Position: Plant and Automation Engineering Head
Location: Gurugram
️ Working Days: Monday to Friday
Experience Required: 8-15 years
Job Description
Plant & Automation Engineering Head
Job Purpose
To lead the installation, commissioning and stabilisation of the new automated high-speed lines (200+ units per minute per machine) arriving from Q4 2026, and thereafter to own their day-to-day production performance, maintenance and quality. The role heads a dedicated line team within the existing plant and works directly with the promoters, the European equipment OEM and the company’s overseas operations.
Key Responsibilities
- Project & site readiness: Prepare the line area within the existing plant - layout, power distribution and panels, compressed air, clean-room area, material flow and storage. Coordinate civil / electrical contractors and statutory approvals (factory licence amendments, electrical inspectorate, fire NOC as applicable).
- Erection & commissioning: Lead unloading, positioning, erection and Site Acceptance Test (SAT) with OEM engineers; attend Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) at the OEM works in Europe as required. Drive ramp-up to rated speed and target efficiency (85%+ OEE).
- Production: Own daily output, OEE, changeovers (paper, folding and product specification), rejection and wastage norms. Set up a 3-shift / 7-day running structure with shift in-charges.
- Maintenance: Establish the preventive and predictive maintenance schedule, critical spares list and inventory, and breakdown response. Manage AMC / service relationship with the OEM and local vendors.
- Quality: Implement in-line QC on product geometry, fold, fill and paper; manage customer production-sample approvals and root-cause analysis (CAPA) on rejections and complaints.
- Downstream packing: Run product-to-case packing (manual initially); specify, procure and commission a cartoner and end-of-line automation in the next phase.
- Team building: Recruit, train and roster technicians, operators and fitters for the new lines. Prepare SOPs, work instructions, safety and 5S / housekeeping standards from day one.
- MIS & reporting: Daily / weekly production, downtime and cost-per-unit MIS to the promoters; support decisions on additional machines and expansion.
- Knowledge transfer: Document commissioning learnings, machine settings and SOPs so that the company’s overseas site can replicate them; support that team remotely and on site when required.
Candidate Profile
- B.E. / B.Tech (Mechanical / Mechatronics / Production / Industrial) with 8-15 years in high-speed automated manufacturing - tobacco / cigarette, tea bag, paper converting, packaging, FMCG or pharma.
- Must have personally handled erection and commissioning of at least one imported high-speed line, from FAT / SAT through ramp-up and stabilisation.
- Hands-on with PLCs, servo drives, pneumatics, and reading OEM mechanical / electrical drawings; comfortable troubleshooting on the shop floor.
- Proven experience building and leading a shop-floor team, framing SOPs and running multi-shift operations.
- Strong on numbers - OEE, cost per unit, downtime analysis and payback.
- Willing to travel abroad (Europe for acceptance testing, USA for cross-site support), approximately 10-20%; valid passport required.
- Fluent in English and Hindi; Punjabi / local language an advantage.
Desirable
- Experience on high-speed rod, wrap or fold machinery from a major European OEM (tobacco / cigarette, tea bag, filter, paper straw or similar lines).
- Cartoner and end-of-line packaging automation.
- Clean-room / GMP environment experience.
- Direct dealing with European OEMs for AMC, spares and upgrades.
- Exposure to lean manufacturing, TPM or Six Sigma.
Key Result Areas (KRAs)
- New lines commissioned and running at rated speed within the agreed schedule.
- OEE of 85%+ sustained after stabilisation; rejection and wastage within norms.
- Preventive maintenance compliance and critical spares availability.
- Line team recruited, trained and running 3 shifts independently.
- Timely and accurate production MIS.
Work Environment
Plant-based role on a manufacturing shop floor with moving machinery, noise and paper dust. Requires standing and walking for extended periods and working around energised equipment following lock-out / tag-out procedures. Extended hours expected during erection, commissioning and ramp-up.