Lead Engineer, OT & Network Infrastructure

Aligned Data Centers; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Aligned Data Centers seeks a Lead Engineer for Operational Technology & Network Infrastructure to serve as the supreme technical authority for the critical OT network that supports BMS, EPMS, and enterprise telemetry fleet across our data centers.

You will bridge Site Operations, Platform Delivery, and Corporate SecOps, translating latency, bandwidth, and security data into binding engineering mandates to keep the digital nervous system of the data center resilient.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of OT/ICS network engineering experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Network Engineering, CS, or equivalent; advanced industry certifications preferred.
• Expert knowledge of industrial protocols (Modbus TCP, BACnet/IP, OPC UA).
• Ability to translate telemetry risks into executive-level guidance.

Responsibilities

• Lead deep-dive forensic analyses during telemetry outages and translate findings into corrective actions.
• Review network architecture and issue Engineering Change Orders for capital projects.
• Audit OT fleets for VLAN segregation, air-gapping, firmware lifecycles, and DR backups.
• Evaluate next-gen hardware and transport protocols to support AI-driven telemetry needs.
• Serve as Tier-3 escalation point for severe OT network incidents and communicate with C-suite.

Skills

OT networking

ICS

Telemetry networks

Network forensics

Strategic leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

CCNP/CCIE

CISSP

GICSP

Tools

Modbus TCP

BACnet/IP

OPC UA

Job description

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!

We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

Role Summary: Unlike traditional IT roles focused on corporate networks, the Lead Engineer for Operational Technology (OT) & Network Infrastructure serves as the supreme technical authority for the critical network backbone that supports Aligned's Building Management Systems (BMS), Electrical Power Monitoring Systems (EPMS), and enterprise telemetry fleet-wide. Acting as the strategic bridge between Site Operations, Platform Delivery, and Corporate SecOps, this role utilizes advanced network forensics to prevent catastrophic "loss of visibility" events in the data halls. The Lead Engineer translates complex data transport, latency, and switch configuration metrics into binding engineering mandates, ensuring the digital nervous system of the data center is as resilient as the physical infrastructure.

Core Responsibilities

• Advanced Forensic Investigations (RCA Governance): Lead deep-dive forensic analyses during critical "loss of visibility" or telemetry blackout incidents. Investigate complex network failures such as broadcast storms, routing loops, packet loss, and switch configuration errors, translating findings into immediate, binding corrective actions.
• Engineering Design Mandates & Network Topology: Review network architecture single-line diagrams, hardware specifications, and failover protocols for all new capital projects. Issue Engineering Change Orders to correct architectural vulnerabilities prior to site deployment.
• Proactive Fleet Auditing & Cybersecurity Hygiene: Conduct rigorous, programmatic audits of active OT networks across the fleet. Ensure strict site compliance with VLAN segregation, OT/IT air-gapping, firmware lifecycle management, and disaster recovery backups for critical infrastructure switches and servers.
• Innovation & Next-Gen Validation (AI Integration): Evaluate next-generation network hardware and transport protocols required to support high-density "AI Factories." Partner with the Advanced Cooling Lab to validate the telemetry transport requirements for automated AI cooling controls and high-frequency liquid cooling sensor networks.
• Executive Advisement & Incident Response: Serve as the definitive Tier-3 technical escalation point for severe operational network anomalies. Translate highly technical bandwidth, latency, and cybersecurity risk data into clear, executive-level assessments for senior leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Experience: 8+ years of advanced network engineering experience specifically focused on Operational Technology (OT), Industrial Control Systems (ICS), or hyperscale data center telemetry networks.
• Education & Certifications: Bachelor’s degree in Network Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent highly specialized training. Advanced industry certifications (e.g., CCNP, CCIE, CISSP, GICSP) are strongly preferred.
• Technical Expertise: Expert-level knowledge of industrial communication protocols (Modbus TCP, BACnet/IP, OPC UA), high-availability switch architecture, firewall configurations, and physical fiber/copper transport layers. Deep understanding of the unique latency and uptime requirements of mechanical and electrical control loops.
• Strategic Leadership: Proven ability to transition localized network faults into fleet-wide engineering policy, combined with the executive acumen to communicate critical telemetry vulnerabilities to C-suite leadership and cross-departmental stakeholders.