Automation & OT Engineer

Syngenta; Pontevedra; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Syngenta in Porriño, Spain seeks an Automation & OT Engineer to safeguard manufacturing operations through expert OT cybersecurity, network design, and compliance with ISA/IEC 62443. You will work across IT, operations, maintenance and engineering teams to protect DCS/PLC/SCADA/HMI systems while ensuring uptime and security of digital assets.

The role emphasizes securing industrial networks, patch management, and incident response, with a focus on OT security best practices within a global

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years hands-on experience in operational technology or cybersecurity within manufacturing.
• Experience implementing OT cybersecurity controls in industrial environments.
• Experience with SIEM, intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning, threat modelling, or incident response in OT.
• Ability to collaborate across IT, operations, maintenance, engineering and cybersecurity teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain OT cybersecurity frameworks aligned with ISA/IEC 62443.
• Design and secure OT network infrastructure and boundaries.
• Monitor and respond to OT security threats using SIEM and IDS.
• Maintain and troubleshoot automation systems to maximize uptime.
• Support resilience, disaster recovery and capital projects for OT systems.
• Manage OT lifecycle activities including patching and vendor coordination.

Skills

OT cybersecurity

ISA/IEC 62443

Industrial networks

DCS/PLC/SCADA/HMI

IT/OT integration

Industrial security

Problem solving

Communication skills

Spanish and English

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Tools

SIEM

Intrusion detection

Vulnerability scanning

Threat modelling

Incident response

Job description

Company Description

Syngenta Group, a global leader in agricultural technology and innovation, employs 60,000 people across more than 100 countries to transform agriculture through tailor‑made solutions for farmers, society, and our planet. Our diverse portfolio encompasses seeds, crop protection, nutrition products, agronomic solutions, and digital services, all designed to help farmers produce healthy food, feed, fiber, and fuel while conserving natural resources and protecting the environment. Our mission is to address critical challenges such as climate change and food security through sustainable practices and cutting‑edge solutions, while safeguarding the planet's resources.

Syngenta Crop Protection, the largest Syngenta Group unit, leads in sustainable farming solutions, offering innovative products to keep crops healthy while minimizing environmental impact, from planting to harvest.

Job Description

At Syngenta, our goal is to build the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture, providing top‑quality seeds and innovative crop protection solutions that improve farmers' success. To support this mission, Syngenta’s Manufacturing & Engineering team is seeking an Automation & OT Engineer in Porriño.

This role will support the delivery of safe, reliable and secure manufacturing operations by acting as the site technical expert for automation systems, industrial control systems, OT networks and OT cybersecurity, ensuring compliance with relevant industry standards and Syngenta IT/OT security requirements.

Accountabilities

• Develop, implement and maintain OT cybersecurity frameworks for industrial control systems, aligned with ISA/IEC 62443, industry best practice and Syngenta IT/OT security policies, including risk assessments and vulnerability management.
• Design, manage and secure OT network infrastructure, including network segmentation, firewalls, VPNs, secure protocols, access controls, IT/OT boundaries and demilitarized zones to protect DCS, PLC, SCADA and HMI systems.
• Monitor, detect and respond to OT security threats using tools such as SIEM, intrusion detection, anomaly detection and vulnerability scanning, supporting incident response and remediation while minimizing impact on production.
• Maintain, optimize and troubleshoot automation systems, including control logic, process graphics, alarms, historian databases and system performance, working closely with operations and maintenance teams to maximize uptime.
• Support system resilience, functional safety, disaster recovery and capital projects by ensuring new and existing automation and OT systems are secure, recoverable and compliant from design through commissioning.
• Manage OT system lifecycle activities, including patching, updates, obsolescence management, vendor coordination, technical documentation, automation standards and training for operations, maintenance and engineering teams.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Cybersecurity, Network Engineering, Control Systems Engineering, or a related technical discipline.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of hands‑on experience in operational technology, industrial automation, industrial networks, or cybersecurity within manufacturing or process‑industry environments.
• Experience implementing OT cybersecurity controls in industrial control system environments.
• Experience with SIEM, intrusion detection, vulnerability scanning, threat modelling, and/or incident response in OT environments.
• Experience working across IT, operations, maintenance, engineering, and cybersecurity teams.

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of OT cybersecurity standards and best practices, particularly ISA/IEC 62443.
• Strong understanding of industrial network architecture, protocols, and secure communications, including firewalls, VPNs, Profibus, Profinet, Modbus, OPC UA, and/or EtherNet/IP.
• Working knowledge of DCS, PLC, SCADA, and HMI system architectures, including operational requirements, security risks, and secure configuration principles.
• Understanding of IT/OT integration patterns, secure enterprise‑control network boundaries, and data models such as ISA-88 and ISA-95.
• Knowledge of functional safety standards such as IEC 61508 and/or ISA S92, and how these intersect with cybersecurity and system resilience in industrial environments.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and ability to respond to complex technical or security issues under operational pressure.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Native or near-native Spanish communication skills, both written and spoken, plus strong written and spoken English.

Additional Information

What we offer

• A culture that promotes work/life balance and celebrates diversity.
• Extensive benefits package including a pension plan scheme, bonus, life insurance & a pool of flexible benefits to choose (Ticket Restaurant, WellHub, etc.)
• A role that contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment.
• Learning culture and a wide range of development options, including access to learning platforms (Degreed and LinkedIn Learning)

Equal Opportunity

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

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