- This position is a contract up to 6 months
- Location: Downtown- Los Angeles- Onsite
The Senior Engineering Technician (Network) serves as a SCADA Network technical lead, responsible for the design, development, support, and continuous improvement of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) network infrastructure. This role ensures a secure, high-availability environment that supports mission-critical operations across Metropolitan's Industrial Control System (ICS) infrastructure.
The successful candidate will demonstrate hands-on experience with ICS LAN/WAN networks, have a working knowledge of SCADA protocols, and maintain a proactive approach to patching, upgrading, and monitoring systems with minimal downtime. This position collaborates closely with IT teams, SCADA engineers, and external consultants to ensure robust system performance, security, and scalability.
Key Responsibilities:
- Act as the technical lead for the SCADA network infrastructure, overseeing system design, development, upgrades, and day-to-day operations.
- Administer, configure, validate, and maintain LAN/WAN components supporting SCADA systems and ICS environments.
- Ensure reliable integration and communication using SCADA protocols (Modbus, DNP3, CIP).
- Configure, patch, upgrade, and troubleshoot network infrastructure and ensure minimal system downtime.
- Install and maintain network hardware and software, including routers, switches, firewalls, and monitoring tools.
- Develop, document, and maintain network standards, test procedures, and upgrade specifications.
- Conduct performance monitoring, fault analysis, and optimization of the SCADA network infrastructure.
- Provide network-level support including incident response, root cause analysis, and problem resolution.
- Assist with ensuring cybersecurity compliance and alignment with IT security policies and industry best practices.
- Coordinate with internal IT Network and Security teams to maintain consistent security standards and controls.
- Collaborate with external vendors and consultants on SCADA enhancement projects, ensuring technical accuracy and quality implementation.
- Participate in the design and proof-of-concept phases for upcoming SCADA communications projects and infrastructure modernization efforts.
- Maintain clear and accurate technical documentation, diagrams, and change logs for system upgrades and configuration changes.
Required Qualifications:
- 5+ years of professional experience working with Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and SCADA environments.
- Strong understanding of LAN/WAN design, configuration, and support for mission-critical infrastructure.
- Hands-on experience with SCADA protocols such as Modbus, DNP3, and CIP.
- Ability to administer and maintain network equipment and operating systems in ICS environments.
- Proficiency with network patching, monitoring, and performance tuning.
- Experience coordinating with multi-disciplinary teams, including IT and engineering professionals.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with high-availability networks and real-time monitoring tools.
- Familiarity with SCADA architecture best practices and cyber-hardening approaches for ICS.
- Knowledge of industry standards and regulations (e.g., NERC CIP, NIST).
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Network Engineering, or a related field.
- Certifications such as CompTIA Network+, CCNA, or equivalent are a plus.
Special Requirements:
- May require working in industrial or utility field environments.
- Ability to respond to network emergencies and outages during off-hours as needed.
- Occasional travel to remote operational sites or project locations.