Job Description

Research and Development Engineer

Wafer have been manufacturing and supplying ice cream cones and ice cream related products for 35+ years.

We are seeking a multi-skilled engineer with a strong knowledge of electrical, electronic, and mechanical maintenance with IT skills including CAD /CAM systems.

This role will involve developing and embedding a new Smart Manufacturing Process for Wafer Ltd. Using IoT, SCADA, cobotics, digital twins, and automation, the Associate will create a digitally enabled, high-efficiency production system capable of 24/7 operation. The role is central to Wafer Ltd's strategic transformation into a low-labour, high-output manufacturer with full product traceability and responsiveness to retail market demands.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Research and Development

1.1 Manage and co-ordinate the items of work as laid out in the project plan. 1.2 Develop a full operational baseline ("as-is" state) of Wafer Ltd's current production systems and processes. 1.3 Carry out research into the company's operations, market requirements, and customer expectations within the retail supply chain. 1.4 Evaluate current manufacturing systems for opportunities in IoT, SCADA/MES, horizontal and vertical operations, safety engineering, cobotics, and automation. 1.5 Research and assess Industry 4.0 technologies and best practice in smart manufacturing to introduce to Wafer Ltd, presenting findings to the project team. 1.6 Investigate the use of digital twin technology to model production processes and simulate performance improvements. 1.7 Develop a SWOT analysis of current operational systems and identify gaps for digital transformation and automation transformation. 1.8 Work with academic supervisors to propose a new Smart Manufacturing Process and gain agreement from the Wafer Ltd project team. 1.9 Undertake training on newly selected digital manufacturing technologies to support their introduction into the company. 1.10 Select and implement pilot projects to test IoT-enabled monitoring, cobotics, and automation solutions. 1.11 Present findings and recommendations from pilot projects to the project management team. 1.12 Prepare Wafer Ltd to transition to a digitally enabled, automated manufacturing system. 1.13 Prepare an evaluation report from the first live project and present to management. 1.14 Deliver live smart manufacturing projects within Wafer Ltd. 1.15 Develop training manuals, standard operating procedures, and integration guidelines for new digital systems. 1.16 Develop and implement a staff training programme to embed digital manufacturing processes. 1.17 Establish procedures for updating digital systems and introducing new technologies into production.

2. Planning and Organising

2.1 Plan day-to-day activity within the framework of the agreed work plan. 2.2 Contribute to the planning and management of the project, approximately 3-6 months in advance. 2.3 Ensure that all training and development activity is scheduled to ensure progress on the work plan objectives is not interrupted or delayed.

3. Resource Management Responsibilities

3.1 Plan and manage day-to-day resources to ensure the project runs to time and on budget. 3.2 Coordinate and obtain approval for planned expenditure/allocation of resources with the Management Committee and Steering Group. 3.3 Ensure that all parties are kept informed of forthcoming expenditure.

4 .Internal and External Relationship

4.1 Liaise with company staff on a daily basis. 4.2 Build relationships with both company and college staff to ensure effective working practices are established. 4.3 Attend and contribute to appropriate meetings, both in the company and the college, as required. 4.4 Develop relationships with suppliers and clients (existing and new) to support the development of the KTP project and Wafer Ltd. 4.5 Establish contacts with additional groups and organisations as required to develop knowledge and understanding and form relationships for future collaboration.

5. General

5.1 Comply with and actively promote Company policies and procedures on all aspects of equality. 5.2 Ensure full compliance with Health and Safety requirements and legislation in accordance with Company policies and procedures. 5.3 Ensure full compliance with the Company's quality assurance systems and procedures in accordance with College policies and procedures. 5.4 Undertake any other duties as required by the Company relating to R&D jobs within the factory's manufacturing premises. The list of duties is not exhaustive. The postholder will be expected to undertake other relevant duties in order to meet any changing operational requirements

The Person

Essential

Numeracy/Literacy - Tertiary level Education Have at least a Level 5 qualification in Smart Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Automation Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related discipline Demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, experience using 3D CAD tools (e.g. SolidWorks, Fusion 360) 3 Demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, experience of PLC programming, sensor integration, and data acquisition Applicants should note that the above criteria are the minimum requirements only and Appropriate city & ANPD Guilds and/or NVQ3 Qualification or equivalent in electrical engineering coupled with strong mechanical skills along with 3-5 years industry experience Adept at using MS Office Suite - Microsoft Word and Excel packages Valid Driving license Previous experience within a maintenance role, preferably food industry. Good working knowledge of single/ 3 phase electrical installations and equipment. Experience with pneumatics and hydraulics.- Ability to diagnose faults on electrical control circuits, general electrical, electronic, mechanical, and pneumatic equipment Have the ability and experience to setup and program motor inverters and various control gear including temperature controllers, counters, metal detectors, weighers, mixers and timers. Comfortable reading and interpreting mechanical, electronic, and electrical drawing.

Desirable:

Degree/Diploma in Engineering - electrical, mechanical or electronics FMCG Manufacturing Experience Background in Plastics SAGE / PowerBI experience/knowledge HAACP and Process Flow Management Fabrication skills i.e. tig welding IT skills, especially involving CAD/CAM and AI Robotics Demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, one years employment experience in an engineering, manufacturing or CAD design role Demonstrate on the application form, by providing personal and specific examples, experience using digital twin technologies or simulation software

People who are effective are likely to....

Understand and apply technology to achieve efficient and effective business and personal results Take initiative to suggest ideas for improvements, sharing this feedback with others in a constructive manner Conduct regular reviews of what and who is required to make a project/activity successful and make on-going improvements Put aside preconceptions and consider new ideas on their own merits Help colleagues, customers and corporate partners to understand changes and why they have been introduced Identify, resolve or escalate the positive and negative effects that change may have on own role/team Demonstrate interest in others and develop a range of contacts outside own team to help get the job done Actively encourage team working, changing ways of working to facilitate collaboration for the benefit of the team's work Proactively seek information, resources and support from others outside own immediate team in order to help achieve results Readily identify opportunities to share knowledge, information and learning and make progress by working with colleagues Listen attentively to others and check their understanding by asking questions Take responsibility for creating a working environment that encourages equality, diversity and inclusion Methodical approach to solving problems Good time management skills Excellent communication skills Be highly motivated

Benefits

Competitive rates of pay Job security Personal Development and Extensive Training Fast moving dynamic environment Market leading products Career progression opportunities Profit Share Scheme (Bonus) if annual targets are met. Cycle to Work Scheme Electrical car charging on site at concessional rates Wednesday Free Bun Day Friday early closure for personal well being
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: 31,000.00-35,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Canteen Casual dress Company events Cycle to work scheme Employee mentoring programme Free parking On-site parking Profit sharing
Ability to commute/relocate:

Derry BT48 8SE: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Experience:

Maintenance: 3 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person