Jr OT Networking Engineer

Jacobs Engineering Group; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Jacobs Engineering Group in Houston is seeking a senior network engineer to design, implement, and secure OT networks at industrial sites. You will build reliable, high-availability networks that protect critical operations, enable automation, and support resilient environments across complex facilities.

Working with Jacobs ICS teams, you will configure switches, routers, firewalls and industrial protocols; ensure network security and performance; review architectures against cybersecurity

Qualifications

• Experience with Industrial control systems (DCS/PLC) or aptitude to be trained in ICS environments.
• Some networking knowledge (TCP/IP, routing, or switching).
• Experience with firewalls and wireless communication technology.
• Experience with virtualization platforms, Active Directory, DNS, and Domain Controller.
• Cisco CCNA, Fortinet NSE-4, JNCIA or equivalent network certification.
• Some knowledge of PLC/SCADA and/or DCS network architecture.

Responsibilities

• This position sets up and maintains networking and control infrastructure in accordance with company standards and works with OT Network Management to provide solutions for maintenance and operations. This includes but is not limited to Process Control Infrastructure and Third Party Vendor Packages.
• Create and maintain detailed network diagrams of the manufacturing industrial infrastructure, network, server, cabling, rack level, and logical architecture including procedures and plans to support current and future projects.
• Travel to project sites to provide support of ICS networks, manage and maintain converged platforms, virtualization, networks, security platforms and various other OT/IoT technologies
• Review of network architectures and determining if good practices are being followed and provided recommendations to comply with applicable cybersecurity framework for industrial environment controls

Skills

TCP/IP

Routing & Switching

Network Security

Wireless Communications

Virtualization

Active Directory

DNS

DCS/PLC knowledge

ICS basics

Education

Cisco CCNA certification

Fortinet NSE-4 certification

Juniper JNCIA certification

Tools

DCS/PLC hardware knowledge

Firewalls

Industrial protocols

Virtualization platforms

Active Directory

DNS

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

Are you passionate about cybersecurity? Does configuring and securing high criticality industrial networks excite you? Are you interested in taking your networking engineering career to the next level with one of the largest technology and engineering firms in the world? As a senior network engineer with Jacobs, you will work at the forefront of contemporary industrial network design and cybersecurity. Jacobs design and builds the world’s infrastructure and you’ll play a key role delivering high-uptime, highly secure networks that enable business operations.

As a network engineer, you will be at the forefront of designing, implementing, and maintaining the operational technology (OT) network infrastructure at one of our industrial sites. Your expertise will be critical in ensuring the reliability, security, and performance of our OT systems. You will partner with Jacobs Industrial Control Systems (ICS) teams to deliver communication networks that are optimized for reliable automation and business operations. In this role, you will also design scalable and reliable network infrastructure in greenfield and brownfield environments. You’ll leverage your understanding of network telecommunications, firewall, Windows OS, and TCP/IP protocols to engineer robust and secure networks of varying sizes and complexity.

Are you ready to build a career in network engineering at the cutting edge of OT network design and engineering? At Jacobs, we are building a more connected and sustainable world. Come join us as we engineer and secure networks at the heart of today’s global infrastructure. |

Responsibilities:

In this role, you will be responsible for assisting with design, implementation, and maintenance of the operational technology (OT) network infrastructure. As a junior engineer, this includes selecting and configuring network hardware and software, such as switches, routers, firewalls, and industrial protocols. You will be responsible for network security and providing monitoring and troubleshooting of performance issues and for resolving network-related problems to minimize downtime.

• This position sets up and maintains networking and control infrastructure in accordance with company standards and works with OT Network Management to provide solutions for maintenance and operations. This includes but is not limited to Process Control Infrastructure and Third Party Vendor Packages
• Create and maintain detailed network diagrams of the manufacturing industrial infrastructure, network, server, cabling, rack level, and logical architecture including procedures and plans to support current and future projects.
• Travel to project sites to provide support of ICS networks, manage and maintain converged platforms, virtualization, networks, security platforms and various other OT/IoT technologies
• Review of network architectures and determining if good practices are being followed and provided recommendations to comply with applicable cybersecurity framework for industrial environment controls

Here’s what you'll need

• Experience with/or demonstrated aptitude to be trained on Industrial control systems (DCS/PLC)
• Some networking technology knowedge (TCP/IP, routing, or switching)
• Experience working with firewalls and wireless communication technology
• Experience working with virtualization platforms, Active Directory, DNS, and Domain Controller
• Cisco CCNA, Fortinet NSE-4, JNCIA or equivalent network certification
• Some knowledge of PLC/SCADA and/or DCS network architecture with the ability to learn from network SMEs

Preferred:

• Experience with IIoT and edge computing

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, paid time off, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $80,000.00 to $95,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. Job posted on November 03, 2026. This position will be open for at least 3 days.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.