Operational Technology (OT) Systems Engineer

Auria; Sidney (OH); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full medical, dental and vision plan

Fertility benefits

Tuition reimbursement

Salary continuation and long term disability

401(k) matching

Job summary

A global supplier of automotive solutions in the United States is seeking an Operational Technology Systems Engineer. The role includes leading technical projects to integrate shop floor equipment with business systems and improving operational effectiveness. Candidates need strong experience in IT/OT integration, with a Bachelor's in Engineering or related field preferred. The company offers comprehensive benefits including medical plans, parental leave, and tuition reimbursement. Up to 50% travel to North America plants is required.

Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in technical leadership within manufacturing, industrial automation, or IT/OT integration.
• Proven experience integrating manufacturing OT systems with ERP/MES systems.
• Minimum of ten years in a role focused on IT, OT, and/or control systems.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute projects for integrating shop floor equipment with business systems.
• Establish data collection frameworks for OT environments.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to ensure compliance with standards.

Skills

Technical leadership

Communication skills

IT/OT integration

Data analytics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related field

Tools

SCADA

PLC

Power BI

PTC Kepware

Job description

Operational Technology (OT) Systems Engineer

Auria is a leading global supplier of highly-engineered systems for automotive flooring, acoustical, thermal, aerodynamic and other fiber-based solutions for gas and electric vehicles. With U.S.-based operational headquarters in Southfield, Michigan, Auria operates 16 manufacturing, 9 technical and 5 JV locations across 10 countries and employs approximately 3,900 people worldwide. We are currently searching for an Operational Technology (OT) Systems Engineer to join our global IT team. The OT Systems Engineer position can be located at any of our North America plants and will be determined based on the candidate’s location. Operational technology is hardware and software that detects or causes a change, through the direct monitoring and/or control of physical devices, processes and events. For Auria, this includes industrial control devices (ICS), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and human-machine interfaces (HMIs) in our manufacturing facilities. This role will focus on enhancing OT device data acquisition, management, and operational processes while bringing enterprise IT and cybersecurity best practices to the shop floor. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical leadership experience in industrial environments with a deep understanding of IT/OT convergence in a manufacturing environment.

What you will do:

• Technical Leadership
  • Plan and execute projects focused on supporting plant staff in integrating shop floor equipment with business systems to improve overall operational effectiveness.
  • Coordinate with cross-functional technical resources (IT, cybersecurity, maintenance, engineering, operations, and others) to ensure project milestones and goals are achieved.
  • Stay current with emerging technologies and trends in industrial automation, Industrial IoT (IIoT) data analytics, and OT cybersecurity.
• System Integration
  • Establish and implement data collection frameworks for OT environments, enabling real-time monitoring and historical analysis.
  • Support predictive maintenance, process optimization, and quality improvement initiatives through data analytics.
  • Define data inputs and outputs that support AI-driven insights, in collaboration with data management and automation teams.
  • Coordinate the implementation of AI tools that enhance operational efficiency.
  • Develop and maintain documentation for system architecture, configurations, and operational procedures.
• Information Technology
  • Instill enterprise IT best practices in the manufacturing OT environments.
  • Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to assess risks, implement security controls, and ensure compliance with relevant standards.
  • Support operations teams in responding to security incidents, vulnerabilities, and anomalies.
• Communication & Training
  • Serve as the primary liaison between vendors, internal stakeholders, and technical teams.
  • Develop and deliver training sessions for stakeholders, ensuring technology adoption and operational effectiveness of the integrated systems.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Full medical, dental and vision plan plus voluntary benefits.
• Fertility benefits for employees enrolled in our medical plan.
• Parental leave and adoption & surrogacy benefits for salaried employees.
• Tuition reimbursement for eligible employees.
• Salary continuation & long term disability (LTD).
• Auria match 50% of employee contributions up to 8% (maximum match 4%).
• Other benefits as described by the company.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Information Systems, Industrial Technology, or a related field, preferred.
• Five (5) or more years of experience in technical leadership within manufacturing, industrial automation, or IT/OT integration.
• Minimum of ten (10) years in a role focused on IT, OT, and/or control systems.
• Proven experience integrating manufacturing OT systems with ERP/MES systems, preferably Plex and Plex MES Automation and Orchestration (Plex A&O, formerly Mach2).

Travel Requirements

• Up to 50% travel to North America plants, including Mexico.

Knowledge, Skills, and Ability

• Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and organizational skills.
• Expertise in global Industrial IoT (IIoT) platforms, with PTC Kepware proficiency highly preferred.
• Strong understanding of OT systems, industrial network protocols, and shop floor technologies (e.g., SCADA, PLCs, sensors).
• Experience with Industry 4.0, IIoT, and smart manufacturing initiatives.
• Familiarity with CMMS/EAM platforms, predictive maintenance strategies, and equipment performance monitoring.
• Understanding of applying IT best practices to OT environments—including asset management, change management, disaster recovery planning, and others.
• Experience with Zero Trust frameworks and cybersecurity tools (e.g., firewalls, NAC, SIEM).
• Hands‑on experience with visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Ignition, or similar).

Application Process

When applying to Auria positions, you will be taken to our career site (careers.auriasolutions.com) to apply directly with us even through external job boards. Auria utilizes an in-depth interview process and will extend offers to successful candidates only upon completion of our process. Auria reminds all candidates that we will never ask for sensitive financial information throughout our process. We urge candidates to exercise caution with any position they are applying for or when engaging with recruiters.