Senior SCADA & Communications Engineer

SMA America

3d•$138,000 - $158,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior SCADA & Communications Engineer supports the design, integration, and operation of communication and control systems across utility-scale renewable energy assets, including solar PV, battery storage, and hybrid plants. This role owns site-level communications architecture, machine-to-machine (M2M) SCADA integration, and secure connectivity between sites, utilities, and cloud platforms.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant work experience
At least 5 years of SCADA or energy management systems experience
Strong understanding of firewalls and network security fundamentals
Ability to debug network connections using tools such as Wireshark
Extensive hands-on experience with utility-scale SCADA systems, including SCADA servers, RTUs, PLCs, industrial gateways, and edge/data collection devices
Strong experience with industrial and utility protocols such as Modbus TCP/IP, DNP3, IEC 61850 (preferred), and OPC UA
Strong understanding of OT cybersecurity principles, including defense-in-depth architectures, secure remote access/VPNs, and network segmentation and monitoring
Experience implementing secure communication paths between OT and IT systems
Comfort working with field data, diagnostics, and system telemetry
Proficiency in English required
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
Proven ability to work effectively in a matrix organization

Nice To Haves

Background in commissioning or field deployment
Experience implementing unidirectional security solutions (data diodes)
Knowledge of ISO/RTO integration requirements
Strong cross-functional collaboration across engineering, O&M, and IT/security teams
Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving capabilities
Ability to clearly communicate technical architectures to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Familiarity with NERC CIP and cybersecurity frameworks for critical infrastructure
German and/or Spanish language skills are a plus

Responsibilities

Lead integration of site controllers, inverters, and auxiliary equipment into a unified SCADA architecture
Design and configure machine-to-machine (M2M) communications between site controllers, inverters, and plant-level gateways and data concentrators
Define and deploy end-to-end communication networks, including industrial Ethernet (fiber/copper), layered OT network segmentation, and integration of secure connectivity platforms, data collectors, and industrial gateways
Design and support OT networks, including firewalls, routers, switches, VLANs and segmentation, and fiber optic networks
Manage secure communication interfaces between sites and utilities, transmission operators, ISOs/RTOs, asset owners, and cloud-based platforms
Configure and validate protocols for wide-area communications, including real-time telemetry, dispatch and control signals, and event and disturbance reporting
Design and implement multi-layer cybersecurity architectures, including segmented network zones, secure data replication layers, and unidirectional gateways (data diodes) for critical assets
Support compliance with NERC CIP standards, utility interconnection requirements, and internal cybersecurity frameworks
Enable inverter monitoring, diagnostics, and fault detection through integration with cloud-based dashboards
Collaborate with O&M and engineering teams to troubleshoot issues and optimize system performance
Maintain auditable data and communication structures to meet regulatory compliance requirements
Other duties as assigned