OT Automation & Infrastructure Engineer (Operational Technology)

We are looking for an experienced OT Automation & Infrastructure Engineer to support a large-scale industrial technology assessment programme across multiple manufacturing facilities.

The project involves conducting detailed on-site assessments of operational technology (OT) environments, identifying connected manufacturing equipment, understanding how industrial systems communicate and documenting the existing infrastructure.

This is a hands-on, site-based engineering role suited to someone with a strong background in industrial automation, control systems and OT networking.

The successful candidate will be comfortable working within live manufacturing environments, engaging with engineering and production teams, inspecting equipment and control cabinets, and tracing connections between industrial machinery and network infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

OT Equipment Discovery & Assessment

• Conduct physical assessments of manufacturing facilities, production areas, laboratories, warehouses and utilities.
• Identify and document connected industrial equipment, including PLCs, SCADA systems, HMIs, control systems and associated infrastructure.
• Understand the purpose and function of equipment through physical inspection and collaboration with site engineering teams.
• Identify equipment connected through industrial networks, wireless connections, modems or third-party remote access arrangements.
• Record equipment details, including manufacturer, model, location, ownership and maintenance responsibilities.

Industrial Networking & Connectivity

• Identify and trace network connections between manufacturing equipment, control panels, industrial Switches and wider infrastructure.
• Inspect control cabinets, communication rooms and associated networking equipment.
• Review existing network documentation, switch configurations, cable schedules and infrastructure drawings.
• Understand industrial communication protocols and how equipment communicates across OT environments.
• Identify independent networks, vendor-managed connections and remote connectivity arrangements.
• Support the development of accurate OT asset inventories and connectivity documentation.

Site Assessments & Technical Documentation

• Work alongside site engineering, maintenance, production and IT teams to understand existing infrastructure.
• Conduct structured site walkthroughs and physical inspections of manufacturing equipment.
• Capture photographic evidence, equipment identifiers, cable routes and infrastructure details where permitted.
• Validate existing technical drawings and documentation against physical installations.
• Identify gaps in existing asset records and highlight areas requiring further investigation.
• Produce clear, accurate technical documentation and site assessment findings.

Operational Safety & Collaboration

• Work safely within operational manufacturing environments, following site-specific safety procedures.
• Respect restrictions associated with regulated, hazardous or controlled manufacturing areas.
• Coordinate with engineering teams and equipment suppliers where access to machinery or control cabinets is restricted.
• Ensure all assessments are non-disruptive, with no changes made to operational equipment or production systems.

Required Experience

• Proven experience working as an OT Engineer, Industrial Automation Engineer, Control Systems Engineer, OT Infrastructure Engineer or similar.
• Strong understanding of industrial automation and manufacturing control systems.
• Practical experience with PLCs, SCADA, HMIs or distributed control systems.
• Good knowledge of industrial networking, including Ethernet, TCP/IP, switches, VLANs and network topology.
• Familiarity with industrial communication protocols such as Modbus, PROFINET, EtherNet/IP or OPC.
• Experience working with industrial control cabinets, automation equipment and associated network infrastructure.
• Ability to understand and trace physical connectivity between manufacturing equipment and network systems.
• Experience reviewing technical drawings, network diagrams, equipment inventories or infrastructure documentation.
• Comfortable working independently across manufacturing sites and communicating with engineering and technical stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and the ability to produce clear technical documentation.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience within pharmaceutical, chemical, biotechnology or other regulated manufacturing environments.
• Familiarity with GMP manufacturing facilities and associated operational restrictions.
• Experience conducting OT asset discovery, industrial network assessments or infrastructure surveys.
• Exposure to industrial networking equipment from manufacturers such as Cisco, Siemens, Rockwell Automation or Schneider Electric.
• Understanding of OT network segmentation and the Purdue Model.
• Experience with OT monitoring or asset discovery platforms such as Nozomi Networks or Claroty.
• Knowledge of industrial cybersecurity principles and standards such as IEC 62443.
• Electrical and instrumentation engineering experience.

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have developed their career within industrial automation, manufacturing engineering or control systems before gaining broader exposure to OT networking and infrastructure.

They will understand how industrial equipment operates, how PLCs and control systems communicate, and how manufacturing technology connects into wider network environments.

We are particularly interested in engineers who have worked hands-on within manufacturing facilities and are comfortable moving between the physical equipment on the plant floor and the networking infrastructure supporting it.

This is not a PLC programming, cybersecurity penetration testing or traditional compliance auditing position. The focus is on understanding, identifying, tracing and documenting existing operational technology infrastructure.

Project Overview

This is an opportunity to contribute to a multi-site OT infrastructure assessment programme, helping establish a comprehensive understanding of connected industrial assets and their network relationships.

The work will involve regular travel to manufacturing facilities, with structured on-site assessments typically lasting four working days per location.

The information gathered will support future infrastructure planning, network architecture and OT security improvements.