Industrial Automation OT/IT Digitalisation

The rapid digitalisation of industrial automation is transforming how organisations connect OT and IT systems, creating new expectations for integrated architectures, real-time data visibility and alignment with wider business platforms. This role sits at the heart of that transformation. SAINT — Systemisation for the acceleration of the introduction of new technologies — is Bryden Wood's most rapidly growing and intellectually distinctive business unit, operating at the juncture of management consulting and architectural and engineering design. We carry out early-stage capital project design and due diligence studies for leading companies in life sciences, green energy and chemicals, and nuclear. We apply systems thinking, transdisciplinary collaboration, and iterative design thinking to problems that conventional engineering consultancies address through sequential, specification-driven methods. We are not a conventional AE practice — and the people who thrive here are those who find that genuinely exciting.

As demand increases across the pharmaceutical, chemical, and energy sectors, we are expanding our Process Control, Instrumentation and Automation capability. You will play a key role in delivering ongoing client projects while helping to shape the future of our digitalisation offering. The work is genuinely varied across sectors, scales, and disciplines, with direct exposure to senior technical leadership and client relationships from the outset. You will work on problems that matter — at the earliest and most consequential stage of major capital programmes — alongside people who take ideas seriously.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead digitalisation strategies and advisory work on early-stage capital studies — helping clients make better decisions about OT/IT architecture, technology selection, and investment.
• Work closely and become fully integrated with the Control & Automation team to deliver cohesive, robust designs.
• Articulate the business case for digitalisation investment in terms that clients — including non-technical sponsors — can understand and act on.
• Work across all three SAINT sectors (life sciences, green energy and chemicals, nuclear), bringing relevant digitalisation insight to each.
• Contribute to business development — helping to identify and develop digitalisation-related opportunities with existing and new clients.
• Stay at the frontier of industrial digitalisation — advanced manufacturing, data engineering, AI applications to process operations.
• Contribute to the development of internal capability and help shape SAINT’S digitalisation roadmap.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

• Strong hands-on experience in OT/IT integration within industrial environments.
• Knowledge of DCS, PLC, SCADA systems and industrial communication protocols (e.g. OPC UA, Modbus, Profibus, Ethernet/IP).
• Experience with industrial data platforms such as OSIsoft PI, Aveva Historian, AspenTech, or similar.
• Experience integrating OT systems with MES, ERP, LIMS, or cloud platforms (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Knowledge of digital twins, IIoT platforms, or advanced process control (APC).
• Understanding of OT/IT cybersecurity principles and frameworks (IEC 62443, NIST).
• Demonstrated ability to operate at the strategic and client-facing end — not just technical delivery.
• Ability to translate technical complexity into strategic insight for non-technical stakeholders.
• Comfort working in early-stage, ambiguous environments where the problem is not yet fully defined.
• Broad sector knowledge across at least two of SAINT’S primary sectors.
• Experience in regulated environments (GAMP 5, FDA 21 CFR Part 11).
• Experience working with or for clients in the USA.
• Background in or exposure to DfMA, modular design, or platform thinking as it relates to automation architecture.
• Consulting or advisory experience — operating at the client interface rather than purely in delivery.

Skills and Behaviours

The Kind of Person Who Thrives at SAINT: Technical credentials matter — but they are not sufficient. The people who do their best work at SAINT share certain qualities that go beyond discipline:

• Intellectual curiosity that extends beyond their own specialism — they want to understand the whole system, not just their part of it.
• Comfort with ambiguity and iteration — they are energised by problems that do not yet have a defined solution.
• A non-conventional career story — they have stepped outside the obvious path at least once, whether through R&D, an entrepreneurial venture, cross-sector work, or simply asking different questions.
• Collaborative instinct — they work best when thinking with others across disciplinary boundaries, not delivering in isolation.
• Honesty and directness — we have no appetite for organisational politics or performative expertise.

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or equivalent in Engineering, Computer Science, Automation, or a related technical field.
• Experience delivering digitalisation projects in at least one of the following sectors: pharmaceutical (GxP, GMP, data integrity); chemical (batch or continuous processing, safety systems); energy (generation, utilities, renewables).
• Sufficient post-qualification experience to operate credibly at a senior strategic and client-facing level.

Career development and progression

SAINT is growing rapidly and the team is genuinely collaborative — which means real opportunities to take on growing responsibilities, shape your own role, and influence the group's direction and capabilities. There are many experienced people in the team who are willing to support the professional development of self-motivated colleagues. At Bryden Wood, we offer a range of company perks, including:

• 9-Day Fortnight: Enjoy one extra day off every other week, with no extra hours required and no change to your salary.
• Paid Professional Membership: We cover eligible professional memberships.
• Private Healthcare: Fully funded by us.
• Career Progression: Regular performance reviews to support your growth.
• Pension Scheme: We match contributions up to 5%.
• Personal Accident Insurance and Group Life Scheme: Additional financial protection.
• Cycle to Work and EV Schemes: Support for greener travel.
• Learning Opportunities: Regular CPDs and development opportunities.
• Social Events: Office lunches, outings, and monthly socials.

*Benefits vary depending on geographical location and will be discussed at interview. Appointment to this role will be subject to satisfactory references and possession of valid Right to Work documentation for the relevant location. Bryden Wood is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Equality, diversity, and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do. Working in a diverse society, we recognise that our clients, colleagues, and contractors are central to our success.