Cyber Security Lead

GxP Recruitment; Galway; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

GxP Recruitment seeks an OT Cybersecurity Lead to serve as the senior technical authority for cybersecurity across manufacturing equipment and production systems.

You will set cybersecurity requirements for procurement, build, operation and maintenance, and collaborate with Engineering, Automation, Manufacturing, Procurement and Enterprise Cybersecurity to implement these standards with uptime and validation in mind.

Qualifications

• At least four years of hands-on OT cybersecurity experience.
• Experience building or running an OS and firmware patching programme for production equipment.
• Experience building and maintaining an OT asset inventory and assessing OS/firmware/software against vendor support.
• Working knowledge of PLC-based and PC-based machine control systems and validation.
• Ability to translate cybersecurity requirements into equipment and component purchasing specifications.
• Ability to explain the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 and the AI Act implications for procurement and operation.

Responsibilities

• Maintain an accurate OT asset inventory and identify gaps, legacy equipment, and remediation priorities.
• Own the OT patching and firmware strategy, including assessment, testing, deployment and monitoring.
• Decide patch vs deferment or compensating control, document rationale and residual risk.
• Define cybersecurity requirements for components and supplier-built equipment before purchase.
• Review designs from OEMs and system integrators for cybersecurity and obsolescence risks.
• Define controls for legacy or unpatchable equipment, including network segmentation and backups.
• Provide technical direction during OT cyber incidents across cross-functional teams.
• Track EU regulatory developments related to Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 and AI Act.

Skills

OT cybersecurity

Asset inventory

Vulnerability remediation

Patch management

PLC/PC controls

Security requirements

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/CS/Cybersecurity

Job description

OT Cybersecurity Lead

Location Galway, Ireland

Initial 12 month contract with view to permanency.

Role Overview

Our manufacturing client is seeking an OT Cybersecurity Lead to act as the senior technical authority for cybersecurity across its manufacturing equipment and production systems.

You’ll set cybersecurity requirements for how equipment is purchased, built, operated and maintained. The role covers supplier design reviews, asset inventory, vulnerability remediation, operating system and firmware patching, legacy equipment management and incident response. You’ll work closely with Engineering, Automation, Manufacturing, Procurement and Enterprise Cybersecurity to put those requirements into practice while accounting for production uptime, equipment support and validation requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain an accurate operational technology (OT) asset inventory and use it to identify operating system, firmware and software gaps, unsupported equipment and remediation priorities.
• Own the OT patching and firmware strategy, including assessment, testing, deployment, exception management and ongoing monitoring.
• Decide whether to apply a patch, defer it or introduce a compensating control. Document the rationale and any remaining risk.
• Define cybersecurity requirements for components, new machine builds and supplier-built equipment before purchase. Cover support duration, end-of-support arrangements, patching, remote access and logging.
• Review designs and component selections from machine builders, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators for cybersecurity and obsolescence risks.
• Define controls for legacy or un-patchable equipment, including network segmentation, access restrictions, application allow listing, monitoring and backups.
• Provide technical direction during OT cybersecurity incidents and guide Engineering, Automation, Manufacturing and Enterprise Cybersecurity teams on the standards they should apply.
• Track relevant EU regulatory developments, including the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 and the AI Act. Work with Legal, Regulatory and Quality to assess implications for equipment procurement and operation.

Essential Experience and Skills

• At least four years of hands‑on OT cybersecurity experience, including asset inventory, vulnerability assessment and remediation in production environments.
• Experience building or running an operating system and firmware patching programme for production equipment. Ability to explain how testing, deployment and risk decisions differ from enterprise IT patching.
• Experience building and maintaining an OT asset inventory and assessing operating systems, firmware and software against vendor support status.
• Working knowledge of PLC‑based and PC‑based machine control systems, including how they are designed, updated and validated. Platform‑specific programming is optional.
• Ability to translate cybersecurity requirements into equipment and component purchasing specifications and assess how supplier support commitments affect long‑term risk.
• Ability to explain the practical implications of the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2 and the AI Act for equipment procurement and operation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Automation Engineering, Control Engineering, Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity or a related technical discipline, or equivalent substantial industry experience.

Desirable Experience

• IEC 62443 training or certification, GICSP or an equivalent industrial cybersecurity certification.
• Experience in medical device, pharmaceutical or other regulated manufacturing, including equipment validation and change control.
• Experience working with machine builders, OEMs or system integrators to define cybersecurity requirements for new equipment.
• Experience delivering OT cybersecurity programmes across multiple sites and standardising controls across different types of equipment.
• Working knowledge of industrial networking, network segmentation and secure remote access.
• Experience with OT asset discovery and monitoring tools.