Principal Technical Consultant – Operational Technology, Network Security

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Act as the primary technical authority for OT Assessments, OT strategy initiatives, and SRDP workstreams.

• Organize and lead discovery workshops, site visits, technical in-depth sessions, and executive collaboration meetings.

• Develop safe and non-intrusive discovery methods that respect production timelines, safety protocols, and change management processes.

• Evaluate client environments, focusing on assets, networks, control systems, dependencies, ownership, and operational limitations.

• Assess maturity levels across personnel, processes, and technology.

• Identify risks, vulnerabilities, single points of failure, and lifecycle issues that impact security, reliability, visibility, and resilience.

• Create current-state and future-state architectural perspectives, findings, maturity evaluations, and prioritized action plans.

• Deliver findings to engineering teams, plant and operations management, and executive leadership.

• Analyze OT and ICS architectures that encompass PLCs, HMIs, SCADA, DCS, historians, MES, engineering workstations, safety systems, and connected edge environments.

• Assess IT/OT connectivity, Purdue-aligned design, zones and conduits, industrial DMZs, segmentation, remote access, and third-party connections.

• Review asset inventories, passive visibility, communication flows, protocol usage, legacy systems, and compensating controls.

• Evaluate identity and access management, endpoint protection, vulnerability and patch management, monitoring, incident response, backup, and recovery practices.

• Weigh security recommendations against safety, availability, performance, maintenance schedules, and the longevity of OT lifecycles.

• Utilize NIST SP 800-82, ISA/IEC 62443, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, and relevant regulatory standards.

• Lead and assign tasks among technical consultants, engineers, and client personnel.

• Decompose complex issues into manageable work packages with defined strategies, decision points, and acceptance criteria.

• Collaborate with Project Managers, account teams, and other practices within AHEAD.

• Review technical outputs and mentor consultants.

• Contribute to the development of repeatable methodologies, templates, and reference architectures.

• Participate in discovery and qualification meetings as the OT subject matter expert.

• Assist in defining scopes of work, estimates, work breakdown structures, assumptions, risks, and proposals.

• Support technical solution development and proposal presentations for senior client stakeholders.

• Foster thought leadership, internal training, and client briefings.

• Independently manage OT discovery and assessment projects, deliver client-ready outputs, coach delivery teams, and provide reusable OT methodologies.

⛳️ Requirements

• A minimum of 10 years in delivering complex technology, cybersecurity, network, or engineering solutions, with substantial experience in Operational Technology or ICS.

• Proven experience in leading OT or ICS assessments, architecture, segmentation, cybersecurity, or modernization projects.

• Strong knowledge of control-system architectures and industrial protocols such as Modbus, DNP3, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, or OPC UA.

• Deep expertise in OT networking and security, including routing and switching, firewalls, industrial DMZs, segmentation, remote access, identity management, and monitoring.

• Ability to articulate the operational impact of technical decisions where safety, availability, and production continuity are paramount.

• Experience in producing architecture diagrams, maturity assessments, prioritized roadmaps, and executive-level presentations.

• Skilled in facilitating workshops with stakeholders ranging from plant floor personnel to executive leadership.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the capability to adapt complex content for various audiences.

• Demonstrated capability to lead technical teams, delegate tasks, review work, and mentor peers.

• Willingness to travel to client locations as required by engagements.

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field, or equivalent professional experience.

• Preferred: Familiarity with ISA/IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82, NIST CSF, NERC CIP, FDA, or other industry-specific regulations.

• Preferred: Background in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, utilities, water, healthcare, transportation, chemicals, or pharmaceuticals.

• Preferred: Experience with OT asset discovery and passive monitoring tools, industrial firewalls, secure remote access, or OT security operations.

• Preferred: Knowledge of IT/OT convergence, edge computing platforms, industrial wireless, private 5G, or OT data platforms.

• Preferred: Experience in creating estimates, work breakdown structures, service briefs, or statements of work.

• Preferred: Certifications like GICSP, GRID, CISSP, ISA/IEC 62443, or CCNP/CCIE.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.

• 401(k) plan.

• Paid company holidays.

• Paid time off.

• Paid parental and caregiver leave.

• Access to a multi-million-dollar technology lab.

• Opportunities for cross-department training and development.

• Sponsorship for certifications and credentials to support ongoing education.

• Option to opt-out of AI application/resume review.

• Option to opt-out of interview recording and transcription without penalty.