Operational Technology Engineer Onsite – Fort Smith, AR

Our client, a leader in the Beverage industry
, is seeking an experienced Operational Technology (OT) Engineer to shape and maintain a secure and efficient OT framework across their North American clients. This permanent, onsite position in Fort Smith, Arkansas
, is instrumental in building a dependable manufacturing technology environment, aligning with internal best practices and contributing to a broader global knowledge‑sharing network. The role emphasizes a strong commitment to quality, safety, environmental stewardship, and product integrity within a 24/7 manufacturing setting.

As an OT Engineer, you’ll be a pivotal figure in ensuring the secure, reliable, and high‑performing operation of the client’s manufacturing technology environment. Your responsibilities will span network architecture, cybersecurity, systems administration, and continuous improvement for industrial automation.

• OT Network Oversight: You will be responsible for meticulously architecting, overseeing, and safeguarding the OT network infrastructure
  . This includes expert administration of firewall configurations tailored for industrial environments, managing secure remote connectivity solutions to OT systems, maintaining resilient wireless systems on the plant floor, and optimizing switch settings for industrial protocols. You’ll continuously monitor network health
  , swiftly respond to hardware issues (e.g., servers, switches, firewalls), and manage critical firmware/OS updates to ensure maximum uptime and security.
• Security & Patch Management: You will lead robust security and patch management efforts across the converged OT/IT landscape. This involves staying continuously informed on security advisories relevant to industrial control systems and enterprise IT, meticulously evaluating patching requirements
  , and then thoroughly testing and implementing updates across various OT/IT systems, including industrial workstations and network devices. You’ll also diligently track and manage updates for OT applications and control systems
  , minimizing vulnerabilities and strengthening defenses against cyber threats.
• OT Systems Administration: You will expertly manage virtual environments that support crucial OT systems. This encompasses designing virtual machine (VM) templates, provisioning new VMs, and implementing robust backup strategies to ensure data recovery and business continuity for industrial applications. You’ll also ensure comprehensive endpoint security across OT devices and enforce strict compliance with local OT standards
  , safeguarding system integrity.
• Security Operations & Governance: You will play a key role in security operations and governance within the OT domain. This includes guaranteeing the continuous availability of critical OT applications and meticulously managing data backup and recovery processes for industrial data. You’ll support secure third‑party integrations with OT systems and maintain comprehensive OT network documentation
  . Furthermore, you will actively integrate security considerations into project planning and execution for all new automation initiatives, embedding security by design.
• Active Directory & Domain Services: You will maintain the domain infrastructure for OT systems. This includes managing Active Directory (AD), overseeing Group Policy Objects (GPOs) for centralized configuration and security, maintaining DNS (Domain Name System) for name resolution, and managing organizational unit (OU) structures to ensure efficient identity and access management within the OT environment.
• Incident Response: You will be on the front lines, leading response efforts for both cybersecurity events and operational incidents that impact OT systems. This requires rapid communication, effective containment, swift recovery actions, and meticulous documentation. You’ll address both cyber and non‑cyber incidents, diligently validate disaster recovery protocols
  , and proactively analyze logs and correlate data to identify potential threats
  , minimizing downtime in a 24/7 manufacturing setting.
• Continuous Improvement &
  
  Collaboration:
  
  You will be a…