Senior SCADA & Communications Engineer - Hybrid/Remote

SMA America; United States; Hybrid; USD 138,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) plan with company match

Relocation assistance

Job summary

SMA America is seeking a Senior SCADA & Communications Engineer to lead the design, integration, and operation of site‑level communications for utility‑scale solar, storage, and hybrid projects. The role covers SCADA integration, secure connectivity between sites, and cloud platforms, with a focus on OT cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.

The position offers HQ in Rocklin, CA or Texas, with remote work considered for qualified candidates.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant work experience.
• At least 5 years of SCADA 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 SCADA systems, including SCADA servers, 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.

Responsibilities

• Lead integration of site controllers, inverters, and auxiliary equipment into a unified SCADA 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

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering

Tools

Wireshark

Modbus TCP/IP

DNP3

IEC 61850

OPC UA

VPNs / Firewalls

OT cybersecurity

Job description

SMA America is seeking a Senior SCADA & Communications Engineer to lead the design, integration, and operation of site‑level communications for utility‑scale solar, storage, and hybrid projects. The role covers SCADA integration, secure connectivity between sites, and cloud platforms, with a focus on OT cybersecurity and regulatory compliance.

The position offers HQ in Rocklin, CA or Texas, with remote work considered for qualified candidates.