Operational Technology Systems Engineer

The OT Systems Engineer will be responsible for deploying, configuring, and maintaining the critical systems that control and monitor production operations within our steel fabrication facilities. This role bridges industrial automation and IT by supporting SCADA systems, PLCs, HMIs, data historians, and their integration with the OT network. The ideal candidate will ensure these systems are secure, reliable, and aligned with industry best practices.

CORE COMPETENCIES:

- Implementing Vision and Values: Keeps the organization’s vision and values at the forefront of the associate decision making and action.

- Safety Orientation:Is aware of conditions that affect employee safety, takes responsible action, and promotes safety throughout the organization.

- Customer Focus:Proactively works to determine the needs of the internal / external customers and provide solutions; actively focuses on providing high quality service to internal / external customers while addressing the organization’s mission / vision / goals / policies; maintains clear communication regarding mutual expectation.

- Contributing to Team Success:Works cooperatively with others; is agreeable and team oriented; demonstrates a willingness to put aside personal differences for the benefit of the group as a whole.

- Quality Orientation: Is aware of quality issues and actively makes suggestions for improvement of product or processes; knows how personal contribution affects overall product and process quality; understands the company’s quality objectives and how they relate to the company’s objectives.

- Work Ethic: Maintains and promotes social, ethical, and organizational norms in conducting internal and external business activities.

- Continuous and Applied Learning: Actively identifies new areas for learning; regularly creates and takes advantage of learning opportunities; uses newly gained knowledge and skills on the job and leaning through their application; comprehends new job related information in a timely manner and correctly recalls and applies that information.

- Productivity Orientation: Takes appropriate actions to satisfy work quotas (e.g. production, assignments, projects, etc.)

COMPETENCIES:

- Industry Practice Knowledge:Having achieved a satisfactory level of specialized professional skill or knowledge in position-related areas; keeping up with current developments and trends in areas of expertise. Attaining job-related certifications as required.

- Supporting a Service Environment:Strives to collaboratively convey the service standards the organization wants to deliver not only to the external customer, but also as importantly to internal customers as well.

- Developing Trust:Interacts with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization. Demonstrates honesty; keeps commitments; behaves in a consistent manner; treats people with dignity, respect and fairness.

- Problem Analysis / Analytical Thinking:Uses broad in-depth analysis of evidence to carefully evaluate a problem and the associated underlying issues that may be the cause and further analyze possible alternative solutions and potential outcome.

- Initiative:Demonstrates self motivation to make decisions and take action [within assigned boundaries] without having to be prompted or directed to do so.

- Job and Functional Area Knowledge:The ability to demonstrate expertise related to the company's products and services as well as to other crucial aspects of the business, having the ability to operate business equipment at the required speed, accuracy and within safety specifications and guidelines.

- Listening:Demonstrates attention to and conveys understanding of the comments or questions of others.

- Communication Skills, oral:Speaks effectively one-to-one and in groups and makes effective presentations.

- Managing Detail:Is thorough in accomplishing a task with concern for all the areas involved, no matter how small; understands impact of details as they relate to key areas of business and operations, such as safety, quality, productivity, project management, information gathering, analysis and reporting, etc.

- Accountability:Demonstrates and communicates a high level of ownership and commitment to individually and collaboratively achieve results.

- Respecting Differences: Interacts favorably with people from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds; recognizes and interacts favorably to individual diversity (e.g. generational characteristics, working styles, communication styles, digital savvy, perspectives in problem solving and decision making); actively supports and / or promotes Affirmative Action, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Diversity Initiatives in the workplace.

- Communications, written: Writes clearly and effectively using appropriate style, format, grammar, and tone in informal and formal communications.

- Ability to Learn and Apply Information: Comprehends new job related information in a timely manner and correctly recalls and applies that information; objectively evaluates mistakes and uses mistakes as learning opportunities to improve performance.

- Personal Organization and Time Management: Plans ahead, identifies priorities and structures one’s own time effectively and efficiently to achieve goals and fulfill responsibilities.

