Operational Technology (OT) Technician I

Halifax Water; Lower Sackville; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 82,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Medical/dental/vision benefits

Paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave

Employee Assistance Program

Employee wellness

Professional development opportunities

Remote work option

Job summary

Halifax Water invites applicants for Two Regular/ Term Full Time Operational Technology Technician I in the Corporate Services Department. The role supports SCADA/ICS across water and wastewater facilities, focusing on operation, maintenance and security of industrial control systems.

The ideal candidate has at least Grade 12 and technical training in PLC/SCADA/HMI, plus 2+ years' experience with instrumentation, SCADA, and electrical schematics. Opportunity to work remotely is available.

Qualifications

• Experience with SCADA and industrial control systems.
• Reading electrical schematics and diagrams.
• Specialized training in PLC, SCADA and HMI applications.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and operate SCADA systems, analyze alarms and trends for repairs.
• Install, calibrate, and troubleshoot instrumentation and control equipment.
• Program and configure PLCs, DCS, VFDs, actuators, and related hardware.
• Maintain electrical and cyber security of ICS networks and devices.
• Support water and wastewater facilities with control systems and AMI integration.
• Perform after-hours standby and emergency responses as required.

Skills

SCADA systems

PLC programming

HMI applications

Electrical schematics

Electrical safety

Education

Grade 12 + Electrical/Electronic Eng Technologist certificate

PLC/SCADA/HMI training

Tools

PLC programming tools

SCADA software

Job description

Halifax Water is inviting applicants for Two Regular/ Term Full Time Operational Technology (OT) Technician I in theCorporate Services Department. Halifax Water believes a diverse workforce positively contributes to its success, and the success of our community. We encourage applications from qualified African Nova Scotians, LGBTQ+ community, racially visible persons, women in non-traditional positions, persons with disabilities and Indigenous persons. Halifax Water encourages applicants to self-identify in the cover letter.

Operational Technology (OT) Technician I is responsible for the operation, maintenance, interrogation, and configuration of the Industrial Control Systems (ICS) throughout Halifax Water. Duties also include installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of various instrumentation, radio communication equipment, automated controls, and any other ics related equipment within Halifax Water. This role will support water and wastewater staff in ics and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) as it pertains to their facilities. The OT Technician I will contribute to enhancing the security and resilience of the entire Industrial Control System. The role involves working with control systems, sensors, actuators, variable-frequency drives (VFD's), and control panels to ensure the efficient and safe operation of industrial processes.

Qualifications

• Education:
  • Grade 12, plus additional Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologist, or equivalent technical certificate from a recognized educational institution.
  • Specialized training in PLC programming, SCADA, and HMI applications.
• Experience:
  • A minimum of two (2) years' experience in instrumentation and SCADA systems including PLC programming, networking, systems integration, HMI applications, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
  • Experience reading and interpreting electrical schematics and diagrams.

Responsibilities

• Maintain strong knowledge and understanding of arc flash and electrical safety.
• Monitor SCADA systems for alarms, operational status, and communication issues. Analyze information using trends and reports to suggest actions and repairs.
• Support operations in testing, maintenance, and controls of booster pumping equipment and control equipment for the operation of the water and wastewater systems.
• Responsible for operation, daily maintenance, and emergency response for water booster stations.
• Select, install, calibrate, monitor, maintain and ensure the accuracy of various instrumentation throughout Halifax Water's distribution, collections, and treatment facilities. Instrumentation pertaining to, but not limited to flow, pressure, level, pH, free chlorine, and turbidity.
• Select, install, monitor, program, configure, and troubleshoot VFDs, actuators, pump controllers, and chemical injection pumps.
• Program, configure, install, and maintain various Programable Logic Controller (PLC) systems and Distributed Control Systems (DCS). Install, maintain, and configure various analog and discrete I/O modules, network adapters, and other equipment in PLC and DCS applications.
• Install, configure, maintain, and repair radio telemetry equipment located at heights, by using aerial work platforms, or climbing reservoirs and towers. Maintain documentation of all radio telemetry systems and equipment.
• Modify, program, and configure HMI (Human Machine Interface) displays, tag databases, and alarm notification for various SCADA software systems.
• Repair and implement security features for computers, switches, firewalls, telemetry devices and any other networking equipment within the ics environment.
• Practice, follow, and maintain all cyber security recommendations on ics networking infrastructure and equipment.
• Install, repair, and maintain collectors and repeaters within the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) network. Utilize AMI software to configure devices and resolve communications issues.
• Assist the engineering department in the commissioning of electrical and controls for treatment plants, water distribution, wastewater collections, and other SCADA installations. Test and configure equipment at new facilities to be monitored on the SCADA system.
• Develop, maintain, review, and organize electronic and paper CAD documents pertaining to electrical and instrumentation for ics and SCADA systems.
• Responsible for performing rotational standby duty, including after-hours work, unplanned and emergency responses, as per operational requirements.
• Perform other related duties as may be assigned.

Halifax Water invests in its employees by providing competitive salaries, incentive programs, opportunities for advancement, and excellent benefits packages including:

• Pension plan
• Medical, dental and vision benefits
• Paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave
• Family/Employee Assistance Program
• Employee wellness
• Professional development opportunities
• Commitment to providing world-class water, wastewater and stormwater services as leading environmental stewards.
• Opportunity to work remotely