Working as an automation engineer: training and career
The engineer who makes machines think: programming PLC controls, building HMIs and automating production lines from design to commissioning.
At a glance
| Where you work | Machine builders, system integrators, engineering firms and manufacturers that automate their own lines, from food to pharma and logistics. |
|---|---|
| Status | White-collar |
| Joint committees | PC 209, PC 207, PC 220, PC 200 |
| Bottleneck profession | Yes, according to VDAB |
| Working hours | Mostly day work |
What you do as automation engineer (PLC)
- Design, program and test PLC software in TIA Portal, Step 7 or Studio 5000
- Build HMI and SCADA screens operators use to run the installation
- Commission machines in the workshop and at the customer, including abroad
- Analyse faults in existing controls and optimise software
- Implement and document safety functions to the machinery directive
What employers ask for
- A bachelor or master in electromechanics, automation or electronics-ICT, or equivalent experience
- PLC programming on at least one platform; Siemens TIA Portal is the most requested in Belgium
- Insight into electrical schematics, fieldbuses (Profinet, EtherCAT) and drive technology
- Structured testing and documentation, also under project pressure
- Willingness to travel for commissioning
What does an automation engineer do?
In the VDAB occupational information, working as an automation engineer falls under Ontwerper industriële automatisering. You carry out studies to develop automated industrial installations and systems, and you control, adjust and commission those installations.
Training and certificates
The usual route to automation engineer runs through a professional bachelor in electromechanics or electronics-ICT, or a master in industrial sciences, such as the master in machine and production automation at Ghent University in Kortrijk. If you grow into automation from the shop floor, you often start with the seventh year in industrial process automation and then take a PLC course, for example the one VDAB offers job seekers.
Growing as automation engineer (PLC)
Many automation engineers grow into lead engineer or automation project leader. Others specialise in robotics, machine safety or MES/industry 4.0 integrations, where demand and pay are even higher.
Freelancing is strong here too: experienced PLC profiles with commissioning experience are among the most requested freelancers in Belgian industry.
Pay at a glance
Our pay range: €3,400 - €5,200 gross per month, without premiums and fringe benefits, based on the vacancies we fill.
Sector minimum
- PC 209, technical staff: 2,648.62 to 2,948.60 euros gross per month, valid from 1 July 2026
- PC 207, minimum monthly wages per category and experience: 2,516.24 to 4,001.24 euros gross per month, valid from 1 November 2026
- PC 220, minimum monthly wages per category and experience: 2,333.06 to 4,363.42 euros gross per month, valid from 1 January 2026
- PC 200, scale II (from the second year with the company): 2,310.30 to 3,722.55 euros gross per month, valid from 1 January 2026
Lowest and highest amount in the pay scale table; which amount applies to you depends on your class or category and your experience.
Sources for this data: see the list at the bottom.
What public sources report
| Source | Job title at the source | What the source reports | Sample and date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indeed | Automation engineer (m/v) | Average 4,055 euros per month; minimum to maximum: 3,012 to 5,459 (base pay, gross or net not stated) | 710 salaries reported; updated 8 November 2026 |
| Talent.com | Automation engineer | Median 52,500 euros per year; low to high: 48,000 to 59,400 (gross or net not stated) | 4,817 salaries reported; no date stated |
| PayScale | Automation Engineer | Average 45.8K euros per year; 10th to 90th percentile: 31K to 70K (base pay, gross or net not stated, rounded by the source) | 21 salaries reported; updated 17 September 2026 |
| Statbel | ISCO 214 Ingenieurs (met uitzondering van elektrotechnische ingenieurs) | Average 6,244 euros per month (gross) | number not stated; figures for October 2022, full time, companies with 10 or more employees; broad occupational group |
Not included: Glassdoor (blocks automated reading), Jobat (blocks automated reading), StepStone (blocks automated reading).
Why do these figures differ so much? They don't measure the same thing. Glassdoor, Indeed, PayScale and Talent.com count salaries people report themselves or that appear in job ads, often without saying whether they are gross or net. Jobat gives an average gross salary without a sample. Statbel measures officially, but per broad occupational group and for October 2022, so before the indexations of the following years.
The unit differs too: per hour, per month or per year. We convert nothing, because an annual salary may include twelve or thirteen months and holiday pay, and an hourly wage depends on your weekly schedule. A small sample can be far off because of a few outliers.
Open vacancies
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Frequently asked questions
Is automation engineer (PLC) a bottleneck profession?
Yes, working as an automation engineer is on the VDAB list of bottleneck professions for 2026, as "Ontwerper industriële automatisering". According to VDAB, finding an automation engineer is hard because there are too few job seekers available and candidates often lack the right experience or training.
Which joint committee covers an automation engineer?
As an automation engineer you fall under the joint committee that matches your employer's activity, not a committee for your job. For an automation engineer these are usually PC 209, PC 207, PC 220 and PC 200. As an automation engineer you usually work as a white-collar employee.
Sources
Checked on 3 November 2026 unless stated otherwise.
- VDAB, beroepeninformatie Ontwerper industriële automatisering (checked on 13 November 2026)
- VDAB, Knelpuntberoepen 2026
- Vlaamse overheid, Hogeronderwijsregister: erkende graduaats-, bachelor- en masteropleidingen, academiejaar 2026-2027
- Onderwijskiezer (CLB), overzicht studierichtingen derde graad secundair onderwijs
- VDAB, opleiding plc voor werkzoekenden
- FOD Werkgelegenheid, minimumlonen.be: sectorale minimumlonen per paritair comité
- Indeed, lonen voor Automation engineer (m/v) in België (checked on 13 November 2026)
- Talent.com, lonen voor Automation engineer in België (checked on 13 November 2026)
- PayScale, lonen voor Automation Engineer in België (checked on 13 November 2026)
- Statbel, gemiddelde bruto maandlonen per beroep (oktober 2022), ISCO 214 (checked on 13 November 2026)
- minimumlonen.be (FOD Werk), PC 209 metaalfabrikatennijverheid, geldig vanaf 01/07/2026
- minimumlonen.be (FOD Werk), PC 207 scheikundige nijverheid, nationaal minimumbarema, geldig vanaf 01/11/2026 (checked on 9 November 2026)
- minimumlonen.be (FOD Werk), PC 220 voedingsnijverheid (andere dan de groentenconservennijverheid), geldig vanaf 01/01/2026
- ACV bouw - industrie & energie, loonschalen PC 200 januari 2026
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