Automation Engineer Salary Guide UK 2026: What to Expect

The UK automation engineering market in 2026 is experiencing strong demand driven by Industry 4.0 adoption, AI integration, and the ongoing skills shortage. Whether you are a graduate considering a career in automation or a senior engineer benchmarking your package, this guide provides the latest salary data across all major automation disciplines.

PLC Engineer Salaries

PLC programming remains the backbone of industrial automation. Salaries vary significantly based on platform expertise and experience.

Junior PLC Engineer (0-2 years): £28,000 - £35,000 Mid-Level PLC Engineer (3-5 years): £38,000 - £48,000 Senior PLC Engineer (5-10 years): £48,000 - £60,000 Lead/Principal PLC Engineer (10+ years): £60,000 - £75,000

Engineers with Siemens TIA Portal or Allen-Bradley Studio 5000 expertise command a 10-15% premium. Safety PLC experience (SIL rated) can add another £5,000-£8,000.

Contract rates: £300 - £500 per day depending on platform and location.

SCADA Engineer Salaries

SCADA engineers are in high demand, particularly those with Ignition, AVEVA, or WinCC experience.

Junior SCADA Engineer: £30,000 - £38,000 Mid-Level SCADA Engineer: £40,000 - £52,000 Senior SCADA Engineer: £52,000 - £65,000 SCADA Architect/Lead: £65,000 - £80,000

Remote SCADA roles are increasingly common, which can affect salary ranges. Engineers willing to work on-site for critical infrastructure projects (water, energy) often earn more.

Controls Engineer Salaries

Controls engineers who combine hardware and software knowledge are among the most versatile professionals in automation.

Junior Controls Engineer: £28,000 - £34,000 Mid-Level Controls Engineer: £36,000 - £48,000 Senior Controls Engineer: £48,000 - £60,000 Controls Engineering Manager: £60,000 - £80,000

Robotics Engineer Salaries

With FANUC, ABB, KUKA, and Universal Robots experience all in demand, robotics engineers command strong salaries.

Junior Robotics Engineer: £30,000 - £38,000 Mid-Level Robotics Engineer: £40,000 - £55,000 Senior Robotics Engineer: £55,000 - £70,000 Robotics Team Lead: £70,000 - £90,000

AI/ML in Automation Salaries

The convergence of AI and industrial automation has created a new category of highly paid roles.

ML Engineer (Manufacturing): £50,000 - £75,000 Computer Vision Engineer: £55,000 - £80,000 Data Scientist (Industrial): £48,000 - £70,000 AI/Automation Architect: £75,000 - £100,000+

These roles typically require Python, TensorFlow or PyTorch, plus domain knowledge of manufacturing processes.

Factors Affecting Salary

Location: London and the South East pay 10-20% more than the North. However, remote work is narrowing this gap.

Certifications: Professional certifications, TUV Functional Safety, and vendor certifications (Siemens Certified Professional) all boost earning potential.

Industry Sector: Oil and gas, pharma, and nuclear pay the highest premiums. Food and beverage and general manufacturing tend to pay at the lower end.

What Employers Should Know

If you are hiring automation or AI engineers, understanding market rates is critical to attracting top talent. Offering below-market salaries results in longer time-to-fill and higher turnover.

OSCABE can provide detailed salary benchmarking for any automation or AI role. Contact us for a free market analysis, or browse our available candidates.