OT Networking Engineer

OT Network Engineer needed for a well-known and respected client within the manufacturing industry.

Relocation package available for the right candidate.

(Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident)

General Responsibilities and Requirements

OT Network Infrastructure

• Serve as the primary technical owner of OT network infrastructure supporting manufacturing operations at the Jackson facility.
• Design, configure, deploy, maintain, and optimize industrial network infrastructure, including switches, routers, firewalls, wireless networks, and remote connectivity solutions.
• Monitor network performance and proactively identify opportunities to improve reliability, resiliency, and operational effectiveness.
• Maintain network availability targets exceeding 99.5% uptime for critical manufacturing infrastructure.
• Support lifecycle management activities including upgrades, hardware replacements, firmware updates, asset management, and infrastructure modernization initiatives.

Manufacturing Systems and Operational Support

• Troubleshoot and resolve OT network incidents while minimizing disruption to manufacturing operations.
• Partner with Automation Engineers to support reliable connectivity for PLCs, SCADA systems, HMIs, industrial control systems (ICS), and connected manufacturing technologies.
• Support production system integrations and industrial communications across manufacturing environments.
• Participate in manufacturing technology deployments, plant expansions, and digital transformation initiatives.
• Collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, and Information Technology teams to ensure secure and reliable connectivity for manufacturing systems.

OT Cybersecurity and Compliance

• Implement and maintain OT network segmentation aligned with Purdue Model principles and corporate cybersecurity standards.
• Support OT cybersecurity programs through vulnerability remediation, patch management, secure remote access, and infrastructure hardening activities.
• Collaborate with Information Security teams to identify, assess, and mitigate OT network risks.
• Assist with cybersecurity incident response activities, root cause investigations, and corrective action plans.
• Support audit readiness and cybersecurity compliance efforts aligned with OT security best practices and ISA/IEC 62443 principles.

Infrastructure Governance and Continuous Improvement

• Maintain network diagrams, standards documentation, configuration backups, inventory records, and disaster recovery procedures.
• Execute network changes utilizing established change management processes and operational standards.
• Coordinate with equipment manufacturers, technology vendors, and system integrators supporting manufacturing systems.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve network performance, reliability, maintainability, and cybersecurity posture.
• Support Industry 4.0 initiatives through collaboration with process engineering, automation engineering, and manufacturing technology teams.

Education and Experience

Must Have

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Industrial Technology, or a related technical discipline. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• 3-7 years of experience in network engineering, network administration, or infrastructure support.
• Minimum of 2 years supporting manufacturing, industrial, or Operational Technology (OT) environments.
• Hands-on experience with Ethernet networking, routing, switching, wireless technologies, firewalls, and VPN connectivity.
• Working knowledge of industrial communication protocols, including OPC, Modbus, PROFINET, CIP, and DNP3.
• Experience troubleshooting network infrastructure supporting production or industrial environments.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
• CCNA certification or the ability to obtain certification within 12 months of hire.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with Cisco Industrial Ethernet (IE) networking platforms.
• Experience with Cisco Firepower, Cisco ISE, Catalyst Center, or comparable enterprise networking solutions.
• Familiarity with OT cybersecurity monitoring platforms such as Cisco Cyber Vision.
• Knowledge of industrial network architecture, Purdue Model segmentation, and OT security principles.
• Experience supporting manufacturing automation systems, PLCs, SCADA platforms, and industrial control systems.
• Understanding of ISA/IEC 62443 cybersecurity concepts and best practices.
• CCNP or equivalent advanced networking certification.
• Experience working in manufacturing or industrial production environments.

Measures of Success

• OT network uptime and infrastructure availability.
• Incident response and service restoration performance.
• Security patch compliance and vulnerability remediation completion.
• Network change success rate.
• Cybersecurity risk reduction initiatives.
• Documentation accuracy and completeness.
• Stakeholder satisfaction from Manufacturing, Engineering, and Operations teams.
• Contributions to manufacturing modernization and digital transformation programs.