Industrial automation

PLC programmer CV: example and template

This example is for PLC programmers at system integrators, machine builders and maintenance departments, and for automation technicians, electricians and automation graduates who want to program controllers.

The employer wants to know which controllers and environments you know, which machines and lines you program, how commissioning goes and how you look after safety. We show you how to describe this on your CV.

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Example CV: PLC programmer

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Kamil Sadowy

PLC programmer

Bielsko-Biala +48 123 456 789 kamil.sadowy@example.com

Professional profile

PLC programmer with 7 years of experience, the last 4 at a system integrator building packing lines for the food industry. I program controllers and operator panels, supervisory systems and communication with robots, and run commissioning at clients in Poland and abroad. I have commissioned 14 lines, and commissioning time fell from 4 to 2 weeks thanks to tests on a virtual model of the machine.

Work experience

PLC programmer

03.2022 - present

Automation integrator, packing lines, Bielsko-Biala

  • Controller programs and operator panels for 14 packing lines.
  • Communication with robots, drives and production supervisory systems.
  • Tests on a virtual model of the machine, commissioning from 4 to 2 weeks.
  • Commissioning at clients in Poland, Germany and Czechia.
  • Machine safety functions and documentation for the client.

Maintenance automation technician

06.2018 - 02.2022

Packaging plant, Bielsko-Biala

  • Diagnosing and changing controller programs.
  • Repairing automation systems.
  • Supporting the commissioning of new machines.

Education

Engineering degree, automation and robotics

2014 - 2018

University of Bielsko-Biala

Skills

  • Programming PLC controllers
  • Operator panels and supervisory systems
  • Drives and industrial communication
  • Robot integration
  • Machine safety functions
  • Commissioning at clients

Qualifications and certificates

  • Controller programming certificate in a vendor environment, 2022
  • SEP qualification certificate up to 1 kV, operation
  • Functional safety of machinery training, 2023

Languages

  • English: B2
  • German: A2

Additional information

  • Willing to travel for work, including abroad
  • Driving licence category B

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a PLC programmer CV

Professional summary

Write which controllers and environments you know, which machines you program and at which company. Add a result, for example the number of lines commissioned or shorter commissioning. The employer is looking for someone who will write a working program and calmly commission the machine at the client.

Maintenance automation technician with 4 years of experience at a packaging plant. I diagnose and change controller programs, repair automation systems and support the commissioning of new machines. I am looking for work as a PLC programmer.

Experience: duties and achievements

Describe machines and lines, controllers, panels, communication, commissioning and safety. Show results in numbers. Add the clients' countries and industries. Also say whether you write programs from scratch or develop existing ones.

Weaker: Programming.

Better: Controller programs and operator panels for 14 packing lines.

Weaker: Commissioning.

Better: Tests on a virtual model of the machine, commissioning from 4 to 2 weeks.

Weaker: Safety.

Better: Machine safety functions and documentation for the client.

Skills worth listing

List controllers, environments, panels, drives, communication, robots and safety. In your soft skills show calm during commissioning, independence and talking to clients. Give the specific controller families you know.

Professional skills

  • PLC controllers
  • Operator panels
  • Supervisory systems
  • Drives
  • Robots
  • Machine safety

Personal skills

  • Calm during commissioning
  • Independence
  • Talking to clients
  • Accuracy
  • Inquisitiveness

Qualifications and certificates

List controller vendor certificates, SEP qualifications and machine safety training. SEP qualifications are often required for work on machines.

How to become a PLC programmer

Most people move from maintenance or start after an automation degree. On your CV show the programs you write and the machines you know.

Add university projects or your own test bench. Integrators are happy to train people who have already programmed controllers.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

An integrator looks for many commissionings and travel, a machine builder for standard programs and documentation, and a manufacturing plant for changes to existing lines. Move to the top what the job ad is about.

The most common mistakes on a PLC programmer CV

Questions and answers

What should a PLC programmer put on a CV?

Controllers, environments, machines, lines, commissioning, safety, qualifications, languages and results.

Which results are worth giving?

The number of machines commissioned, commissioning time, less downtime and fewer faults after start-up.

Should I mention travel?

Yes, if you can travel, because integrators often commission machines at clients' sites.

How does a PLC programmer differ from an automation technician?

An automation technician keeps the whole automation system running and repairs it, and a PLC programmer writes controller programs.

Create a PLC programmer CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

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See also

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