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(Automation Technician, Controls Technician, Automated Systems Technician, Instrumentation & Control Technician)
Engineering & Manufacturing
Salary
€32,000 - €58,000/yr
Level
Professional
Outlook
Growing
Sector
Engineering & Manufacturing
As an Automation Engineering Technician you install, programme, test, and maintain the computer-controlled systems that keep automated production lines running efficiently. You work with programmable logic controllers (PLCs), industrial robots, sensors, and control systems, ensuring that machinery operates safely and within quality standards. Your daily tasks include reading engineering drawings, setting up machine controls, recording test data, and troubleshooting faults on automated equipment. You collaborate closely with automation engineers, quality assurance teams, and production staff to support continuous improvement projects and minimise downtime. This role is common in Ireland's pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and medical device manufacturing sectors.
Listen: a day as an Automation Engineering Technician
You arrive at the pharmaceutical manufacturing plant just outside Limerick at 7:30 a.m., sign in at the security gate, and head straight to the technicians' room to pull up the overnight shift report. A sensor fault on one of the filling-line PLCs — programmable logic controllers, the industrial computers that run the automated equipment — has been flagged, and the line is running at reduced speed. You grab your laptop, safety glasses, and steel-toe boots before heading onto the production floor. By 8:00 a.m. you are at the control cabinet, connecting your laptop to the PLC via the programming software to read the fault log. You trace the problem to a proximity sensor that detects whether bottles are correctly positioned. You swap out the faulty sensor, recalibrate it against the engineering drawing pinned to the cabinet door, and run a series of test cycles to confirm the line is back within specification. You log every step in the site's computerised maintenance management system before the line restarts at full speed around 9:15 a.m.
A strong Leaving Certificate with subjects such as Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, and Applied Maths provides a solid foundation for this career. The most direct route is a Level 6 Higher Certificate or Level 7 Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical, Mechanical, Automation, or Mechatronics Engineering, available at technological universities such as TU Dublin, ATU, MTU, SETU, and TUS. PLC courses and QQI Level 5 or 6 awards in Electrical Technology or Engineering Technology offered through ETBs and Colleges of Further Education can also provide a pathway into the role. SOLAS-registered apprenticeships in Electrical or Instrumentation offer an earn-and-learn alternative that leads to a recognised NFQ award and strong practical competency. Continuing professional development through Engineers Ireland and vendor-specific PLC and automation certifications (such as those from Siemens or Rockwell Automation) is common in the sector.
Most technicians begin in a junior or technician support role within a manufacturing facility, often after completing a Higher Certificate or an apprenticeship, and gain hands-on experience with site-specific automation systems. With a few years of experience, you can progress to a Senior Automation Technician position, taking on greater responsibility for complex systems, validation work, and mentoring newer staff. Further study, such as a Level 7 or Level 8 degree in Mechatronics or Automation Engineering, can open the door to moving into an Automation Engineer or Controls Engineer role. From there, progression to Automation Lead, Engineering Manager, or Project Engineering roles is achievable, particularly within multinational pharmaceutical or medical device companies.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning tools are increasingly being integrated into automated production systems, enabling predictive maintenance that can flag equipment faults before they cause downtime — a task that technicians will need to interpret and act upon rather than perform manually. AI-driven monitoring platforms can analyse sensor data continuously, shifting some routine inspection work towards exception management and system oversight. However, the hands-on skills required to physically install, calibrate, and repair automated equipment remain firmly in human hands and are not easily replicated by AI. Technicians who develop competency in data analytics and AI-enabled control systems will be well positioned to advance their careers as the manufacturing sector becomes increasingly digitised.
→ Automation Engineering Technician (Current role)
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Apprenticeship4 year • Tech & Engineering
Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.
Leixlip, Co. Kildare
Maintain and programme automated systems in semiconductor fabrication plant
Galway, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Support PLC-controlled automated lines producing medical devices
Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork; Newbridge, Co. Kildare
Install and troubleshoot automated pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment
Tralee, Co. Kerry; Nationwide
Maintain PLC and robotics systems on food production lines
Clonmel, Co. Tipperary; Sligo
Programme and maintain automated diagnostics and device assembly systems
Kilkenny; Nationwide
Support automated control systems across dairy processing facilities
Killarney, Co. Kerry
Test and commission automated control systems in crane manufacturing
Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork
Operate and maintain automated pharmaceutical production and packaging lines
Monaghan, Co. Monaghan
Programme and maintain robotic welding and automated assembly systems
Raheen, Co. Limerick
Maintain automated bioprocessing and fill-finish manufacturing equipment
Dublin and Nationwide
Design, install and commission PLC and SCADA automation solutions
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