Operational Technology (OT) Cyber Security Project Engineer in Cheshire, Warrington

Bilfinger UK is a leading engineering and maintenance provider, supporting customers across the chemical & petrochemical, nuclear, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals & biopharma, power & energy, utilities, renewables and food & beverage markets. We enhance the efficiency of assets, ensuring a high level of availability and reducing maintenance costs. We have extensive experience in offshore and onshore facilities; specialising in asset management services throughout all life cycle phases from consulting, engineering, manufacturing, assembly, operations, maintenance, and decommissioning. This commitment is delivered by an experienced and highly competent workforce of over 4,500 employees operating from 14 offices in strategic industrial hubs, upholding the highest standards of safety, compliance and quality.

We are seeking an experienced, committed and enthusiastic Operational Technology (OT) Cyber Security Systems Engineer to join our Automation team for a project‑based contract role to design, develop & build and test networks and cyber security controls for an Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environment. The role focuses on securing operational technology systems and networks while ensuring system availability, safety, and compliance with industry and client standards. The OT Cyber Security Project Engineer will take full responsibility for the successful delivery of cyber security and industrial networking aspects of the project (technical, quality, time and cost elements). The candidate must be pro‑active and able to deliver their own tasks whilst coordinating with project team members, supervising, assisting and monitoring task progress and support the Project Manager commercially on progress, risks, issues and opportunities. The Engineer must be capable of working within a complex, multi‑disciplinary project environment and should work co‑operatively with the Project Engineering Management team, Lead Automation Engineers and OT Cyber Security Manager to ensure smooth project progress in accordance with the agreed project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Be responsible for technical delivery of the OT network management system and cyber security controls for the project.
• Design, implement and test secure systems and networks for an industrial control system.
• Produce clear technical documentation, including design specifications, test procedures and operating and maintenance documentation, taking ownership of and updating existing documentation.
• Deploy and test networks and cyber security controls for a PLC and SCADA environment.
• Conduct system integration and factory acceptance testing (FAT).
• Support OT Cyber Security project lifecycle management activities including vulnerability identification, patching, software and password management.
• Collaborate effectively with and support the Project Engineering Management team, Lead Automation Engineers and OT Cyber Security Manager and project engineering team with the planning and execution of OT cyber security aspects of projects to ensure they meet the time and quality required with clear reporting on progress and blockers.
• Support project and commercial management team with technical aspects of sub‑contracts.
• Provide health and safety leadership by example.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience of design, implementation and testing of OT/ICS networks and cyber security solutions within industrial environments.
• Detailed experience of the full project life cycle from system specification through design, development, testing.
• Experience of the design, specification, implementation, testing and commissioning of security solutions, controls and countermeasures for OT/IACS environments.
• This should include:

• System security – Hardening of PLC, HMI and SCADA systems to recognised industry standards, guidelines and best practices.
• Network security – Secure deployment and hardening of network infrastructure including segmentation and boundary protection through managed switches and firewalls, and passive Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS).

• Network design and implementation using Hirschmann industrial portfolio of managed network switch and firewall products.
• Network synchronisation, including dedicated time appliances and NTP.
• Implementing security controls and hardening a variety of automation OEM vendor systems e.g. Rockwell Automation, Bently Nevada, Det‑tronics, Opto 22 etc.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience working in or for System Integrator, Operators of Essential Services (OES) or Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) organisations.
• Familiarity with cyber security standards and frameworks relevant to OT.
• Experience mentoring junior staff members including apprentices.

Qualifications

• A degree or HND/HNC in Electronic/Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or other relevant engineering discipline.
• Professionally registered engineer or working towards professional registration.
• Relevant OT cyber security certification e.g.: ISA/IEC 62443 Cyber Security Expert, Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional Certification (GISCP), CCNA, CCNP etc.

If you wish to speak to a member of the recruitment team, please contact 01224 246246.