- Resource Management: Uses resources in an efficient and productive manner (financial, employee, technological, property, equipment, other company resources, etc.); demonstrates fiscal responsibility through cost containment initiatives.

- Personal Flexibility: Is willing to change and adapt to situations that might not be encountered normally; readily revises schedules; is willing to cease one activity to begin another and accepts changes in work conditions without losing effectiveness; maintains self control and patience in stressful and crisis situations.

- Self Development: Knows own capabilities, seeks out feedback and responds positively to improve performance.

- Sharing of Expertise: Means both the motivation to expand and use one’s knowledge, and the willingness to share this knowledge with others.

EXPECTATIONS:

- Performs quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.

- Interacts professionally with other employees and customers.

- Works effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.

- Works independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.

- Communicates regularly with supervisor about Department issues.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Design, implement, and support SCADA, HMI, and historian systems within the OT network (Levels 3–1 per the Purdue Model).

- Configure and maintain PLCs and industrial controllers from vendors such as Allen-Bradley, Siemens, or Beckhoff.

- Integrate plant floor systems with OT network infrastructure and higher-level MES/ERP systems.

- Work with network and security teams to ensure secure communication between OT assets.

- Troubleshoot system failures and restore operations with minimal downtime.

- Develop and maintain documentation: system architectures, SOPs, backup/restore plans, and patch records.

- Assist in commissioning new equipment and retrofitting legacy systems for network integration.

- Collaborate closely with Controls Engineers, OT Network Admin, IT Infrastructure Team, Maintenance Leads.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

- The OT Systems Engineer will have no employees reporting to this position.

ADDITIONAL DUTIES:

- - As assigned by the Operational Technology Infrastructure Manager

REQUIREMENTS FOR OT SYSTEMS ENGINEER:

- Technical Skills

- - 3–7 years in industrial automation, controls, or OT systems engineering.

- Proficiency in SCADA/HMI platforms (e.g., Ignition, Epicor, Wonderware, FactoryTalk View, iFIX).

- Experience with PLC programming or support (ladder logic, function block, structured text).

- Familiarity with OT network protocols: EtherNet/IP, Modbus TCP, OPC UA, MQTT.

- Basic scripting or programming knowledge (e.g., Python, PowerShell) for automation or integration tasks.

- Knowledge of industrial data historians (e.g., OSIsoft PI, Canary Labs).

- Comfortable working with industrial instrumentation (sensors, actuators, VFDs).

- Soft Skills

- - Strong troubleshooting and diagnostic skills.

- Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration.

- Self-driven, with a commitment to reliability and continuous improvement.

Preferred Experience

- Familiarity with cybersecurity practices in OT environments (ISA/IEC 62443, NIST CSF).

- Experience in a manufacturing setting—ideally heavy industry such as metal fabrication, steel mills, utilities, or oil & gas.

- Exposure to virtualization (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V) and Windows Server environments.

- Understanding of the Purdue Model for industrial network segmentation.

- Knowledge of CMMS or asset management tools.

- Experience with disaster recovery planning and system backups in OT.

Education & Certifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Automation, or related field.

- Equivalent hands-on experience considered in lieu of a degree.

- Relevant certifications (a plus):

- Ignition Core Certification

- Rockwell Certified Programmer

- CompTIA Security+ (for cybersecurity awareness)

- SA/IEC 62443 or CCNA Industrial

WORKING CONDITIONS:

- The OT Systems Engineer will have minimal required travel.

- The OT Systems Engineer may be required to work overtime as needed.

- WorkPostures*:

o Seeing

o Sitting

- EnvironmentalConditions*:

o Worksinside

o Works withothers

o Works alone

- Mental Requirements*:

o Problem Solving

o Analytical Aility

o Communication,oral

o Communication, written

o Organization

o Interpersonalskills

o Calculating

o Perception

o Creativity

- Dexterity Requirements*:

o Eye / handcoordination

- o Fingers (picking, pinching,etc.)