Control systems engineer

As a control systems engineer, you will be responsible for the design and installation of a control system, which checks that industrial and manufacturing machinery is working accurately, safely and efficiently. You will play a vital role in the manufacturing process.

Also known as:

• Control and instrumentation engineer

Work activities

As a control systems engineer, you will be responsible for the design and installation of a control system, which checks that industrial and manufacturing machinery is working accurately, safely and efficiently. For example, you might be working on a control system which makes sure that a certain piece of machinery cannot function unless the correct safety guards are being used. Other examples include measuring temperatures in jet engines, and the flow of oil or gas in pipelines.

You will need great IT skills, including programming, as the control systems you operate will use specialist hardware and software. When designing a control system, you will need an in-depth understanding of the area your system will be operating in. This is likely to involve talking to staff currently operating the equipment, and perhaps the engineers who designed it. Once a system is installed, and you have successfully carried out performance tests, you’ll train staff how to use the system and to deal with any problems that may arise.  You will also be responsible developing training manuals, and a knowledge base of known technical and support issues. You will often be working as part of a team, often consisting of engineers from many different disciplines.

Personal qualities and skills

As a control systems engineer, you need:

• IT skills, including programming – particularly in control systems software.
• Network design skills and knowledge of engineering systems.
• System testing skills.
• To be willing to keep up to date with advances in technology in this fast-changing area.
• The ability to work to strict deadlines.

You may need to explain technical and complex ideas clearly, so that non-technical people can understand. You might have responsibility for teams of engineering technicians, so the ability to motivate and encourage others will be an advantage. You may be asked to carry-out several different tasks at the same time, and so you will need to prioritise. You will need to work carefully with the staff who currently operate the machinery, in order to fully understand the process and devise the best control system.

Pay and opportunities

According to jobs board Glassdoor a control systems engineer, you could earn in the range of £33,000 to £48,000 per year (based on 133 salaries).

You will most likely work a typical full-time week, Monday to Friday. Occasional late finishes and weekend work may be required.

Employers include manufacturing firms in the following industries:

• Aerospace.
• Automotive.
• Building services.
• Construction.
• Electrical.
• Manufacturing.

Opportunities occur with employers in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local/national newspapers, trade industry publications, and on the Government’s Find a Job service. Vacancies can also be found through specialist engineering recruitment agencies, internet job boards and the websites of professional engineering bodies.

Entry routes and training 

You study a relevant degree or HNC/HND at university. You will learn some of the skills, techniques and technologies, that employers need. Alternatively, you could do a degree apprenticeship as a control systems engineer, undertaking most of your training on the job, while studying towards relevant qualifications at university.

Depending on their qualification, control systems engineers can progress by taking on more responsibility for the management of engineering projects and teams of engineers.

Some engineers choose to become self-employed or take contract work on a freelance basis.

Qualifications

To enter a relevant degree course, the usual requirements are:

• Two to three A-levels.
• GCSEs in your A level subjects at grades 9-4
• A further two to three GCSEs at grades 9-4.
• English, maths and a science subject are usually required at GCSE at grades 9-4.

To take a degree apprenticeship, you will need two relevant A-levels/equivalent as well as GCSEs in English and maths.

Alternatives to A-levels include the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you don’t have the qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course (e.g. Access to Engineering) could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges. A few colleges and universities offer courses and degrees in Instrumentation/Control Engineering through part-time study.

Information on pathways to registration as a Chartered (CEng) or Incorporated (IEng) Engineer can be found on the Engineering Council’s website.

Sponsorship for higher education study in control and instrumentation engineering may be available from the larger engineering and manufacturing companies.

Funding for postgraduate courses may be available through universities from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

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