Automation & Operations Technology Engineer

Danone North America, LLC; Jacksonville (FL); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Medical, Dental, Vision

401k Plan

Wellness Program

Tuition Reimbursement

Flexible Time Off

Paid Parental Bonding Leave

Job summary

Danone North America, LLC seeks an Automation & Operations Technology Engineer to own OT cybersecurity strategy for the Jacksonville, FL and Minster, OH plants. You will act as a liaison between plant operations and IT/security teams, manage threat mitigation, vulnerability management, and remote access controls, while ensuring system availability and ongoing improvement.

The role requires 5+ years in automation/OT, a Bachelor's in Engineering, and willingness to travel 30-40% with on-call

Qualifications

• OT cybersecurity program management and governance.
• Industrial networking and control systems knowledge.
• PLC programming and electrical systems familiarity.

Responsibilities

• Enforce Danone Global OT cybersecurity policies and standards
• Daily health check on all OT systems
• Continuous improvement of Cybersecurity KPI (Vulnerability, Cybersecurity alerts, Backup systems management, PLC Security)
• Formal monthly reporting of Cybersecurity KPI's to plant directors, automation director and regional security officer
• Industrial legacy system migration and obsolescence management
• Industrial Automation Asset Management and data contextualization using Claroty xDome
• Management of vendor remote access to OT systems
• Participate in Cybersecurity audits and maintain audit reports
• Maintain and update industrial automation architecture drawings and network monitoring software (HiVision, PRTG)
• Organize Windows patch installation in industrial automation servers/workstations with Americas server infra team
• Master plan development for industrial networking and applications roadmap
• Share knowledge through Danone North America networking
• Facilitate meetings with regional IT teams on system performance improvements
• Monthly travel to Jacksonville or Minster (~30-40%)

Skills

OT cybersecurity

Industrial networking

PLC programming

Electrical knowledge

AutoCAD

Visio

SCADA/HMI familiarity

SQL programming

Microsoft Server

Self-directed

Team collaboration

Cybersecurity certification (ISA/IES 6

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Claroty xDome

HiVision

PRTG

Factory Talk Security

Ignition

Wonderware

Factory Talk View SE/ME

OPC-UA

Ethernet/IP

Modbus TCP

Job description

Automation & Operations Technology Engineer

Job Locations: US-FL-Jacksonville | US-OH-Minster

Automation & Operations Technology Engineer will be the single point of contact for Operational Technology Cybersecurity strategy, improvement, maintenance and will also act as a liaison between plant operations and regional and global IT and Cybersecurity team. The Automation & Operations Technology Engineer position will be responsible for Danone plants in Jacksonville, FL and Minster, OH.

Primary responsibility of the Automation & Operations Technology Engineer will be to use cybersecurity tools (Claroty, Hackuity, Qualys, Firewalls, Beyond Trust, Factory Talk Security) for threat mitigation, vulnerability management, alert monitoring, preventing of unauthorized access and remote access management and maximize the availability of industrial automation systems (Hardware, Network, Scada Software, Database, Integration of new components and solutions).

Automation & Operations Technology Engineer will collaborate with operations and engineering teams on corporate and plant initiatives ensuring all cybersecurity policies are followed. This role will also support automation improvement projects, actively participate in patching campaigns during planned shutdowns and assist in recovery efforts during outages caused by cybersecurity incidents.

Candidate must be able to lift a minimum of 30 lbs, have stamina and endurance (e.g., standing, sitting, walking, etc.) to occasionally work long hours, willingness to travel stateside & abroad and availability to be on-call & work flexible hours (e.g., weekends, off shifts, holidays during special projects implementation).

