Process Optimization and Integration Manager

APM Terminals; United States; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

APM Terminals Elizabeth is seeking an experienced OT Integration and Quality Manager to lead the integration, testing, validation, commissioning, and readiness of Operational Technology systems across the terminal.

Reporting to the Head of Operational Technology, you will collaborate with Operations, IT, Engineering, and vendors to ensure new solutions deliver measurable reliability, safety, and productivity, while driving standardization and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Eng, Electrical Eng, Industry 4.0, or related.
• Proven experience in container terminal operations, port digitization, or large-scale industrial environments.
• Strong expertise in OT systems including TOS, GOS, SCADA, ECS, OCR, APIs, middleware, OPC UA.
• Demonstrated project management in complex technology deployments.
• Experience leading diverse stakeholder groups across operations and technical teams.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and enterprise IT standards in OT.
• Ability to obtain TWIC and Port Access Card.

Responsibilities

• Lead OT integration team with priorities, governance, and accountability frameworks.
• Own terminal OT integration strategy aligning requirements, infrastructure, and enterprise systems.
• Lead OT quality assurance framework: test strategy, system integration testing, UAT, and validation.
• Ensure testing scenarios reflect terminal operating requirements for safe deployments.
• Manage vendor and technology partner performance and post-handover support.
• Build relationships across Operations, IT, Engineering, labor relations, and vendors.
• Lead root-cause investigations for OT system failures and implement corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing and automating processes.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Cybersecurity in OT

Stakeholder management

OT governance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industry 4.0, or related discipline

Tools

TOS

GOS

SCADA

ECS

OCR

APIs

middleware

OPC UA

Job description

APM Terminals Step into the engine room of global commerce. At APM Terminals Elizabeth, you’ll be at the center of one of the busiest port complexes in North America. Every container you touch keeps freight moving through the Port of New York C New Jersey, supporting critical supply chains across the East Coast and beyond. This is a place where speed, scale, and precision come together. You’ll collaborate with high- performing teams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where safety and operational excellence are the top priorities. Here, your impact is immediate - global.

Why you’ll love it here

• Be part of a major gateway on the U.S. East Coast
• Experience high-volume, complex terminal operations
• Work with driven teams in a fast-moving environment
• Continuous improvement mindset - where curiosity is encouraged, root-cause problem solving is valued, and making things better every day is part of how we win

At APM Terminals, a global leader in port and terminal operations, we enable global trade and drive sustainable growth. What drives us forward is a mindset of always improving, observing how work happens, identifying what creates value, and removing what gets in the way. We constantly look for smarter, simpler, and safer ways of operating. If you thrive in environments where people value learning and are committed to continuously improve daily operations, join us and be a part of our journey.

What We Can Offer

Experience a diverse, multinational workplace where your operational insights directly influence how we work. Lead the integration and quality strategy for critical operational technology systems supporting one of the largest container terminals in North America. Play a key role in the Elizabeth Upgrade Project, ensuring new technologies are successfully tested, validated, and deployed into live terminal operations. Partner with cross-functional teams including Operations, Engineering, IT, Labor Relations, vendors, and global stakeholders to drive operational excellence. Develop leadership capabilities while building specialist technical expertise, governance frameworks, and continuous improvement practices across the OT lifecycle.

OT Integration and Quality Manager

APM Terminals Elizabeth is seeking an experienced OT Integration and Quality Manager to lead the integration, testing, validation, commissioning, and operational readiness of Operational Technology systems across the terminal. This leadership role is responsible for ensuring new and modified technology solutions are safely and effectively integrated into terminal operations while meeting defined technical, operational, and business requirements. Reporting to the Head of Operational Technology, you will provide leadership and governance across the complete technology implementation lifecycle. You will work closely with operations, IT, engineering, project teams, vendors, labor relations, and global functions to ensure technology investments translate into measurable operational improvements through enhanced reliability, resilience, safety, standardization, maintainability, and productivity. This is a highly visible leadership role that combines people leadership, technical expertise, stakeholder management, project execution, and continuous improvement in support of both the Elizabeth Upgrade Project and ongoing terminal operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the OT Integration and Quality team, establishing clear priorities, performance expectations, governance, and accountability frameworks.
• Own the terminal’s OT integration strategy, ensuring alignment between operational requirements, infrastructure, equipment, enterprise systems, and technical architecture.
• Lead the OT quality assurance framework, including test strategy, system integration testing, user acceptance testing, regression testing, commissioning, production validation, and post-deployment verification.
• Ensure testing scenarios, operational use cases, and validation processes accurately reflect terminal operating requirements and support safe production deployments.
• Manage vendor and technology partner performance, ensuring delivery of milestones, quality standards, issue resolution, and post-handover support.
• Build strong relationships across Operations, Engineering, IT, Labor Relations, project teams, global functions, and external vendors to resolve technical and operational challenges.
• Lead or support root-cause investigations for significant OT system failures and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented and sustained.
• Drive continuous improvement by standardizing, simplifying, and automating integration, testing, commissioning, release readiness, and documentation processes.

What We Are Looking For

Continuous improvement mindset: we are looking for someone who brings a thoughtful improvement mindset, curious about how work gets done and motivated to make meaningful, sustainable improvements over time.

Leadership expectation: we are looking for people who consistently put customers first, lead by example with respect for people, deliver results with integrity, and drive continuous improvement by solving problems at the root, developing people, and raising standards every day.

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industry 4.0, or a related discipline.
• Proven experience within container terminal operations, port digitization, industrial automation, or large-scale industrial environments.
• Strong expertise in Operational Technology systems, including Terminal Operating Systems (TOS), GOS, SCADA, ECS, OCR, APIs, middleware, OPC UA, and related technologies.
• Demonstrated project management experience leading complex technology deployments and implementation programs.
• Experience leading teams and managing diverse stakeholder groups across operational and technical environments.
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity frameworks and enterprise IT standards within OT environments.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a TWIC card and Port Access Card.

Salary: $90K - $120K

Location: Elizabeth, NJ (5 days in office)

Notice to applicants applying to positions in the United States Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. APM Terminals is committed to equal employment opportunity and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities who are applying for positions in the U.S.

We value and encourage diversity and solicit applications from all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you are interested in applying for employment with APM Terminals in the U.S. and need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website or to apply for a position, or if you need a reasonable accommodation to perform a job, please contact the applicable Human Resources Department by emailing [e-mail].

Determination on requests for reasonable accommodation are made on a case-by-case basis pursuant to an interactive dialogue between the applicant and the Company.

Maersk is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we embrace different styles of thinking. Maersk is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants without regard to race, colour, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or parental leave, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements. We are happy to support your need for any adjustments during the application and hiring process. If you need special assistance or an accommodation to use our website, apply for a position, or to perform a job, please contact us by emailing [e-mail].

At APM Terminals, we are a team of over 20,000 employees spread across more than 60 countries united by a passion to provide our expertise in port operations and container management services. By providing the expertise and port infrastructure essential to world trade, we actively support the advancement of the societies around us, enabling local economies to unlock their potential and build an even stronger global community.

Working with a team of talented professionals you will get a chance to experience different cultures and make friends all over the world. You’ll find a culturally diverse, stimulating environment at any of our offices, terminals or depots. When you join APM Terminals, the world is your workplace.

APM Terminals is an independent business unit within the Danish Maersk Group - a Global Fortune 500 company with about 89,000 employees and offices in 130 countries with global growth opportunities in a range of fields from shipping and energy to our offshore and manufacturing industries - Join us to achieve even your most ambitious career goals!