Salary: £13,000 - 127,500 per year Requirements: At least 2 years experience working in an IT role within a manufacturing environment. Experienced in troubleshooting and fault fixing OT hardware issues along with the installation and support of new devices. Familiar with basic network concepts and different communication protocols. Good manufacturing process understanding. Good analytical skills with the ability to translate business requirements into functional specifications. Good knowledge and understanding of supply systems. Good IT skills, including operating systems knowledge and basic database and file manipulation skills. Successfully demonstrate delivery of small / medium IT Projects. Communicate effectively to colleagues at different levels. Ability to join an on-call rota (1 in 5). Responsibilities: Provide 1st line support for all production control manufacturing systems and line control OT hardware, taking ownership of issues until resolution. Diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve OT hardware issues, including the installation of replacement components. Ensure robust line control OT asset support processes are in place, including backup processes and spares management. Assist IT teams in successful installation of new assets in line with Engineering project timelines. Analyze business requirements and create functional specifications; document potential opportunities. Collaborate with internal teams and 3rd party OEMs to deliver support and proactive maintenance of existing assets. Serve as the key business contact and subject matter expert for operational manufacturing processes. Ensure all work aligns with Howdens project methodology. Provide out-of-hours support on a weekly rota, ensuring faults are fixed within system SLAs. Document processes and systems, including user guides and disaster recovery documents. Work closely with continuous improvement and operational teams to research and develop potential improvement activities or processes. Technologies: Hardware Support Network Embedded More: Howdens has a new opportunity for a Manufacturing IT Systems Engineer to provide expert knowledge of manufacturing hardware, control systems, and processes. This full-time permanent role is based onsite 5 days a week at our Runcorn office, which is presently undergoing an exciting £100 million factory and warehouse expansion, increasing the sites size by 40%. We offer a competitive salary, an annual company bonus, an excellent pension scheme, 25 days of holiday bank holidays with an option to buy additional days, staff discounts, and an Employee Assistance Programme. Join us and be part of our rewarding organisation, recognised for excellence in the workplace. last updated 17 week of 2026