Senior Ot Network Engineer (25% Travel)

Optomi, in partnership with an industry leading client, are seeking an experienced Senior OT Network Engineer with 10+ years of network engineering experience to join our System Solutions team. This is a hands-on, onsite role supporting OT and enterprise network environments within manufacturing facilities .

The Senior OT Network Engineer will serve as a key technical resource and liaison between IT, plant engineering, operations, and other technical teams. This individual will design, deploy, maintain, and troubleshoot secure and highly available network infrastructure supporting plant-floor, automation, and industrial systems.

The ideal candidate combines strong enterprise networking expertise with practical experience in OT/industrial environments, network segmentation, cybersecurity, high availability, and manufacturing operations . The ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders is essential, as is a strong focus on minimizing operational disruption and maintaining network availability.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the onsite network engineering subject matter expert for OT and manufacturing initiatives.
• Lead the deployment, implementation, and ongoing support of OT network infrastructure across plant environments.
• Design and implement secure, resilient network architectures supporting industrial, manufacturing, automation, and edge-connected systems.
• Develop and implement network segmentation strategies, including VLANs, IDMZ architectures, firewall zones, access controls, and secure connectivity between IT and OT environments.
• Configure, troubleshoot, and maintain enterprise and industrial networking infrastructure, including routing, switching, wireless, firewalls, and network redundancy.
• Provide advanced escalation support for complex network incidents and coordinate resolution with internal teams, vendors, and plant personnel.
• Support network deployments, plant cutovers, maintenance windows, upgrades, and operational readiness activities while minimizing production impact.
• Develop and maintain OT network standards, architecture documentation, implementation procedures, and troubleshooting guides.
• Partner with plant engineering, maintenance, operations, cybersecurity, and IT teams to translate production requirements into reliable and secure network solutions.
• Provide technical guidance, training, and mentorship to local IT support teams and operational personnel on OT networking and troubleshooting.
• Monitor network performance and proactively identify reliability, availability, and security improvements.
• Participate in network modernization initiatives and support the integration of new automation, controls, and industrial systems.

Technology Environment

Candidates should have hands-on experience with a broad range of enterprise and OT networking technologies, including:

• Enterprise LAN/WAN infrastructure
• OT/industrial and manufacturing networks
• Network segmentation and secure network architecture
• IDMZ design and implementation
• Firewalls and secure remote connectivity
• VLANs, routing, switching, and network redundancy
• High-availability network architectures
• Industrial wireless networking
• Network monitoring, diagnostics, and troubleshooting
• Plant-floor and automation network connectivity
• Edge-connected and industrial systems
• Industrial networking protocols and technologies
• IT/OT connectivity and integration

Required Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive network engineering experience.
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field;
  equivalent professionalexperience may be considered.
• Hands-on experience supporting OT, industrial, or manufacturing network environments .
• Strong knowledge of enterprise networking, network architecture, and secure network design.
• Demonstrated experience with routing, switching, VLANs, firewalls, wireless, network redundancy, and troubleshooting.
• Experience implementing or supporting network segmentation and secure IT/OT connectivity.
• Experience troubleshooting complex network issues in high-availability or production environments.
• Experience supporting network deployments, maintenance windows, plant cutovers, and operational support activities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with IT, engineering, operations, maintenance, cybersecurity, and external vendors.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ownership, problem-solving ability, and ability to drive technical initiatives through completion.
• Willingness to work onsite and provide occasional after-hours/weekend support when required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or plant-floor environments .
• Strong understanding of OT cybersecurity principles, IDMZ architecture, network segmentation, and secure access practices.
• Experience supporting automation, controls, PLC, SCADA, or other industrial systems and their network connectivity.
• Experience with large-scale OT network deployments, plant modernization, or infrastructure transformation initiatives.
• Experience partnering directly with production engineering, maintenance, and operations teams.
• Experience developing OT network standards, architecture documentation, deployment procedures, or engineering guidelines.
• Networking or cybersecurity certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, CISSP , or equivalent.
• Familiarity with industrial networking protocols and technologies.

Work Environment

• Onsite contract position (12 months with likely extension/conversion)
• Standard business hours
• Occasional after-hours or weekend work for maintenance windows, cutovers, or critical incidents
• Limited travel expected
• Primarily based within a manufacturing/plant environment