Manufacturing & Automation Recruitment
Specialist recruitment and search for modern manufacturing, automation and digitally enabled production environments
ENC Technical Search is an independent specialist recruitment and executive search partner supporting organisations across advanced manufacturing, automation‑led production, and digitally enabled industrial environments.
With over 20 years’ experience in technical recruitment, I work with manufacturers modernising their operations through automation, controls, digital systems and asset‑led improvement, helping them secure the engineering and operational leadership required to improve performance, reliability and resilience across the UK, Europe and North America.
Challenges in Manufacturing & Automation Hiring
Manufacturing organisations across multiple sectors are under sustained pressure to modernise while maintaining uptime, safety and product quality. Common hiring challenges include:
- A shortage of engineers with hands‑on automation and controls expertise
- Legacy production assets requiring integration with modern digital systems
- Growing dependence on data, MES, historians and industrial IT
- Skills gaps in reliability, asset management and maintenance leadership
- Competition for experienced technical leaders able to deliver change on live sites
These challenges are particularly acute in process‑intensive, regulated and asset‑heavy manufacturing environments, where failure carries significant operational and commercial risk.
Roles We Support
ENC Technical Search supports permanent and project‑led hiring across technical, engineering and operational roles within manufacturing and automation environments, including:
- Automation, Controls and PLC Engineers
- Manufacturing and Production Engineers
- Digital Manufacturing and Industrial IT Specialists
- Maintenance, Reliability and Asset Integrity Leaders
- Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence Specialists
- Engineering and Technical Managers
- Site Engineers and Plant Engineering Leaders
- Operations and Manufacturing Directors
Cross‑Sector Talent Advantage
One of the key strengths ENC Technical Search brings to manufacturing and automation clients is an understanding of how skills transfer across sectors.
Many high‑performing automation and manufacturing professionals move between:
- Advanced manufacturing and specialty chemicals
- Life sciences and regulated production environments
- Energy, utilities and critical infrastructure
- Defence and high‑reliability engineering operations
This cross‑sector perspective allows clients to access talent with proven experience delivering automation, reliability and performance improvement in demanding operational contexts.
Why ENC Technical Search
Manufacturing and automation clients engage ENC Technical Search because they value:
- A sector‑led, technically informed search approach
- Clear understanding of live manufacturing environments
- Honest insight into market conditions and candidate availability
- Experience supporting modernisation, digitalisation and CAPEX‑driven hiring
- A focus on sustainable technical leadership, not short‑term fixes
Every assignment is delivered with a practical, operational mindset grounded in how manufacturing sites actually function.
Regions We Support
ENC Technical Search supports chemical and advanced materials organisations across:
- United Kingdom
- Europe
- United States
Projects are delivered remotely, with close engagement across multiple time zones where required.
Speak to a Specialist
If you are hiring within manufacturing, automation or digitally enabled production environments, or would like to discuss skills availability, modernisation challenges or cross‑sector hiring strategies, I’m always happy to have an initial conversation.
Contact ENC Technical Search to discuss your current or upcoming requirements.