Director of Engineering, Electrical Controls & OT Cybersecurity

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Engineering, Electrical Controls & OT Cybersecurity based in United States.

The Director of Engineering, Electrical Controls & OT Cybersecurity leads major engineering initiatives across North American manufacturing and supply chain operations. This role combines capital project leadership with industrial automation, controls modernization, OT cybersecurity, digital manufacturing, and equipment reliability. You will guide projects from concept and business justification through commissioning, startup, and operational handoff. Working across plant leadership, engineering, IT/OT, maintenance, suppliers, and system integrators, you will drive secure and scalable technology adoption. The position has broad influence over control system architectures, engineering standards, manufacturing modernization, and operational performance. It is an opportunity to shape the future of connected, resilient, and technology-enabled manufacturing environments.

Accountabilities:

• Capital Project Leadership: Manage capital engineering projects from concept development through commissioning and startup, establishing scopes, budgets, schedules, business justifications, execution strategies, and risk management plans.
• Project Execution: Coordinate with plant operations, maintenance, quality, safety, procurement, IT, engineering partners, and external suppliers to deliver projects safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with engineering standards.
• Manufacturing Modernization: Lead initiatives involving factory modernization, equipment replacement, capacity expansion, controls upgrades, and reliability improvements while driving standardization and engineering best practices across facilities.
• Automation and Controls: Lead industrial automation and control system projects involving PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, instrumentation, drives, motion control, and process control technologies.
• Controls Modernization: Support control system lifecycle management, obsolescence replacement, equipment upgrades, and process improvements while identifying opportunities to improve productivity, reliability, asset utilization, and operational performance.
• Systems Integration: Integrate manufacturing control systems with data historians, reporting platforms, MES, and enterprise systems, working closely with plant teams, IT/OT resources, and system integrators.
• Testing and Commissioning: Lead Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), commissioning, startup, and operational handoff activities to ensure systems meet technical, operational, and cybersecurity requirements.
• Digital Manufacturing: Support connected-factory and Industry 4.0 initiatives by applying manufacturing data, analytics, visualization, automation, and integrated technologies to improve operational decision-making and process performance.
• Technology Roadmaps: Contribute to automation and manufacturing technology roadmaps that support long-term facility modernization, equipment reliability, operational visibility, and continuous improvement.
• OT Cybersecurity: Partner with OT cybersecurity, IT, and plant engineering teams to incorporate secure system design and cybersecurity requirements into capital projects, commissioning, and industrial architecture decisions.
• Industrial Resilience: Evaluate network segmentation, remote access, backup strategies, disaster recovery, system resiliency, and lifecycle risks for industrial control systems, networking infrastructure, and manufacturing technology assets.
• Governance and Risk: Support compliance with OT cybersecurity frameworks, internal governance requirements, and relevant industrial cybersecurity standards while participating in cybersecurity assessments and remediation initiatives.
• Technical Influence: Shape engineering standards, control system architectures, technology adoption, and scalable automation practices across multiple manufacturing locations.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with plant leadership, supply chain engineering, controls specialists, cybersecurity and IT teams, maintenance and reliability organizations, external engineering firms, system integrators, equipment suppliers, and corporate technology teams.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Controls Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Engineering Experience: 5+ years of experience in manufacturing, automation, controls, systems integration, or project engineering, with demonstrated success leading capital projects in manufacturing environments.
• Capital Project Management: Strong capability in capital project planning and execution, including scopes, budgets, schedules, risk assessments, technical reviews, commissioning, and startup readiness.
• Industrial Automation: Hands-on knowledge of PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, industrial instrumentation, drives, process controls, and industrial automation technologies.
• Industrial Networking: Understanding of industrial network architecture and communications protocols such as Ethernet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP, OPC UA, and related technologies.
• Manufacturing Integration: Knowledge of manufacturing system integration concepts and experience connecting industrial control environments with enterprise, data, reporting, or MES platforms.
• OT Cybersecurity: Working knowledge of OT cybersecurity principles, secure industrial system design, and industrial control system risk management.
• Cybersecurity Standards: Familiarity with ISA/IEC 62443, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, or related industrial cybersecurity standards is preferred.
• Digital Manufacturing: Experience with digital manufacturing, Industry 4.0, manufacturing analytics, visualization, or technology-enabled continuous improvement is advantageous.
• Leadership and Collaboration: Strong communication, leadership, problem-solving, and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Industry Experience: Experience in food, beverage, consumer products, or process manufacturing environments is preferred.
• Travel and Location: This is a U.S.-based remote role with approximately 51%-75% travel required. No relocation is provided.
• Work Authorization: Must be currently authorized to work full-time in the United States and must not require employment-based visa sponsorship.

Benefits

• Compensation: Base salary of USD $171,000-$198,000, with actual pay determined by factors such as geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
• Annual Incentive: 30% annual incentive reference value at target performance.
• Healthcare: Access to a comprehensive range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position.
• Global Exposure: Opportunities to work with global technology leaders, expand your professional network, and gain exposure to emerging technologies and engineering techniques.
• Learning and Development: Access to professional development resources, including LinkedIn Learning and management development programs.
• Manufacturing Impact: Opportunity to contribute to large-scale modernization, automation, digital transformation, reliability, and OT cybersecurity initiatives across multiple manufacturing operations.
• Work Arrangement: U.S.-based remote position with significant travel requirements of 51%-75%.
• Relocation: Relocation assistance is not provided.