Operational Technology (OT) Lead - PLC, SCADA & Manufacturing Systems

Straffing AI; Ohio; On-site; USD 97,000 - 137,000; Full time

Job summary

Straffing AI in the United States is seeking an experienced Operational Technology (OT) Lead to direct plant-floor automation initiatives at a manufacturing facility in Ohio. You will own OT infrastructure, connect PLCs, SCADA/MES, production data, and industrial networks to improve reliability and performance.

This is a hands-on leadership role at the plant level. Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in plant-floor automation, expertise with Allen-Bradley PLCs, Wonderware/AVEVA, and MS SQL Server,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or IT.
• 5+ years in plant-floor automation and systems integration.
• Experience programming/troubleshooting Allen-Bradley PLCs.
• Experience with Wonderware/AVEVA MES and InTouch.

Responsibilities

• Lead plant-floor automation and OT integration projects from design through commissioning.
• Configure and troubleshoot Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLC-based systems.
• Support Wonderware/AVEVA environments including ArchestrA, InTouch, MES.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing data integration using MS SQL Server.
• Oversee OT network reliability, security and infrastructure troubleshooting.
• Coordinate engineers, integrators and vendors to deliver automation initiatives.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, engineering and IT to standardize systems.
• Identify opportunities to reduce downtime and improve equipment efficiency.

Skills

Plant-floor automation

Industrial systems integration

Technical leadership

Project leadership

On-site work

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/IT

Tools

Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLCs

Wonderware/AVEVA (ArchestrA/InTouch/MES)

Microsoft SQL Server

Industrial networks / OT security

Job description

Location: Washington Court House, Ohio, United States

Work Arrangement: On-site | Full-time | Permanent

Base Salary: $96,800-$137,000 annually

Relocation: Domestic relocation assistance available

Work Authorization: Must already be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship.

The Opportunity

We are recruiting an experienced Operational Technology (OT) Lead for a high-volume, technology-driven manufacturing facility in Ohio.

This position sits at the intersection of industrial automation, manufacturing systems integration and OT infrastructure. You will take technical ownership of plant-floor technology, connecting PLC-controlled equipment, SCADA/MES platforms, production data and industrial networks to improve manufacturing reliability and performance.

This is a hands-on technical leadership position, not a conventional corporate IT or infrastructure management role.

What You Will Own

• Lead plant-floor automation and OT integration projects, from technical design through commissioning and operational handover.
• Configure, troubleshoot and improve Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLC-based control systems and connected manufacturing equipment.
• Support and develop Wonderware/AVEVA environments, including ArchestrA, InTouch HMI and MES applications.
• Develop and maintain manufacturing data integration using Microsoft SQL Server and related industrial applications.
• Manage industrial network reliability, connectivity, system security and OT infrastructure troubleshooting.
• Coordinate internal engineers, external systems integrators and technical vendors to execute automation initiatives.
• Work with manufacturing, engineering and IT stakeholders to standardize systems and improve plant performance.
• Identify opportunities to reduce downtime, improve equipment efficiency and strengthen manufacturing data visibility.

Essential Qualifications

We are specifically seeking applicants who meet all of the following requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Information Technology or a closely related technical discipline.
• At least 5 years of hands-on experience with plant-floor automation, manufacturing control systems and industrial systems integration.
• Demonstrated technical expertise with Allen-Bradley/Rockwell PLCs, including programming and troubleshooting.
• Practical experience with Wonderware/AVEVA, particularly ArchestrA/System Platform, InTouch and MES.
• Experience using Microsoft SQL Server in manufacturing applications, reporting or systems integration.
• Experience working with industrial OT networks and plant-floor connectivity.
• Previous responsibility for leading technical projects, engineers, contractors or systems integration partners.
• Ability to work on-site in Washington Court House, Ohio.

Highly Desirable Experience

• Food manufacturing, consumer packaged goods (CPG), pet nutrition or other high-volume process manufacturing environments.
• AVEVA System Platform, MES/SCADA architecture and ERP integration.
• Cisco networking, Industrial Ethernet and industrial cybersecurity practices.
• Manufacturing performance monitoring, equipment reliability and continuous improvement.
• Experience implementing plant technology standards across multiple production systems.

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary: $96,800-$137,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

The position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, retirement benefits with employer matching, paid time off, paid holidays and other employer-sponsored benefits.

Domestic relocation assistance is available for eligible candidates.

Important Application Requirements

This is an on-site manufacturing technology leadership position. Remote-only candidates and applicants whose experience is limited to enterprise IT, corporate networking or software development without industrial automation exposure will not be considered.

Candidates must be based in the United States, legally authorized to work without sponsorship and willing to work on-site in Washington Court House, Ohio.

We encourage applications from technically strong Senior OT Engineers, Senior Controls Engineers, Manufacturing Systems Engineers and Automation Leads who are ready to take broader plant-level ownership.