Industrial Network Engineer – OT AI Enablement

Strategic Staffing Solutions; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Strategic Staffing Solutions, Inc. in Houston, TX seeks a Senior Industrial Network Engineer specializing in OT AI Enablement to design, implement, and support AI-enabled industrial networks across manufacturing facilities, data centers, and edge environments.

This contract role emphasizes secure integration, cybersecurity, reliability, and operational excellence, requiring collaboration with AI development, OT operations, cybersecurity, cloud, and architecture teams.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in network engineering or infrastructure engineering.
• Strong understanding of industrial networking, including routing, switching, WAN, wireless, network security, and network operations.
• Hands-on experience supporting OT, PCN, ICS, or comparable industrial environments.
• Knowledge of OT cybersecurity principles, network segmentation, and industrial network architecture.
• Experience designing, implementing, and supporting industrial network infrastructure and connectivity solutions.
• Understanding of AI concepts and industrial AI applications, including edge AI, computer vision, predictive analytics, and generative AI.
• Ability to develop technical designs, implementation plans, and operational support documentation.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and optimize industrial network infrastructure supporting AI-enabled solutions.
• Provide network engineering expertise across routing, switching, WAN, wireless, network security, and industrial connectivity.
• Support Operational Technology (OT), Process Control Networks (PCN), and Industrial Control Systems (ICS).
• Evaluate network and infrastructure requirements for AI applications, including computer vision, edge AI, predictive maintenance, industrial analytics, digital twins, and generative AI.
• Ensure appropriate network segmentation, cybersecurity controls, reliability, and connectivity for AI deployments.
• Analyze complex network integrations and performance issues; serve as an escalation point for network incidents and problem resolution.
• Develop technical designs, implementation plans, documentation, and operational support models.
• Partner with OT operations, cybersecurity, cloud, AI solution teams, vendors, and infrastructure organizations.
• Identify and mitigate technical, operational, cybersecurity, reliability, and safety risks.
• Develop reusable network standards and architecture patterns that support consistent and scalable AI deployments.
• Support implementation, validation, troubleshooting, and operational turnover of solutions.

Skills

OT networking

Industrial cybersecurity basics

Edge AI concepts

Cross-functional collaboration

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

AI concepts in industry

Job description

This is a Contract Opportunity with our company that MUST be worked on a W2 Only. No C2C eligibility for this position. Visa Sponsorship is Available! The details are below.

• Job Title: Industrial Network Engineer – OT AI Enablement
• Location: Houston, TX 77002
• Contract Length: 12 Months
• Onsite: 4–5 days per week

Job ref#: 248576

Position Overview

The client is seeking a Senior Industrial Network Engineer specializing in Operational Technology (OT) AI Enablement to support the secure deployment, integration, and operational support of AI-enabled solutions across industrial environments. This role focuses on designing, implementing, testing, and optimizing industrial network infrastructure to support emerging AI technologies while maintaining network reliability, cybersecurity, and Operational Excellence.

The engineer will partner with AI development teams, OT operations, cybersecurity, cloud engineering, infrastructure, and network architecture teams to ensure AI solutions can be securely integrated into production environments, including manufacturing facilities, process control networks, data centers, edge computing environments, and remote industrial locations.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 5–7 years of experience in network engineering or infrastructure engineering.
• Strong understanding of industrial networking, including routing, switching, WAN, wireless, network security, and network operations.
• Hands-on experience supporting Operational Technology (OT), Process Control Networks (PCN), Industrial Control Systems (ICS), or comparable industrial environments.
• Knowledge of OT cybersecurity principles, network segmentation, and industrial network architecture.
• Experience designing, implementing, and supporting industrial network infrastructure and connectivity solutions.
• Understanding of AI concepts and industrial AI applications, including edge AI, computer vision, predictive analytics, and generative AI.
• Ability to evaluate network and infrastructure requirements for AI-enabled solutions.
• Experience collaborating across network engineering, OT operations, cybersecurity, cloud, and architecture teams.
• Ability to develop technical designs, implementation plans, and operational support documentation.
• Strong troubleshooting, problem-solving, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience enabling or supporting AI deployments within industrial or OT environments.
• Exposure to predictive maintenance, digital twins, autonomous operations, industrial analytics, or agentic AI workflows.
• Experience with edge computing and connectivity between industrial facilities, data centers, cloud services, and enterprise networks.
• Knowledge of industrial cybersecurity frameworks and Operational Excellence practices.
• Experience developing network architecture standards, reusable designs, and operational support models.
• Familiarity with Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) principles and industrial risk management.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, test, and optimize industrial network infrastructure supporting AI-enabled solutions.
• Provide network engineering expertise across routing, switching, WAN, wireless, network security, and industrial connectivity.
• Support Operational Technology (OT), Process Control Networks (PCN), and Industrial Control Systems (ICS).
• Evaluate network and infrastructure requirements for AI applications, including computer vision, edge AI, predictive maintenance, industrial analytics, digital twins, and generative AI.
• Ensure appropriate network segmentation, cybersecurity controls, reliability, and connectivity for AI deployments.
• Analyze complex network integrations and performance issues; serve as an escalation point for network incidents and problem resolution.
• Develop technical designs, implementation plans, documentation, and operational support models.
• Partner with OT operations, cybersecurity, cloud, AI solution teams, vendors, and infrastructure organizations.
• Identify and mitigate technical, operational, cybersecurity, reliability, and safety risks.
• Develop reusable network standards and architecture patterns that support consistent and scalable AI deployments.
• Support implementation, validation, troubleshooting, and operational turnover of solutions.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will deliver secure, reliable, and supportable industrial network solutions that enable AI capabilities within OT environments. They will balance innovation with operational reliability, cybersecurity, safety, and business requirements while building strong partnerships across engineering, operations, and technology teams.

Candidates must demonstrate accountability, clear communication, sound technical judgment, proactive problem resolution, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement and Operational Excellence.