Senior OT Communications & Cybersecurity Engineer

SMA America; United States; Hybride; USD 138 000 - 158 000; Plein temps

Avantages offerts par ce poste

Health, dental, and vision

401(k) with company match

Relocation assistance

Résumé du poste

SMA America, Rocklin, CA HQ, is seeking a Senior OT Communications & Cybersecurity Engineer to lead design, integration, and operation of site-wide communications for utility-scale renewables. You will own the site communications architecture and secure M2M connectivity across sites, collaborating with O&M and IT to meet cybersecurity and regulatory requirements.

Based in the US, the role offers flexibility with remote options and travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering or related field.
• Minimum 5 years in utility communications, OT networks, or energy management.
• Strong knowledge of firewall concepts and network security fundamentals.
• Experience with OT equipment: RTUs, PLCs, industrial gateways.
• Experience with Modbus TCP/IP, DNP3, IEC 61850, OPC UA protocols.

Responsabilités

• Lead integration of site controllers, inverters, and equipment into a unified plant communications architecture.
• Design and configure M2M communications between site controllers and gateways.
• Define and deploy end-to-end industrial OT networks and secure connectivity.
• Design and support OT networks including firewalls, switches, VLANs, and fiber.
• Manage secure interfaces between sites and utilities, ISOs/RTOs, and cloud platforms.
• Configure protocols for telemetry, dispatch, control signals, and event reporting.
• Design multi-layer cybersecurity architectures with data diodes.
• Support compliance with NERC CIP and internal cybersecurity frameworks.
• Enable inverter monitoring via cloud dashboards.
• Collaborate with O&M and engineering teams to troubleshoot and optimize.
• Maintain auditable data structures for regulatory requirements.
• Other duties as assigned.

Connaissances

OT networking

Firewall security

Wireshark

Modbus TCP/IP

DNP3

IEC 61850

OPC UA

Cybersecurity

English Proficiency

Formation

Electrical/Computer Eng degree

Outils

VPNs

Edge gateways

Industrial gateways

Description du poste

Why Work at SMA America

Power the future. Build your career at SMA America.

As the U.S. subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG, we have been at the forefront of solar inverter technology since 1981, developing solutions that make photovoltaic power plants simpler, more reliable, safer, and more cost effective. Headquartered in Rocklin, California, SMA America has spent more than two decades helping homes, businesses, and utilities across the country generate clean, reliable power. We are the only inverter manufacturer in the world offering solutions for every system size, from residential rooftops to large scale utility plants, backed by more than 1,500 patents and a presence in over 190 countries.

Innovation is only part of the story. We invest in our people, create room to grow, challenge conventional thinking, and protect a culture where teammates genuinely care about each other and the work. We hire capable people and give them the space to do the job, with clear expectations, open door leadership, and real autonomy.

If you are passionate about driving positive change and want a career where you can take ownership of your work, we would love to meet you. Together, we are not just part of the energy transition, we are helping drive it forward.

Senior OT Communications & Cybersecurity Engineer
Rocklin, CA (HQ) or Texas preferred, remote considered

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Senior OT Communications & Cybersecurity Engineer supports the design, integration, and operation of communication and control systems across utility-scale renewable energy assets, including solar PV, battery storage, and hybrid plants. This role owns site-level communications architecture, machine-to-machine (M2M) communications integration, and secure connectivity between sites, utilities, and cloud platforms.

PRIMARY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead integration of site controllers, inverters, and auxiliary equipment into a unified plant communications architecture


• Design and configure machine-to-machine (M2M) communications between site controllers, inverters, and plant-level gateways and data concentrators


• Define and deploy end-to-end communication networks, including industrial Ethernet (fiber/copper), layered OT network segmentation, and integration of secure connectivity platforms, data collectors, and industrial gateways


• Design and support OT networks, including firewalls, routers, switches, VLANs and segmentation, and fiber optic networks


• Manage secure communication interfaces between sites and utilities, transmission operators, ISOs/RTOs, asset owners, and cloud-based platforms


• Configure and validate protocols for wide-area communications, including real-time telemetry, dispatch and control signals, and event and disturbance reporting


• Design and implement multi-layer cybersecurity architectures, including segmented network zones, secure data replication layers, and unidirectional gateways (data diodes) for critical assets


• Support compliance with NERC CIP standards, utility interconnection requirements, and internal cybersecurity frameworks


• Enable inverter monitoring, diagnostics, and fault detection through integration with cloud-based dashboards


• Collaborate with O&M and engineering teams to troubleshoot issues and optimize system performance


• Maintain auditable data and communication structures to meet regulatory compliance requirements


• Other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant work experience


• At least 5 years of utility communications, industrial networking, OT systems, or energy management systems experience


• Strong understanding of firewalls and network security fundamentals


• Ability to debug network connections using tools such as Wireshark


• Extensive hands-on experience with utility-scale OT communication systems, including RTUs, PLCs, industrial gateways, and edge/data collection devices


• Strong experience with industrial and utility protocols such as Modbus TCP/IP, DNP3, IEC 61850 (preferred), and OPC UA


• Strong understanding of OT cybersecurity principles, including defense-in-depth architectures, secure remote access/VPNs, and network segmentation and monitoring


• Experience implementing secure communication paths between OT and IT systems


• Comfort working with field data, diagnostics, and system telemetry

OTHER SPECIALIZED SKILLS

• Background in commissioning or field deployment


• Experience implementing unidirectional security solutions (data diodes)


• Knowledge of ISO/RTO integration requirements


• Strong cross-functional collaboration across engineering, O&M, and IT/security teams


• Excellent troubleshooting and problem-solving capabilities


• Ability to clearly communicate technical architectures to both technical and non-technical stakeholders


• Familiarity with NERC CIP and cybersecurity frameworks for critical infrastructure


• Proficiency in English required; German and/or Spanish language skills are a plus


• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)


• Proven ability to work effectively in a matrix organization


• Periodic domestic travel required; international travel may be required

WE OFFER

• Compensation: $138,000 to $158,000 base salary, commensurate with experience


• Location: Rocklin, CA (HQ) or Texas preferred; remote candidates considered. Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates


• Comprehensive benefits including health, dental, and vision coverage


• 401(k) plan with company match


• Opportunities for professional development and industry engagement

WORK AUTHORIZATION

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. SMA America does not offer employment visa sponsorship of any kind, including H-1B, OPT, CPT, or TN visas. Candidates who currently require or will in the future require visa sponsorship are not eligible. Candidates operating under a temporary work permit or any visa-tied employment authorization are also not eligible.

Our EEO Policy

We are an equal opportunity employer and we make our employment decisions on the basis of merit and without regard to one's race, color, creed, sex (includes gender, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), gender identity, religion, marital status, age (over 40), national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability (includes HIV/Aids), medical condition (cancer, genetic characteristics), veteran's status, sexual orientation, or any other consideration made unlawful by law.

In accordance with applicable law protecting qualified individuals with known disabilities, SMA will attempt to reasonably accommodate qualified applicants with known disabilities, unless doing so would create an undue hardship on SMA. Any qualified applicant with a disability who believes he or she requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job for which he or she is applying should identify the accommodation(s) needed in the application.

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