023 is around £55,000, although some senior project management roles can offer experienced engineers around £90,000 in certain specialisms.
How to Become an Automation Project Manager
Automation project managers will typically have a background in an area related to industrial automation, whether that’s mechanical, electrical or process engineering or computer science. They’ll also often possess several years of experience in an engineering environment, with some time spent as a manager. This experience is integral for a project manager since they’ll guide and coordinate teams of technicians, contractors, designers and other specialists.
PLC Programmer
PLCs—programmable logic controllers—are industrial computers which have been developed to provide non-stop uptime and resiliency for manufacturing systems, from the life sciences sector to the automotive and consumer electronics industries.
Electrical engineering and IT contracting organisations often employ the programmers that work on these systems to identify areas for improvement in their clients’ manufacturing equipment. As these PLCs become more complex, the role of the PLC programmer has increasingly been to discover and implement artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to provide more fine-grained automation of manufacturing processes.
What Does a PLC Programmer Do?
The duties and responsibilities of a PLC programmer will often depend on the environment they’re working in or contracting for. However, most of their placements and projects will see them carrying out similar tasks, such as the following:
- Designing control and regulation software for industrial manufacturing machinery and assembly lines
- Conducting on-site and remote fault diagnostics to resolve issues
- The “visualisation” of processes and interoperability to discover areas where efficiencies can be found
- Ensuring all equipment can work with minimum downtime through the development of fault-tolerant systems which comply with industry best practices, such as IEC 61131-3
- Analysing and implementing security measures in response to the risks of cyberattacks which increase as PLCs become part of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), such as the Stuxnet computer worm
As manufacturing organisations worldwide look to benefit from the speed and efficiency gains of intelligent process automation, PLC programmers will be required to retrofit existing PLCs and design new logic controllers that leverage technological innovations such as cloud computing and machine learning.
PLC Programmer Salary and Career Prospects
A PLC programmer will typically progress into advanced controls or automation engineering roles as they gain experience and seniority, specialising in managing a manufacturing control system project. The skillset required for PLC programming makes these professionals the ideal candidates for technical directorship roles, such as the position of engineering or technical director.
The average salary for PLC programmers is around £34,000. With experience and additional skills, however, PLC programmers can earn around £43,000.
How to Become a PLC Programmer
Most employers will expect PLC programmers to hold postgraduate degrees in a sector related to manufacturing, such as electrical or mechanical engineering, or an IT-related qualification in a field like computer science. Candidates will have to evidence their skills in writing fault-tolerant software and understanding their clients' needs across the diverse manufacturing sectors, so it’s necessary to develop strong communication abilities.
Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
Advanced manufacturing engineers work across all engineering disciplines, from the automotive industry to consumer electronics, to implement the latest technological developments into their products and automation technologies into their workflows.
They’re responsible for taking ownership of the manufacturing process throughout all project stages, performing data-driven evaluations of areas where efficiency gains could be made and communicating these insights to external and internal stakeholders.
What Does an Advanced Manufacturing Engineer Do?
Advanced manufacturing engineers are responsible for ensuring the organisations they work for are taking advantage of the speed and productivity benefits of the latest technological innovations. This sees them working in any area where manufacturing jobs can be found across several industrial environments. As such, their day-to-day tasks are diverse:
- Researching and developing automation technologies and advanced manufacturing equipment
- Project management duties related to improving processes, with an aim to minimise cost, downtime and disruption
- Analysing data and preparing reports and analytics to communicate to internal and external stakeholders
- Providing troubleshooting services for all manufacturing issues
- Training employees in advanced engineering techniques and methodologies
As experts in the latest developments in manufacturing, advanced manufacturing engineers can assist business leaders in making company-critical decisions surrounding updates to manufacturing processes.
Advanced Manufacturing Engineer Salary and Career Prospects
Advanced manufacturing engineers are likely to progress into roles such as technology directorships or chief technology officer-level positions, where they’ll become responsible for guiding their organisations' vision and long-term strategy. Many will also go into business for themselves as freelance consultants, supporting organisations across every sector with their manufacturing expertise.
The average salary of an advanced manufacturing engineer will typically hover around £45,000, though taking on additional responsibilities and management duties will see this figure rise to around £60,000.
How to Become an Advanced Manufacturing Engineer
Becoming an advanced manufacturing engineer will require candidates to gain the time-served experience to demonstrate their ability to guide long-term manufacturing strategy for an organisation. As a result, they’ll often be senior engineers with postgraduate-level qualifications in an area such as electrical, mechanical or automotive engineering and accreditation with a governing body in the industry.
Candidates can prepare themselves for an advanced manufacturing engineer career by gaining an undergraduate degree in a field like the ones mentioned above or in chemical engineering or process engineering, which will enable them to find entry-level positions in which they can progress into an AME role.
An Advanced Engineering Recruiter Progressing Lives Everywhere
At Amoria Bond, our team of advanced engineering recruitment consultants are committed to progressing lives everywhere through their award-winning talent and executive search services. They have an international network and can connect your organisation with the professionals that will empower your automation efforts. To learn more, explore our advanced engineering page, or contact us to discuss your needs.
