Operational Technology Infrastructure Architect

TEKsystems•Dallas, TX

1d•$75 - $75•Hybrid

About The Position

Our client is seeking an experienced Network Infrastructure & OT Connectivity Program Lead to support the expansion of Industrial Factory Framework (IFF) initiatives across manufacturing facilities. This individual will serve as the technical authority and program coordinator responsible for enabling secure, scalable connectivity between manufacturing assets and enterprise infrastructure. This is not a traditional hands-on network engineering position. The successful candidate will leverage a strong networking background to oversee architecture, guide implementation teams, validate technical solutions, and drive coordination across multiple stakeholders. The role is heavily focused on program leadership, architecture governance, technical oversight, and lifecycle management of manufacturing connectivity initiatives.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in network engineering, network architecture, infrastructure engineering, or related technical leadership roles.
Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional technical initiatives.
Strong understanding of: Enterprise networking, Routing and switching, TCP/IP, LAN/WAN architectures, Network segmentation, Network security, Network performance and reliability, Infrastructure design and architecture principles.
Experience developing architecture diagrams and technical implementation documentation.
Ability to evaluate and validate complex technical solutions.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
Ability to translate technical requirements into executable plans and coordinate successful delivery across multiple teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Operational Technology (OT) or Industrial Control System (ICS) environments.
Experience connecting manufacturing equipment, machine cells, or factory systems to enterprise infrastructure.
Knowledge of industrial networking architectures and manufacturing technology ecosystems.
Familiarity with PLC-enabled environments and industrial automation concepts.
Experience working within highly regulated or security-conscious environments.
Experience supporting cybersecurity initiatives within manufacturing operations.
Knowledge of Cisco networking technologies, including Software Defined Access (SDA), preferred.
Experience with Juniper, Palo Alto, or similar enterprise networking platforms.
Experience supporting edge-to-cloud connectivity strategies.
Experience with smart manufacturing, Industry 4.0, or digital factory initiatives.
Project or program management experience in large enterprise environments.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary technical lead supporting OT/IT convergence initiatives within manufacturing environments.
Coordinate activities among manufacturing operations, facilities, cybersecurity, network architecture, and engineering teams.
Lead planning, execution, and lifecycle management activities for machine connectivity initiatives.
Manage multiple concurrent manufacturing connectivity efforts across sites and business units.
Facilitate communication and alignment across technical teams to ensure successful project outcomes.
Drive consistency of standards, processes, and implementation approaches across locations.
Develop and maintain network architecture diagrams, reference architectures, and implementation frameworks.
Review and validate proposed network designs for manufacturability, performance, security, and scalability.
Provide technical leadership and guidance to implementation teams and local site personnel.
Ensure compliance with enterprise architecture and cybersecurity requirements.
Act as the primary technical escalation point for connectivity and architecture-related issues.
Partner with corporate network architecture teams to align industrial networking requirements with enterprise standards.
Support onboarding and integration of manufacturing machine cells into enterprise network environments.
Provide architectural oversight for industrial connectivity solutions.
Evaluate proposed changes for operational, security, and performance impacts.
Assist teams in identifying and mitigating cybersecurity risks associated with industrial assets.
Support connectivity design for factory-floor systems, industrial equipment, and operational technology environments.
Promote repeatable frameworks that can be leveraged across multiple manufacturing sites.
Provide guidance and coaching to site teams and technical resources.
Assist less experienced team members in understanding network architecture principles and industrial networking requirements.
Conduct design reviews and provide recommendations to improve implementation quality.
Help teams avoid common architecture, security, and operational pitfalls.
Act as the technical "sniff test" for networking and architecture decisions.
Define architectural approaches and implementation frameworks.
Coordinate work performed by networking, facilities, and manufacturing teams.
Review designs and ensure teams are following established standards.
Validate that implementations meet security, architecture, and operational requirements.
Provide coaching and technical direction to site teams.
Develop architecture documentation and deployment frameworks.
Drive execution through coordination, oversight, and governance rather than direct implementation.