Head of Engineering and Automation# Careers## Head of Engineering and AutomationApply: South Yarra, VIC: Full time: Posted Today: JR00441Kinrise is a growing, privately owned powerhouse in Australian food manufacturing with some of Australia’s most loved and innovative brands. We describe ourselves as a ‘start up with scale’ and have a burning ambition to grow our business. Formed in 2018 the Kinrise portfolio covers Biscuits, Breakfast, Baking, Bakery, and Snackfood categories and has 40+ years making iconic Australian food, with a rich Australian heritage that’s grounded in family origins.
This Head of Engineering and Automation is a high-impact leadership role responsible for translating business strategy into a prioritised program of engineering, automation and capital initiatives across Kinrise. You will develop and deliver a 3–5 year engineering and automation roadmap, identifying opportunities to improve safety, quality, food safety, manufacturing capacity, reliability, OEE, labour productivity and operational efficiency. You will lead major initiatives from opportunity identification and business case development through design, procurement, installation, commissioning, operational handover and benefits realisation. Working closely with Operations, Safety, Quality, Finance and site leadership, you will provide technical and commercial leadership while building consistent engineering, automation, reliability and asset-management standards across Kinrise. This role is ideal for a senior engineering or automation leader who can move confidently between strategy, technology, capital investment and operational execution. #

Key Responsibilities
## Engineering & Automation Strategy
* Develop, maintain and deliver Kinrise’s engineering, automation and manufacturing technology strategy.




* Translate business strategy into a prioritised and costed roadmap across manufacturing sites.
* Define automation opportunities across production, processing, material handling and packaging.
* Balance immediate operational priorities with long-term capability, technology lifecycle, capacity and sustainability requirements.
* Provide recommendations to senior leadership on investment priorities, sequencing, dependencies and risk. ## Automation & Manufacturing Technology
* Establish and maintain a pipeline of engineering and automation opportunities across Kinrise sites.
* Identify and deploy appropriate technologies including robotics, automated material handling, machine vision, PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, instrumentation and manufacturing data systems.
* Ensure automation solutions deliver measurable improvements in safety, quality, traceability, throughput, reliability, labour productivity, waste or operational control.
* Establish standard technical architectures, control philosophies, equipment specifications and preferred technology platforms.
* Manage automation lifecycle and obsolescence risks.
* Ensure automation solutions integrate effectively with existing equipment, utilities, production processes and business systems. ## Capital & Project Delivery
* Lead development of the annual Kinrise capital plan in alignment with strategic priorities and site requirements.
* Review and technically endorse major capital expenditure proposals.




* Lead and oversee major capital and automation projects valued above $100,000.
* Ensure projects are delivered safely to approved scope, schedule, budget and technical performance requirements.
* Oversee suppliers, systems integrators, OEMs, contractors and consultants.
* Ensure project risks, scope changes, decisions and perks are effectively managed and communicated.
* Support operational readiness, commissioning, ramp-up and successful handover of completed projects. ## Reliability & Asset Management
* Establish and maintain consistent reliability and asset-management standards across Kinrise.
* Define expectations for planned, preventive and predictive maintenance, critical spares, asset hierarchies and failure analysis.
* Establish asset criticality assessments and ensure risks to safety, quality, service and production continuity are addressed.
* Ensure project designs consider reliability, maintainability, cleanability, technical support and whole-of-life cost.
* Build technical capability across site engineering and maintenance teams through standards, coaching and communities of practice. ## Engineering Standards & Governance
* Develop and maintain Group engineering, automation and equipment standards.
* Define preferred equipment, controls, components, software platforms and suppliers where standardisation creates value.
* Ensure standards address machinery safety, hygienic design, food safety, electrical and mechanical design, controls, documentation, cybersecurity, maintainability and energy efficiency.
* Maintain appropriate technical documentation, drawings, specifications, control programs and asset information.
* Establish technical assurance and design-review requirements

📌 Head of Engineering and Automation (Melbourne)
🏢 Kinrise Pty
📍 Melbourne