Continental
Automotive technology provider for mobility
Automation/Controls Engineer
About the job
- Bachelor's degree in electrical, mechanical, or manufacturing engineering or a related field.
- At least 2 years of professional experience in manufacturing engineering functions, including automation.
- Experience developing and implementing automation solutions within a manufacturing environment.
- Experience in project management or capital improvements.
- Experience troubleshooting and programming programmable logic controllers, including Allen-Bradley and Siemens systems.
- Experience leading in an ad hoc project team environment.
- Plan, coordinate, track, and ensure implementation of plant-level automation projects, including investment projects, performance improvement initiatives, and cost-saving initiatives.
- Ensure implementation of investments based on plant mission and goals planning, including TPOC and VSD.
- Drive approval of specifications and engineering change requests for production equipment investments.
- Ensure implementation of plant-specific standard production concepts, including layouts.
- Ensure implementation of plant-specific automation strategies, concepts, Smart Factory initiatives, and mechanical standards such as handling and machine loading or unloading systems.
- Support the plant in implementing automation projects and assist with business-area reporting requirements.
- Ensure implementation of Sector M&E standards for production equipment and systems within the assigned area of responsibility.
- Ensure implementation of CT standards for installation, start-up, validation, handover, and improvement of production and supply-chain equipment, including intralogistics equipment.
- Communicate with plant lead roles to advance continued integration of automation at all levels.
- Perform gap analyses to identify opportunities on legacy equipment.
- Maintain VSD and other active project documents associated with automation projects.
- Own the quality of outputs in the dedicated responsibility area as a process member or process owner.
- Create or implement solutions supporting the corporate sustainability strategy.
- Establish an automation plan based on Hoshin, TPOC, and corporate objectives.
- Implement the appropriate level of technology in production processes to deliver projects on time and within budget.
- Execute projects hands-on from conception through implementation with minimal direct supervision.
- Support equipment design by preparing or reviewing drawings and specifications using tools such as SolidWorks, Inventor, and AutoCAD.
- Assist with developing business cases for capital projects.
- Submit requests for quotation and purchase orders as required.
- Manage project timelines and budgets.
- Supervise contractors.
- Experience with rubber and plastic production processes.
- At least 5 years of automation and controls experience in a manufacturing environment.
About the company
Continental creates technologies and services that support sustainable and connected mobility for people and goods. Its offerings span safety, efficiency, intelligence and affordability for vehicles, machines, traffic and transportation. The company operates worldwide and generated €41.4 billion in sales in 2023 with about 200,000 employees across 56 countries. Its goal is to enable safe, efficient and connected mobility for people and their goods.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Hanover, Germany
Founded
1871
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 2026 adjusted EBIT beat expectations, driven by premium tires and lower inputs.
- The July 2026 ContiTech sale unlocks €3.1 billion cash and €2.5 billion returns.
- Management targets 2026 tire margins of 13.0 to 14.5 percent despite volatility.
What critics are saying
- Reuters reported 3,000 more job cuts through 2026, including Nuremberg closures.
- Raw-material costs reverse in second half 2026, creating a triple-digit-million-euro hit.
- An antitrust block delays ContiTech sale and undermines Continental's 2026 refocus.
What makes Continental unique
- Continental's premium 18-inch-plus tires win share in replacement markets.
- The July 2026 ContiTech sale makes Continental a pure-play tire maker.
- Its global plant network spans 150 countries and supports OEM and replacement sales.
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Benefits
Performance Bonus
Company News
Continental AG, a German semiconductor specialist, listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on 27 July, becoming China's largest listed firm by market capitalisation. The debut set records for price appreciation and turnover, with the stock added to the MSCI China All-Share Index. The company's recent quarterly reports show strong DRAM growth, driven by demand in high-performance computing and data-centre applications. Continental's R&D spend reached €150 million last year, representing 10% of revenue. Continental's chairman announced a share-repurchase plan running from December to July next year, aimed at share cancellation and capital reduction. The company plans no further capital reduction for 12 months, followed by a scheduled increase targeting €10 billion cumulative value. The listing provides Continental access to local financing and potential regulatory advantages in China's semiconductor market.
Continental's plastics technology subsidiary Contitech will cut 3,000 jobs globally, including 1,600 in Germany, following an agreement with the IGBCE union on framework conditions. The company said some affected activities will be relocated abroad, whilst operational redundancies will be avoided until at least the end of 2030. The cuts form part of Continental's cost-saving programme announced in November, targeting €150 million in annual savings from 2028. The agreement includes voluntary programmes, early retirement arrangements and job placement support for affected workers. IGBCE executive board member Francesco Grioli said whilst job cuts cannot be prevented, the agreement mitigates impact on employees and secures investment commitments for German sites. Contitech pledged to make all measures as socially responsible as possible.
Continental AG reported full-year 2025 sales of €19.7 billion with 0.8% organic growth, alongside adjusted EBIT of €2 billion and a 10.3% margin. The company proposed a dividend of €2.70 per share, representing a 4.8% yield. The tyre segment showed resilience with 2.4% organic growth and €3.6 billion in Q4 sales, achieving a 13.9% adjusted EBIT margin. However, ContiTech faced headwinds with a 5.2% organic decline in Q4 due to challenging automotive and industrial markets. Continental reduced net debt, improving its leverage ratio to approximately 2.0. For 2026, the company projects sales of €17.3 billion to €18.9 billion with an adjusted EBIT margin of 11% to 12.5%, whilst navigating anticipated declines in light vehicle production and challenging market conditions in the Americas.
German automotive parts maker Continental reported a net loss of €165 million for fiscal 2025, compared with a profit of €1.168 billion the previous year. Sales declined to €19.676 billion from €20.077 billion. The company's earnings were impacted by €1.2 billion in non-cash special effects from the Aumovio spin-off and planned OESL sale. Adjusted operating result fell to €2.035 billion from €2.212 billion, whilst the adjusted EBIT margin decreased to 10.3% from 11%. Despite the loss, Continental will increase its dividend to €2.70 per share, up €0.20 from last year. For fiscal 2026, the company anticipates consolidated sales of €17.3 billion to €18.9 billion with an adjusted EBIT margin of 11% to 12.5%, citing continued market volatility.
Continental has acquired Slovakian mold specialist EMT Púchov s.r.o, taking over all shares from majority shareholder Dynamic Design (Romania) in early April. The acquisition enhances Continental's internal technology portfolio, allowing it to independently produce tire molds for various applications. All 107 employees with specialized knowledge were retained. Grant Thornton's cross-border team from Germany and Slovakia conducted financial and tax due diligence. Continental reported a 2023 revenue of €41.4 billion.