Job Responsibilities

• Enforce Danone Global OT cybersecurity policies and standards
• Daily health check on all OT systems
• Continuous improvement of Cybersecurity KPI (Vulnerability, Cybersecurity alerts, Backup systems management, PLC Security)
• Formal monthly reporting of Cybersecurity KPI's to plant directors, automation director and regional security officer
• Report high priority incidents related to cybersecurity to automation director and regional cyber security Replace and plant leadership team
• Industrial legacy system migration related obsolete operating system, database and automation software
• Industrial Automation Asset Management and data contextualization using Claroty xDome
• Management of vendor remote access to OT systems
• Management of vendor onsite wireless access to OT systems
• Participate in Cybersecurity audits and maintain audit reports
• Continuous improvement of industrial automation systems
• Maintain and update industrial automation architecture drawings and network monitoring software (HiVision, PRTG)
• Industrial automation hardware life cycle management (obsolescence)
• Organize windows patch install in industrial automation servers and workstations with the Americas server infrastructure team
• Master plan development for industrial networking and industrial applications roadmap
• Share knowledge and learnings through Danone North America networking
• Enforce Danone North America automation standards and specifications as part of plant initiatives and projects
• Facilitate meetings with the regional IT teams regarding continuous improvement of system performance, reliability, and obsolescence
• Monthly travel required to Jacksonville or Minster (estimated travel ~30% - 40%), to be managed by the candidate based on business needs

The salary range for this position is $110,000.00 - $149,000.00 USD. The exact salary offered will depend on several factors, including the candidate's relevant experience, geographic location, internal equity, and market conditions. Danone USA additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment. This role is considered a "hybrid" position that allows for flexible work, meaning it is a role where collaboration with key stakeholders in Danone Hubs occurs. While you may have the option to work from home on a schedule as agreed to with your supervisor, you are also expected to regularly report to your assigned office location at least 3 days per week.

About You

Experience and working knowledge in:

• OT Cybersecurity program management
• Industrial networking and communication protocols (OPC-UA, Ethernet/IP, Modbus TCP, IO Link, AS-i)
• Rockwell/Siemens/Schneider PLC programming
• Basic Electrical knowledge and comfort working with 24VDC, 120VAC and 480VAC control systems and their associated components
• Auto Cad and Microsoft Visio
• Familiarity with the following SCADA or HMI systems is a plus:
  • Ignition
  • Wonderware
  • Factory Talk View SE/ME
• Familiarity with programming languages and SQL programming is a plus
• Microsoft Office suite and Microsoft server environments
• Must be self-directed and able to work independently as well as part of a team
• Must be organized and self-disciplined to accommodate the management of concurrent projects
• Excellent conflict resolution and interpersonal skills
• Experience in IT and OT network segregation using Purdue model
• Fast learner, open to learn new things (attending training & certification related to the role as needed) and adapts to change
• ISA/IES 62443 or any other Cybersecurity Certification is a plus
• Must speak English

Experience Requirement

• 5+ years of job experience in automation and operations technology

Educational Requirement

Bachelor's degree in Engineering with a minimum of 5 years of experience in manufacturing related to automation and operations technologies OR minimum of 10 years of experience in food manufacturing related to information systems and automation technologies in lieu of degree.

About Us, We offer and What's next

Life at Danone

With approximately 5,000 employees and 13 production locations across the U.S., our vibrant culture and endless growth opportunities are just a couple of the reasons our employees call themselves "Proud Danoners."

Our Brands

When you join us, you'll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world, including Activia, DanActive, Danimals, Dannon, evian, Follow Your Heart, Happy Family Organics, International Delight, Light + Fit, Nutricia , Oikos, Silk, So Delicious Dairy Free, STK Cold Brew Coffee , Too Good & Co, and YoCrunch.

Our Purpose

We're committed to making a positive impact on our world. Rooted in our mission to bring health through food to as many people as possible, we're proud to be the world's largest B Corp.

Our Benefits

• Physical Wellbeing: We pay for the majority of your medical benefits - which include medical, dental and vision - with our competitive 80%/20% cost-sharing model.
• Mental Wellbeing: Danoners receive fitness discounts, unlimited flexible time off and hybrid work schedules. We also have a range of programs that support mental health and substance abuse.
• Financial Support: We offer a performance-based bonus, a 401(k) plan, tuition reimbursement, employee discount programs and voluntary perks.
• Family Care: We offer caretaker benefits, 18 weeks of parental bonding, fertility, surrogacy, adoption benefits and pet insurance.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Danone North America is proud to be an Equal Opportunity employer. It is our policy to give equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to legally protected characteristics, or any other consideration made unlawful by applicable federal, state/provincial and/or local law. For our EEO policy statement and your EEO rights under law click here.