Senior SCADA Engineer

southwestgen; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Onward Energy is seeking a Senior SCADA Engineer to lead OT SCADA systems across wind, solar and gas assets from our Denver office. The role focuses on Ignition (backend and frontend) and field expertise to support maintenance teams and ensure reliable operations.

The candidate will collaborate with IT, site managers and engineering teams to standardize OT equipment, maintain data connections, and provide mentorship within the SCADA group. Exemption, full-time, on-site at Denver.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; 6–10 years of experience, substitutions allowed.
• Extensive Ignition expertise (Backend and Frontend).
• OT Equipment knowledge: SCADA, RTUs, PI historians.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office.
• Renewable energy project experience.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently within a cross-functional team.

Responsibilities

• Act as subject matter expert for OT SCADA equipment, including servers and point configurations within the device(s) and ensure systems are up to date.
• Provide expertise, experience and mentorship on SCADA systems to SCADA team members to increase team bench strength.
• Troubleshoot and maintain connections between OT equipment – i.e., SEL RTACs, Remote Intelligence Gateways (RIG), RTU’s, Campbell Scientific data loggers, etc.
• Provide field assistance and expertise on plants using varied control systems (Ignition, CIMPLICITY, WonderWare, ABB SYS600, SEL RTAC HMI).
• Maintain data connections between Remote Operations Center, corporate data servers and OEM SCADA, RTU, OPC Servers, etc.
• Coordinate with IT (internal and 3rd party) as primary point of contact for plant ops.
• Provide NERC CIP guidance and support to ensure all assets are in compliance.
• Develop long-term strategy for standardization of company OT equipment.
• Lead projects as assigned with minimal oversight.

Job description

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Senior SCADA Engineer

Reports To: Manager – SCADA Engineering

Direct Reports: No Functional Unit: Asset Management & Operations

FLSA Status: Exempt & Full-Time

Office Location: Denver

THE COMPANY

Onward Energy is an independent power platform that owns and operates over 7 GW of utility-scale wind, solar and natural gas generation projects across the U.S. Our Vision is to reliably power a sustainable future. Our Mission is that as North America’s premier independent power generator, we will deliver renewable and reliable power to our customers, opportunities to our employees, sustainable returns to the families who invest in us, and a better world to the next generation. Corporate Offices in Denver, New York and Charlotte, we are where renewable meets reliable. See for more information.

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WORK AUTHORIZATION

To be considered for this position, applicants must have full-time authorization to work in the United States. Onward Energy does not offer visa sponsorship now or in the future.

THE CHALLENGE

Fueled by growth of the company, the Sr. SCADA Engineer serves as a technical resource, focusing on support of Operational Technology (OT) equipment and data flow from Onward Energy’s operating fleet of gas, solar and wind assets. The candidate must have extensive experience with Ignition (Backend and Frontend), plus field expertise to help the maintenance team to ensure the correct operation of our system. This position reports to the Manager - SCADA Engineering and helps Site Managers maintain their assets and works with engineering and operations teams to deliver reliability in all aspects of control and data systems. Provides support for various technical analyses, evaluation of emergent technology, and generally assists company’s operational and financial objectives.

THE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Act as subject matter expert for OT SCADA equipment, including servers and point configurations within the device(s) and ensure systems are up to date.
• Provide expertise, experience and mentorship on SCADA systems to SCADA team members to increase team bench strength.
• Troubleshoot and maintain connections between OT equipment – i.e., SEL RTACs, Remote Intelligence Gateways (RIG), RTU’s, Campbell Scientific data loggers, etc.
• Provide field assistance and expertise on plants using varied control systems (Ignition, CIMPLICITY, WonderWare, ABB SYS600, SEL RTAC HMI).
• Maintain data connections between Remote Operations Center, corporate data servers and OEM SCADA, RTU, OPC Servers, etc.
• Coordinate with IT (internal and 3rd party) as primary point of contact for plant ops.
• Provide NERC CIP guidance and support to ensure all assets are in compliance.
• Develop long-term strategy for standardization of company OT equipment.
• Lead projects as assigned with minimal oversight.

THE PROFILE TO SUCCEED

• Bachelor’s degree and 6-10 years of experience. Applicable years of experience may substitute for degree.
• Extensive experience and expertise with Ignition (Backend and Frontend).
• Expertise with OT Equipment such as SCADA systems, RTU’s, PI data historians, etc.
• Adept with Microsoft Office suite of applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• In-depth knowledge of components/operations of power plants, with firsthand experience on renewable projects.
• Strong analytical and critical thinking capability.
• Self-starter with ability to make decisions and take necessary actions without specific direction.
• Effective time management and organizational skills; keen multitasking capabilities and attention to detail.
• Ability to work well independently and as part of a cross-functional team.
• Proficient in leading a team of engineers and mentoring other SCADA engineers through complex systems and projects
• Valid U.S. driver's license with acceptable MVR history.

THE PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be able to accomplish physical requirements with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Ability to stand, walk, talk, hear, and close and distance vision capability.
• Ability to sit, climb or balance, stoop, kneel, and/or crouch.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to travel up to 40%.

THE TEAM

The Onward Energy team is comprised of industry professionals who embrace our values of accountability, adaptability, collaboration, and excellence. At Onward Energy, we seek to find solutions rather than assign blame.

THE WORK ENVIRONMENT

The position functions in a smoke- and vaping-free professional office environment. The role routinely utilizes standard office equipment such as a laptop computer, phone, and scanner/photocopier. Noise levels can be moderate to high when visiting job sites, and may contain light to heavy equipment vehicles, small to large equipment, materials, communication equipment and tools.

THE TOTAL REWARDS

Onward Energy total rewards philosophy is motivated by a key tenet of People First, and offers employees a comprehensive total rewards package which includes market-competitive compensation, health, life insurance, and retirement savings benefits.

If you require an accommodation for any part of the employment process due to a disability to [e-mail].

EEO STATEMENT:

Onward Energy is an Affimative Action Employer, Females/Minority/Veterans/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.