Remote Research Assistant Weekend Jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO

Description

Position Summary

The Operational Technology (OT) Network Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining, and securing the network infrastructure that supports Industrial Control Systems (ICS), Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Distributed Control Systems (DCS), remote field operations, and critical infrastructure. This position serves as the bridge between Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT), ensuring reliable communications, secure access, and high availability across both on-premises and cloud environments.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on engineer with strong networking, firewall, and industrial cybersecurity experience who understands that OT environments require careful planning, minimal downtime, and a security-first mindset. This role requires the ability to work independently, collaborate with vendors and internal teams, and document complex environments to support long-term operational success.

Key Responsibilities

Remote Network & Telecommunications Management

• Assist with the specification, deployment, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of network and telecommunications hardware at remote field sites. 
• Troubleshoot VPN tunnels, WAN connectivity, and remote communications issues between field locations and corporate infrastructure. 
• Coordinate directly with Internet Service Providers (ISPs), telecommunications vendors, and local contractors to resolve communication issues. 
• Participate in network planning, onboarding, and commissioning activities for new customer sites and remote facilities. 
• Assess, map, and document existing remote OT networks, including legacy and undocumented environments utilizing hardware from multiple vendors. 
• Develop and maintain accurate network diagrams and documentation to improve operational visibility and reduce reliance on institutional knowledge. 

Third-Party Vendor & Firewall Management

• Serve as the primary technical liaison between the organization and third-party firewall support providers. 
• Manage support tickets, coordinate troubleshooting activities, and ensure timely resolution of network and security issues. 
• Assist with firewall configuration reviews, policy changes, firmware updates, and ongoing security improvements. 

Access Control & OT Cybersecurity

• Administer and audit user access for technicians, operators, engineers, contractors, and customers. 
• Manage role-based access control (RBAC), authentication, and security policies across OT systems. 
• Ensure all network and security decisions align with Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) principles, NERC CIP requirements, defense-in-depth strategies, and proper network segmentation. 
• Support vulnerability remediation efforts while minimizing operational impact to production systems. 

Azure Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure

• Assist with the administration, maintenance, and optimization of the organization's Microsoft Azure environment. 
• Support the migration from traditional infrastructure to a hybrid cloud architecture. 
• Collaborate with leadership and technical staff to leverage Azure services that improve operational efficiency, customer services, and internal workflows. 
• Participate in implementing secure connectivity between cloud and on-premises OT environments. 

Data Management, Research & Development, and Documentation

• Configure and maintain databases supporting historical operational data, network configuration information, and asset inventories. 
• Develop comprehensive documentation for OT infrastructure, remote sites, and communication networks. 
• Build and maintain an organized inventory and indexing system for remote facilities and network assets. 
• Design, implement, and support a dedicated Research & Development (R&D) network segment for testing new technologies and validating system changes prior to production deployment. 
• Establish documentation standards that promote consistency, knowledge sharing, and long-term maintainability. 

Network Engineering & Operations

• Design, configure, and maintain Layer 2 and Layer 3 industrial networks. 
• Configure switches, routers, firewalls, VPN concentrators, wireless infrastructure, and industrial networking equipment. 
• Support industrial communication protocols including: 
• EtherNet/IP 
• Modbus TCP/IP 
• PROFINET 
• OPC UA 
• DNP3 
• Implement network segmentation, redundancy, and high-availability architectures appropriate for industrial environments. 
• Monitor network health and proactively identify potential reliability or security issues. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience). 
• 5+ years of experience administering enterprise and/or industrial networking environments. 
• Strong experience with: 
• Networking technologies 
• Industrial Ethernet 
• VPN technologies 
• Firewall administration 
• Routing and switching 
• Experience supporting remote field communications and telecommunications infrastructure. 
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Azure administration. 
• Experience documenting complex network environments and maintaining accurate technical documentation. 
• Basic database administration experience (Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, or similar). 
• Strong understanding of industrial cybersecurity principles and network segmentation. 

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting SCADA, PLC, DCS, or other Industrial Control Systems (ICS). 
• Familiarity with NERC CIP requirements and Critical Infrastructure Protection best practices. 
• Experience working in utilities, renewable energy, water/wastewater, oil & gas, manufacturing, or other critical infrastructure industries. 
• Experience with VMware or Hyper-V virtualization. 
• Familiarity with scripting using PowerShell or Python. 
• Experience with network monitoring and management platforms. 

Preferred Certifications

• Fortinet Network Security Expert (NSE) 
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) 
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) 
• Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) 
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate 
• Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP) 
• ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Certification 

Desired Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate:

• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills. 
• Excellent communication and documentation abilities. 
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams. 
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills. 
• A security-first mindset with an understanding of industrial operational constraints. 
• The ability to prioritize production uptime while implementing technology improvements. 

What Success Looks Like

The successful OT Network Engineer understands that operational technology environments differ significantly from traditional IT. Industrial systems often operate continuously and cannot simply be rebooted during business hours. This individual brings a hybrid IT/OT mindset, combining expertise in networking, firewalls, cloud technologies, industrial security, and documentation to build reliable, secure, and maintainable infrastructure.

Success in this role includes:

• Reliable connectivity across all remote sites. 
• Well-documented network infrastructure that reduces dependency on tribal knowledge. 
• Secure, compliant access control aligned with NERC CIP and OT best practices. 
• Successful integration of Azure hybrid cloud services. 
• Strong partnerships with vendors, telecom providers, and internal stakeholders. 
• Continuous improvement of network reliability, security, and operational efficiency. 

This position is ideal for a hands-on engineer who enjoys solving complex infrastructure challenges, modernizing legacy systems, and helping build scalable, secure Operational Technology environments that support critical business operations.

Work Environment/Physical Requirements

The physical demands are generally light and primarily aligned with office-based work unless visiting operational facilities/sites.

Specific requirements include:

• Occasional travel to other offices and job sites as needed.
• Availability for on-call support and occasional after-hours work for maintenance or troubleshooting.

TAKKION is an Equal Opportunity Employer.