OT Network Engineer

Kinetik • Midland, TX

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

The OT Network Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting reliable, high-performance Operational Technology (OT) network infrastructure used throughout industrial control environments. This role focuses on ensuring maximum network availability, performance, resiliency, and scalability while supporting digital transformation initiatives across industrial operations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience may be substituted.
• Minimum 5 years of experience designing and supporting enterprise or industrial network infrastructure.
• Minimum 3 years of experience supporting Industrial Control Systems (ICS), SCADA environments, or industrial networking.
• Strong understanding of industrial networking principles and communication protocols including Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, DNP3, PROFINET, OPC UA, and MQTT.
• Experience with Layer 2/Layer 3 networking including VLANs, OSPF, BGP, STP, VRRP, multicast, QoS, and network redundancy.
• Experience configuring and supporting enterprise networking platforms such as Cisco, Palo Alto, Juniper, Fortinet, or equivalent.
• Experience with wireless networking, LTE/5G, microwave, and remote communications used in industrial environments.
• Working knowledge of network monitoring and management platforms such as SolarWinds, Libre, LogicMonitor, or similar.
• Working knowledge of virtualization platforms including VMware or Hyper-V.
• Excellent troubleshooting and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across Operations, Engineering, Automation, and IT teams.
• High level of integrity and professionalism, effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• High level of integrity and professionalism.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with industrial networking platforms including Hirschmann, Cisco Industrial Ethernet, Stratix, Moxa, Phoenix Contact, or similar vendors is preferred.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure platforms including Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) is preferred.
• Knowledge of AI automation platforms, industrial data analytics, and modern automation technologies is preferred.
• Understanding of Zero Trust networking principles and secure OT architecture is preferred.
• Relevant certifications such as CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, CCIE, JNCIP, PCNSA/PCNSE, Fortinet NSE, AWS, Azure, or equivalent are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and maintain industrial Ethernet networks including Layer 2/Layer 3 switching, routing, wireless, firewalls, and remote connectivity.
• Engineer highly available network architectures for industrial facilities, compressor stations, plants, and remote assets.
• Develop and maintain accurate network diagrams, IP address management, and technical documentation.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial networking equipment including managed switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless infrastructure.
• Support industrial communication protocols including Modbus TCP, DNP3, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, OPC UA, MQTT, and other OT protocols.
• Work closely with Automation, SCADA, Controls, and Operations teams to ensure reliable communications between field devices and control systems.
• Plan, execute, and support network upgrades, migrations, and technology refresh initiatives.
• Monitor network health, performance, and availability while proactively identifying opportunities for optimization.
• Troubleshoot network outages and communication issues to minimize operational downtime.
• Assist with implementation of network segmentation, VLANs, redundancy, QoS, and resilient network designs.
• Support disaster recovery planning and network resiliency initiatives.
• Collaborate with the OT Security team to implement secure network architectures and security best practices.
• Evaluate new networking technologies and provide recommendations for improving reliability, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Assist with cloud connectivity initiatives supporting OT applications, data collection, and industrial IoT solutions.
• Participate in AI-driven automation initiatives by supporting infrastructure required for machine learning, predictive analytics, and intelligent operational workflows.
• Work with vendors, integrators, and service providers during project implementation and support activities.
• Participate in on-call support for critical OT network infrastructure as required.

Benefits

• Kinetik is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against qualified applicants on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level