Operational Technology (OT) Cyber Security Architect

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.

As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity.

Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.

We are over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. And we have deep expertise in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport.

Our teams operate globally from offices across the UK, Ireland, US, Nordics, and Netherlands.

PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future. We challenge where it matters and own the outcome. We combine strategic thinking, customer-centric service design, and agile engineering practices to accelerate innovation in a tech-driven world.

Why consider joining our Digital & Data community?

• Join our Digital & Data team working alongside product, design and a wide range of other experts and cross-disciplinary teams to bring ideas to life through innovative software solutions.
• Grow a flexible and unique career within a trust-based, inclusive environment that values excellence, innovation, and curiosity. You have the option to progress with us on a technical career track. No need to go onto the Partner career track if this doesn’t align with what you want to do.
• Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 2 days per week.
• Work on a broad variety of projects and tech stacks for clients across seven sectors - no project is ever the same
• Join other experts within our supportive and collaborative tech community through knowledge-sharing and peer-level support, coaching and mentoring
• Deepen your expertise through our culture of learning and growth - you’ll have budget to take courses (technical and non-technical training), plus gain certifications

Our tech stack

While we advocate for using the right technology for the right task, you can expect to work across complex IT and OT environments, helping clients strengthen cyber resilience, secure critical systems and design practical security architectures that can be deployed safely in operational settings.

• OT and industrial control systems, including ICS, SCADA and OT network environments.
• Security architecture approaches including segmentation, zoning, secure remote access, monitoring, logging and telemetry.
• Recognised frameworks and standards such as IEC 62443, NIST CSF, NCSC CAF, ISO 27001, NIS/NIS2 and related regulatory requirements.
• OT security tooling and monitoring platforms such as Nozomi, Claroty, Dragos, Microsoft Defender for IoT or similar technologies.
• Architecture, modelling and delivery tools used to define target-state designs, roadmaps and implementation plans.

What you can expect

As an OT Cyber Security Architect, you will lead the design and delivery of security architectures across complex operational environments. You will work with senior stakeholders, engineering teams and regulators to translate cyber risk into practical, deployable security outcomes. You will act as a technical authority and trusted advisor, shaping how clients secure their OT estates while balancing resilience, safety and operational efficiency.

• Architect and design secure OT environments aligned to good practice, global standards and regulation, including IEC 62443 and NIS/NIS2.
• Translate cyber risk assessments into target-state architectures, security control designs and pragmatic implementation roadmaps.
• Define secure integration patterns between IT and OT environments, including segmentation, access control, monitoring and resilience capabilities.
• Lead OT security transformation workstreams, including secure remote access, vulnerability management, protective monitoring and operational resilience.
• Advise CISOs, CIOs, operational leaders and engineering teams on OT risk, resilience, regulatory obligations and investment priorities.
• Support technology selection, deployment and optimisation while helping clients right-size security controls to minimise operational disruption.

You’ll work to agile best practice and collaborate cross-functionally with multiple teams and stakeholders. You’ll use your technical skills to solve complex client problems, contribute to internal propositions and support the development of reusable tools, playbooks and guidance for our wider cyber community.

You can expect live, in-person whiteboarding sessions to problem solve as a team, alongside asynchronous communication on Teams. Hybrid working means spending time with the team on client site or in one of our offices a minimum of two days per week; however, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment, including up to five days per week on a client site.

You’ll join an environment that deeply cares about its values and the positive impact our work has for clients, communities and society.

Essential requirements

Even if you don’t meet every requirement below, feel free to still apply as we are often hiring for similar roles which your background might be better suited to.

• Strong professional experience designing and delivering OT security architectures in critical infrastructure, industrial, manufacturing, transport, energy, utilities or similarly complex operational environments.
• Deep understanding of industrial control systems, SCADA, OT networks and the operational constraints that shape cyber security decisions in safety-critical environments.
• Experience applying recognised frameworks and standards such as IEC 62443, NIST CSF, NCSC CAF, ISO 27001, NIS/NIS2 or related regulatory requirements.
• Proven ability to translate cyber risk into practical architecture decisions, control designs, implementation roadmaps and clear stakeholder recommendations.
• You thrive in problem-solving and analytical thinking.
• You enjoy collaborating with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment, including senior security leaders, engineering teams, operational teams and third parties.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Please be aware that some of our UK roles at PA Consulting require a UK security clearance.

All PA people are required to undergo background checks and to achieve the Baseline Personnel Security Standard however, some UK roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting, where applicants must have at least 5 years of continuous residency in the UK.

We therefore ask that you only apply if you meet the residency requirements (i.e. you are a British citizen or have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years), as this is the prerequisite for a security clearance. If you're unsure about your eligibility, we encourage you to review the UK Government’s guidance on security vetting before applying.

Assessment process

Please note that the interview stages may be subject to change based on the specific requirements of the role.

• Quick call with one of our Tech Recruiters - to discuss your application, the role and PA
• Round 1: Either a competency or technical interview (60 mins)
• Round 2: Either a competency or technical interview, whichever you didn’t do at first round (60 mins)
• Final round : Meeting with a PA leader - a mini case study and discussion around your client-centricity (60 mins)

Life At PA encompasses our peoples' experience at PA. It's about how we enrich peoples’ working lives by giving them access to unique people and growth opportunities and purpose led meaningful work.

Our purpose guides how we work with our clients and our teams, and support our communities, to deliver insight and impact, solving the world’s most complex challenges. We're focused on building a workplace that values human difference and diverse mindsets, and a culture of inclusion and equality that unlocks the potential in our people so everyone can be their best self.

Find out more about Life at PA here.

We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of our people. Check out some of our extensive benefits:

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare for you and your family
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days
• Generous company pension scheme
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives
• Annual performance-based bonus
• PA share ownership
• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn)

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief, veteran status, any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

Adjustments or accommodations - Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us on [email protected]