Industrial Automation Engineer Career Guide

1^st January, 2025.

In this post, we will see an overview of industrial automation engineer career guide.

Industrial automation is a very trending field since last few years and has gained an enormous market for many professionals. Once you have completed your course in this field and are a fresher or an experienced guy, many cycle changes occur in the lifespan of such engineers. It is important to look at them and take care so that they become an expert professional as they gain more and more experience. Not only skills, but there are many other things apart from them to consider. In this post, we will guide on the career of an industrial automation engineer.

·       What is industrial automation engineering?

Industrial automation is a field which deals in systems for automatically controlling an industrial process. There are numerous devices in them like PLC, HMI, SCADA, VFD, control panels, DCS, IoT (internet of things), and networking, which help in automating the whole process easily. Means, suppose there is a simple requirement of filling 100 bottles in a minute. Instead of doing this manually, machines are designed to automatically work on them. These machines are controlled by controllers which are programmed by engineers for working on them. And since last few years, not just machines, but they are also programming IT automation like cloud computing, workflows for software (which is a part of IoT) and networking devices. So, industrial automation is a very vast field today. On one side, some engineers program only industrial machineries (lower levels) and on the other side, some engineers program IT, networking and databases for IoT.

·       Which skills and education are required for an industrial automation engineer?

To qualify for working in industrial automation field, you need either a diploma or graduation in electrical, electronics or instrumentation engineering. These branches are fully related to industrial automation. The course mostly lasts for 3 months where you can study basic skills like PLC, HMI & SCADA programming, electrical panel troubleshooting, and VFD programming. Once done, freshers gain experience working in companies and then, they get opportunities to explore other advanced skills.

As of 2024, the skills can be summarised as follows for becoming an expert in industrial automation – PLC, SCADA, HMI, instruments understanding, VFD, electrical motors understanding, control panel understanding, industrial communication protocols, DCS, C++, Java, Python, VB, MQTT, robotics, UI/UX, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, machine learning, database management, reporting services, understanding EHS policies, safety systems, cloud computing and computer networking.

·       What does an industrial automation engineer do?

There are many roles and responsibilities which are covered by an industrial automation engineer. Let us have a look at each one of them one by one:

1.     He will program PLC, HMI, SCADA or DCS systems. These four are the core of an industrial automation controller or graphics system. Because controllers and graphical displays are required for an operator to operate an automated machine, the programming must be done efficiently and also ensured with minimal bugs. He will remain in continuous touch with customers and his internal concerned departments for proper update of the project.

2.     He will troubleshoot and check PLC, MCC, PCC, DCS electrical panels. This is because the automation components are housed inside them, and he needs to have a brief understanding of the electrical wiring done inside.

3.     He will code software languages like C++, Java, Python for writing scripts. They are extensively used in SCADA and other high-level platforms (including IoT).

4.     He will troubleshoot and check various instruments like sensors, actuators and other control elements placed in a plant. This is because every automated plant cannot function without control devices, and they are interfaced with controllers for signalling and control.

5.     They will handle large data through databases and interface them with SCADA or other high-level platforms. It can then be used for reporting, tracking data, alarms, trends, graphs, and pie charts.

6.     They will handle FAT and SAT procedures at factories and sites. Because if they are not done properly, then site commissioning will not be executed with full efficiency and output.

7.     They will ensure proper project documentation which has many parts like functional description, equipment list, operating manuals, interlocking list, and integration test procedures.

8.     Project managers will supervise the whole project by co-ordinating with various departments and achieve a goal to complete it on time. They will ensure that client relationships are maintained and also see that their colleagues are not overloaded with a project work or harassed by a customer. In short, they need to maintain a balance between their own team and their customers.

9.     They will stay up to date with emerging technologies in industrial automation and try to implement them in spare time or any designated time. This is very important for their growth.

10.  He will implement various industrial communication protocols according to the network system architecture of the project. This is because the devices are scattered in an industrial plant, and need to be interfaced with the main controller for efficient communication.

11.  He will fully ensure that the working environment of an industrial process is under EHS policy and he himself follows all the safety rules and regulations of a plant. This will see that the engineer is well versed with an industrial environment.

·       Expert tips for industrial automation professionals:

A robust understanding of an industrial automation project is a must for engineers to succeed. Likewise, I would like to share some of the experiences and tips which will help them improvise further.

1.     Always stay up to date with emerging technologies in industrial automation. Nowadays, various updates and systems are upcoming frequently. Make a schedule that you will check the market every month and read automation news whenever you get time. This will also help for sure in job cracking.

2.     Try to gain certificates in specialised skills dealing in cybersecurity, safety standards, networking, software coding, and IoT. I found these five skills are regularly updating and also finding great job demands. Special badges and expertise will reflect you as top candidate in the job market.

3.     Build a professional network on various platforms like GitHub, Reddit, and LinkedIn, and join them on discussions and forums. They all have professionals who share their experiences in every aspect and will help you in creating a strong network. When you are stuck in any issue, they will somehow help you get out of it. Try to attend various industrial seminars, exhibitions, workshops and conferences.

4.     Keep your personal egos and attitude at a side. It is all about learning, and you will not become small if you learn something from a junior. This aspect helps a lot in MNC’s or large-scale institutions. For example, there are three departments of project, engineering and research, each having it’s own automation engineer. If you are in engineering department, then don’t hesitate to interact or share views with engineers of other departments. Your work will get smoother and always try to maintain a limit when talking with various departments. Do not cross the line, but also ensure that your voice is reached when it can help in a successful project execution.

5.     Always read technical documentations and help files of a software before asking someone for help. You will surely solve the issue on your own. Also, in emergency situations where you cannot contact anyone, these skills will help you in getting out easily. And maintain a positive attitude; do not say that “I cannot do”, instead say as “I will try to do”.

6.     Embracing customer feedback is a must. Once you have programmed a machine and commissioned, some feedback will come from the client. Do not take as a personal issue, but take it as an area of improvement. Implement those changes in the next programs, and ensure that it is not repeated. A healthy client relationship helps to maintain a project and your work in a reliable way.

7.     Memorise or note down things on how you troubleshooted an issue. And always follow your positive instinct in solving the problem. Do what you know first and first check the testing yourself. Do not depend on others to solve your issue.

Industrial automation is at it’s peak right now and in the coming future, it will gain more popularity. Also currently, the pay scale of engineers and managers is very good and satisfying according to their experiences. Workforce in an industry is reducing and productivity is increasing. So, the future of industrial automation is bright, and will help industrial automation engineers gain a strong footprint in the market.

I have covered some important career guidelines for an industrial automation engineer. I have also not attempted to cover all the methods, as it can vary from programmer to programmer. Once you are familiar with this guide, you can easily tackle all types of problems in it.

Thank you for reading the post. I hope you liked it and will find a new way in this type of technology.