OT Engineer

TEKsystems•Libertyville, IL

2d•$72 - $72•Hybrid

About The Position

Our client is seeking an Engineer III to serve as a delivery lead across a broad portfolio of operational technologies (OT), facility systems, and instrumentation deployed throughout our U.S. campuses. This role sits at the intersection of traditional IT and IoT/OT—encompassing building automation, process alarms, metrology, environmental controls, and other cyber‑physical platforms—while owning the rigorous IT System Lifecycle (SLC) and change management artifacts that sustain audit‑ready operations in a GxP‑aware environment. The ideal candidate combines deep technical fluency with disciplined program execution: independently planning and performing upgrades; orchestrating infrastructure integrations; troubleshooting OT connectivity; and ensuring that all changes align with IT, cybersecurity, and quality expectations. You will both “do” and “lead”—owning end‑to‑end outcomes, coordinating with Infrastructure, Security, and Facilities, and translating business needs into precise technical actions without introducing undue risk or operational disruption.

Requirements

5–7+ years of experience executing IT System Lifecycle (SLC) activities and operating within formal change management frameworks in regulated or quality‑sensitive environments.
Prior hands‑on support for OT, instrumentation, or facilities technologies (e.g., metrology, BAS, controls, alarms, sensor systems).
Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a cross‑functional delivery team; consistently delivers outcomes on time and within scope.
Proven ability to scope and estimate work, anticipate complexities, and communicate status/risks/decisions with clarity.
Ability to be on‑site in North Chicago regularly (local presence 3 days/week, with flexibility for campus needs).

Nice To Haves

Practical understanding of network segmentation/VLANs, OT protocols (e.g., BACnet), and firewall troubleshooting, with the ability to partner effectively with Infrastructure and Security teams.
Familiarity with IT security expectations for OT environments and the rationale behind process rigor (reducing operational and audit risk).
Experience managing vendors and collaborating with Facilities, Infrastructure, and Security on complex, cross‑domain changes.
Exposure to cloud ↔ on‑prem integration patterns relevant to OT data flows and monitoring.
Exposure to network segmentation, VLANs, firewall troubleshooting, and OT connectivity.
Familiarity with IT security expectations for OT systems.
Experience managing vendors and collaborating with Facilities, Infrastructure, and Security teams.

Responsibilities

Serve as the delivery lead for site operations technologies across U.S. mixed campuses, ensuring end‑to-end outcomes (scoping, planning, delivery, validation, and operationalization) for assigned platforms and projects.
Translate business and technical needs into actionable plans, structured documentation, and clear stakeholder communications; proactively manage dependencies, risks, and decision logs.
Coordinate cross‑functional work with Infrastructure, Cybersecurity/InfoSec, Facilities, and external vendors; align execution to internal standards while meeting timelines and budgets.
Independently plan and execute OS, database, and application upgrades for diverse OT and instrumentation platforms (e.g., Windows Server, Windows 11 migrations), including associated integrations and monitoring enablement.
Build and manage testbeds/PoC environments to evaluate system compatibility with existing infrastructure; design and execute comprehensive test protocols prior to production changes.
Maintain accurate infrastructure/architecture references; manage service and administrative accounts in accordance with security and audit expectations.
Provide hands‑on support for installations and updates across facility technologies (e.g., building automation, process alarm systems, chart recorders, sensors).
Own the creation, maintenance, and closure of SLC artifacts and application support playbooks (requirements, design specifications, risk assessments, traceability, test plans/results, change controls, and runbooks).
Execute work within formal IT change frameworks; ensure timely, accurate documentation and JIRA updates so that all activities are inspection‑ and audit‑ready.
Uphold IT, cybersecurity, and quality standards; articulate the “how” and “why” behind process rigor to minimize business disruption and downstream audit issues.
Troubleshoot OT communication paths, protocol issues, and firewall rules in partnership with Network and Cybersecurity teams.
Support network segmentation and VLAN migrations (e.g., moving campus facility devices off corporate networks into protected control networks), documenting related changes as part of lifecycle deliverables.
Assist with cloud ↔ on‑prem transitions where applicable; ensure appropriate controls and monitoring remain intact throughout migrations.
Engage external vendors and facilities partners to deploy, upgrade, and sustain systems in compliance with cybersecurity and quality baselines.
Foster a culture of open knowledge‑sharing, leveraging the team’s diverse expertise to solve complex problems rapidly and safely.