Senior control & automation engineer

Do you want to help build a company with the capacity to disrupt whole industries and take on environmental issues on a global scale? Do you want to join a purpose-driven engineering team tackling some of the world’s most critical challenges? Matter. is a VC backed Cleantech scale-up that develops industrial scale modular microplastic filtration systems. We have an opportunity for a Senior Control & Automation Engineer to establish and lead internal product development capability across industrial control systems and instrumentation, whilst leveraging data-driven insights from in-field products. This is a senior, hands-on engineering role, combining technical leadership with practical delivery. The role is based in Bristol, UK, with occasional travel to industrial customer sites to gain in-field experience and gather insights during commissioning and reliability troubleshooting. Job Title: Senior Control & Automation Engineer Location: Central Bristol - hybrid Salary Range: £49,410 - £71,370 per annum Matter. are innovators in water filtration, developing pioneering filtration technology to capture microplastics and cut carbon emissions. You will be working on some of the biggest challenges of our time, removing micropollutants from the world’s waterways. Through brilliant design thinking, powerful partners, and impatience to make what we do matter, our mission is to transform industries through technology that empowers customers and protects the planet. We pride ourselves on our amazing technology and passion for wanting to change things, but fundamentally what we are most proud of is our people. For us, people are everything. It’s what makes a company, not the mission written on the wall or the fancy building we work in. Our people represent us, our values and why we do what we do. The Opportunity In this role, you will play a key role in the development, delivery, and support of complex engineering systems. The role operates within a hybrid delivery model, where the engineer manages and directs external contractors and suppliers, while building and expanding internal capability. From the outset, the expectation is to lead technical direction, own supplier engagement and outputs, and drive the transition toward greater in-house ownership. Over time, this balance will shift toward a strong internal capability, with external partners used in a targeted and scalable way. This role sits at the intersection of internal engineering and external specialist suppliers, acting as the technical authority for industrial control systems. You will coordinate and direct external contractors, inform and shape technical decisions with internal leadership and progressively build in-house capability. Initially, you will focus on existing supplier-delivered control systems, supporting field deployments and establishing robust data acquisition and analysis to validate product performance, customer ROI, and enable predictive maintenance. Over time, you will take increasing ownership of control systems, architecture, supplier strategy, and next-generation product development. Key Responsibilities Role Progression & Development This role evolves through increasing ownership and technical depth across key capability areas: Industrial Controls & Automation Develop a deep understanding of existing supplier-delivered control systems. Lead next-generation design, taking ownership of controls architecture, PLC logic and HMI evolution. Define and standardise control architectures to support modular, repeatable deployment. Ultimately hold technical ownership of control system architecture across the full product portfolio. Hardware & Instrumentation Review and assess existing hardware and instrumentation selections and system designs. Lead next-generation design, including cost optimisation and standardisation of key components. Own hardware and instrumentation strategy, ensuring alignment with control philosophy and mechanical systems. Define component specifications, sizing approaches, and system-level design principles. Data Acquisition & Performance Establish data acquisition and analysis approaches to support commissioning, validation, and troubleshooting. Embed data-driven engineering practices to generate insights into performance, reliability, and customer ROI. Supplier & Contractor Management Act as the technical interface to suppliers, providing direction and challenging on key topics. Build a clear view of supplier capabilities, risks, and gaps to inform product development and production decisions. Shape and expand the supplier ecosystem to improve quality, cost, and scalability. Transition from supplier-led development toward a hybrid and then primarily in-house capability, with suppliers used strategically for scale and specialisation. Product Development & Continuous Improvement Act as the primary controls expert during field deployments, commissioning, and early-stage product stabilisation. Lead internal prototyping and development activities to enable faster iteration and validation. Establish standards, documentation, and engineering best practices for controls and automation. Play a key role in cross-disciplinary system design, working across controls and data domains. Build and grow internal capability, including mentoring and potential team development. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Your essential experience 8 or more years experience in industrial automation, process control systems, or mechatronics engineering Practical experience with PLC-based control systems (e.g. Siemens, Allen-Bradley, Beckhoff, or similar) Experience writing, reviewing and modifying existing PLC code and control logic in IEC 61131-3, Codesys etc Knowledge of control system architecture and control philosophy development Hands-on experience with industrial systems, installations, or commissioning Strong understanding of industrial instrumentation and control (sensors, actuators, motors, drives, industry 4.0) Experience working with external suppliers or contractors in a technical capacity Ability to analyse operational data to support engineering decisions Comfortable working in a multidisciplinary team alongside mechanical engineers Experience with HMI or SCADA systems Experience with data analysis tools (e.g. Python, or similar) and dashboarding Familiarity with industrial communication protocols Experience specifying or reviewing control system hardware and panel designs Exposure to functional safety concepts and safe-state design Knowledge of industrial electrical systems (e.g. three-phase equipment) Your desirable experience Experience in water treatment or similar industry Working in international locations with knowledge of regional electrical requirements and standards Application and requirements of control systems in external environments 18th Edition certified Your qualifications Degree in Control Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Integrated Engineering, or a related discipline. Benefits Flexible working environment, with core hours of 09:30-16:00 and hybrid working available, based at our central Bristol HQ Annual Leave – 26 days public holidays entitlement will increase with length of service, 1 day for every year up to 32 days pa 1 extra day of leave to celebrate you on your birthday Ability to swap up to 3 Bank Holidays in a year for days of cultural or religious significance Enhanced family leave (maternity & paternity) - 13 weeks full pay (maternity) or 4 weeks full pay (paternity) - available for those who have worked continuously for 26 weeks by the end of the Qualifying Week Sick Pay - Short Term Sickness is full pay for 10 days in any 12-month rolling period / Long Term Sickness is full pay for any instance of a consecutive period of sickness longer than a week (7 consecutive days) up to 13 weeks. Pension scheme (Aviva) – 5% employer contribution Private Medical Insurance (BUPA) – you and your family (Level 1 cover) Medical Cash Plan (SimplyHealth) - you and your family (Level 1 cover) Critical Illness Cover (Zurich) - after 13 weeks of Illness 75% of wages paid up to 5 years Dental Plan (BUPA) – you and your family (Level 1 cover) Life Assurance (Zurich) - one-off payment of 2 times your annual salary to next of kin Virtual GP Employee Assistance Programme Onsite kitchen, dining, breakout areas & healthy snacks Monthly lunch clubs Regular team events and parties On-site parking for bicycles and cars Cycle to work scheme Ethical discounts through Lumina Training & Development support incl. 5% of contractual hours used for self-development Professional membership - one per year where relevant to role The global mission to achieve cleaner water can’t wait, so neither should you! Apply today! What to expect After acknowledging your application, we will update you on the next stage of your hiring journey with Matter within 48 hrs. At Matter, we believe that representation is crucial, and we are committed to creating a more inclusive organisation. We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates, as we are dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a voice. We know that with increased diversity in our organisation, we can achieve even more.