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Aqua · 9 hours ago

Project Engineer III

PA Bryn Mawr

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

10+ years exp

Aqua, an Essential Utilities company, is seeking a Corporate Automation (SCADA) Engineer to develop and manage SCADA solutions across its eight-state operations. The role involves technical leadership in SCADA architecture, compliance with cybersecurity standards, and collaboration with various stakeholders to enhance operational reliability and data management.

Business DevelopmentCustomer ServiceInfrastructure

Responsibilities

The Corporate Automation (SCADA) Engineer will apply strong critical thinking, organizational, and technical expertise in designing, developing, implementing, and maintaining industrial control systems for Aqua water and wastewater systems. This key Corporate Engineering role will require working closely with in-house personnel at the Corporate and State level, Contractors, Consultants, Suppliers, and Manufacturers on both small and large scale SCADA projects throughout the states

Provide technical leadership in the areas of SCADA architecture and design, control system design and review, cybersecurity awareness, standard operating procedures (SOPs) and operational reliability

Provide vision and direction in executing the Company’s automation strategy. Facilitate communication and enforcement of corporate standards for compliance with Engineering, IT, and OT policies, standards, practices, and guidelines

Participate in all phases of project lifecycle for IT/OT initiatives - design, build and assist with operation and maintenance of current and upcoming SCADA efforts both at the state and corporate level

Facilitate the IT/OT program by coordinating all IT/OT efforts through the established IT/OT Program Governance Structure: Steering Committee – Senior and Executive Operational, Engineering, and IT Leadership Leadership Group – Engineering and IT Management Working Group – IT PMO, IT Functional Groups, Internal and External OT Resources Advisory Council – cross-functional quality circle

Work with Senior Leadership and Functional Leads to develop and execute overall technological strategy to meet strategic needs and functional requirements

Work with Engineering, IT, and OT stakeholders, State Operations, and Asset Management Team to facilitate and define technology, security standards, operational needs, and system architectures, regarding state reporting requirements and SCADA data transport to enterprise level applications. Work together with Essential Utilities Information Technology to develop, implement, and maintain this system architecture

Support and coordinate with the IT and Cyber Security Team: Engineering / management / maintenance of firewall and network access control Technology for the SCADA assets. Assist the Information Security team with the upkeep of cybersecurity equipment such as networks, intrusion prevention / detection systems, proxy / content filtering technologies, virtual private networks, DMZ networks, secure file transfer, and encryption. Support and communicate with IT team on day-to-day access control change requests and provisioning at the network perimeter and between network segments. Assist in the development and implementation of both IT and OT strategies and facilitate such initiatives as they relate to the company’s SCADA architecture, including network infrastructure and security program. Capability to provide technical vulnerability and risk assessment as well as ability to design reasonable and actionable remediation/improvement plans

Support and coordinate with the State Engineering & Operations Teams and State Automation / Process Controls Personnel: Provide guidance and hands-on management to State and Corporate Engineering on State’s Annual Capital 510 Budget in VA, IL, IN, OH, and TX Provide guidance and support to NC and PA. Guide and manage embedded OT dependencies contained in additional Capital work (i.e. control system components within vertical construction projects). Review and coordinate with stakeholders from each individual state and business area on upcoming SCADA projects for both technical and organizational compliance with corporate requirements in terms of guidelines, standards, specifications, operational requirements and technical objectives. Oversee and coordinate the architecture / engineering, management, maintenance, planning and monitoring of the various SCADA networks. This includes configuration management, rule set design and device security. Work with State Automation Managers and Contract Integrators to create / maintain PLC and HMI programming application code and documentation of all state SCADA systems and build a virtual library of control documentation for all SCADA assets

Support and coordinate with the Information Technology Project Management Office (IT PMO): Design IT/OT system architectures with clearly defined IT components in alignment with Aqua America IT/OT Roadmap Identify IT components and deliver requirements documentation to the IT PMO System architecture diagrams Data flow diagrams Security policy documentation Network policy documentation Infrastructure requirements documentation Collaborate with IT PMO personnel to develop project plans, resourcing assignments, and project Gantt charts Act as a liaison between the IT PMO and State/Corporate Engineering to convey project delivery timelines, translate requirements, and identify and remediate obstacles

Leadership roles: Primary point of contact and source of responsibility for gathering operational needs across the Aqua footprint that can be supported through automation (SCADA). Primary point of contact for Aqua States’ Process Controls personnel, Contract Integrators, manufacturers, and suppliers, and for providing / coordinating support and expertise across States. Communicate the possibilities and options that exist for the support of operations under the latest accepted Company-wide SCADA framework and implementations through the OT Advisory Groups

Ability to work off hours maintenance windows and participate in rotating on call shift

Ability to work alone or function effectively as part of a team

Ability to follow change control processes

All other duties as assigned by management

Qualification

SCADA architecture designIndustrial control systemsCybersecurity conceptsData acquisitionProject managementCommunication skillsAnalytical skillsProblem solvingOrganizational skillsTeamworkLeadershipFlexibilityAttention to detailTime management

Required

Proven ability to architect and implement industrial control systems in a large, complex and geographically distributed environment that integrates IT and OT

Must have dedicated experience with SCADA architecture design and information security concepts. Current hands-on experience with DMZ design and hardening, perimeter defense, defense in depth, encryption management, prevention and detection of network security issues

Strong written and verbal communication skills are required

Minimum of 10 years primary responsibility leading SCADA and Control system environments

Strong, clear and concise written and oral communication skills

Ability to work on multiple, unique assignments across various operational areas and Teams simultaneously

Strong organizational, analytical and problem solving skills

Reasonable knowledge of the following concepts: Encryption in transit and at rest, SCADA and Industrial Control Network best practices, Security best practices, Operational HMI best practice

Ability to travel up to 60-70% of the time outside the Bryn Mawr Area

Bachelor's Degree in Control Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering or equivalent required, with 10 years of experience in Control systems and SCADA systems