About The Company
Charter Manufacturing Co., Inc. is a distinguished fourth-generation family-owned business committed to continuous growth and operational excellence. With a rich history rooted in manufacturing, the company prides itself on doing things better through innovation, dedication, and a strong family ethos. Charter Manufacturing's diverse portfolio and commitment to quality position it as a leader in its industry, fostering a collaborative environment where employees are valued and empowered to contribute to the company's success.
About The Role
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Operation Technology Network Architect to join our team at Charter Steel, a prominent member of Charter Manufacturing. The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining robust industrial network infrastructures that support our smart factory initiatives, automation systems, and industrial control networks. This role is critical in ensuring seamless communication between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems, emphasizing security, reliability, and compliance with industry standards.
The position offers an exciting opportunity to work in a dynamic manufacturing environment, collaborating closely with production teams, maintenance personnel, IT staff, and cybersecurity professionals. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in enhancing network architecture, optimizing system performance, and safeguarding critical industrial systems against cyber threats.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, Industrial Automation, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in network administration, IT/OT systems, or industrial automation involving PLCs, I/O modules, IIoT devices, managed switches, and other ICS network components within manufacturing environments.
- Strong understanding of network fundamentals such as TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing, and switching.
- At least 3 years of experience with industrial network protocols including Modbus, EtherNet/IP, Profinet, OPC UA, and DNP3.
- Proven experience with integrating firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and applying network security principles.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity concepts, risk management, and compliance standards relevant to OT environments.
- Proficiency with network troubleshooting tools such as Wireshark, SNMP monitoring, and NetFlow.
Nice to have qualifications include certifications such as ICS-specific security certifications, Cisco CCNA (Industrial), ISA/IEC 62443, GICSP, CompTIA Network+ or Security+, and CISSP for cybersecurity-focused roles. Extensive experience exceeding 6 years and relevant industry certifications are considered advantageous.
Responsibilities
- Design and deploy industrial network architectures that support manufacturing execution systems (MES), SCADA, PLCs, HMIs, and IIoT devices, ensuring scalability and security.
- Configure and maintain industrial Ethernet networks, VLANs, and segmented network environments to optimize performance and security.
- Integrate OT and IT networks to facilitate secure data exchange between production systems and enterprise applications, applying zero-trust security principles.
- Develop and implement continuous monitoring tools and processes to oversee network traffic, latency, uptime, and overall performance.
- Diagnose and troubleshoot network issues related to latency, interference, and connectivity to minimize downtime and optimize system efficiency.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards such as ISA/IEC 62443, NIST, and ISO 27001 through regular security audits, vulnerability assessments, and patch management.
- Develop incident response plans for network failures and cyber threats, maintaining backup and recovery strategies for network configurations.
- Provide technical support and escalate issues related to automation system connectivity, collaborating with plant engineers, maintenance, and IT teams.
- Support the integration of new plant equipment by designing network architecture and configuring devices accordingly.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation including network diagrams, security policies, configuration records, and change management logs, while developing and updating Management of Change (MoC) procedures for OT systems.
- Support data architecture and system integration efforts across SCADA, MES, ERP, and business intelligence platforms, ensuring continuous operational performance.
Benefits
Charter Manufacturing offers a competitive benefits package designed to support our employees' well-being and professional growth. This includes comprehensive health insurance plans, retirement savings options, paid time off, and wellness programs. The company promotes a collaborative and inclusive workplace culture, fostering continuous learning and development opportunities. Employees also benefit from relocation assistance if applicable, flexible work arrangements, and the chance to work within a forward-thinking organization that values innovation and excellence.
Equal Opportunity
Charter Manufacturing Co., Inc. is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected class under applicable law. We believe that a diverse workforce enhances our ability to innovate and serve our customers effectively, and we are dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified candidates.
