Job Title
OT Cybersecurity & Networking Systems Engineer
Job Location
Pune/Chennai
Educational requirement
Bachelor's or master's degree in information technology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
Required Experience.
8-10 Years
The OT Cybersecurity & Networking Systems Engineer will be responsible for designing, securing, and supporting advanced substation automation systems across customer projects. The role requires strong expertise in OT/ICS cybersecurity, digital substation technologies, IEC 61850 engineering, and utility-grade network design. The candidate will collaborate closely with engineering, project management, and customer cybersecurity teams to ensure compliance, secure deployments, and lifecycle support
Key Responsibilities:
Cybersecurity & Compliance
- Conduct OT cybersecurity assessments including threat analysis, risk assessments, and mitigation planning.
- Develop secure system architectures in alignment with IEC 62443, NERC CIP, ISO 27001, IEC 62351, and customer specifications.
- Prepare cybersecurity documentation: hardening guides, firewall policies, system access matrices, network security plans, audit artifacts.
- Support internal/external audits, cybersecurity testing, and remediation actions.
Substation Automation & Protection Systems
- Engineer, configure, and validate IEC 61850 systems (GOOSE, MMS, SV) including substation communication models and SCD file workflows.
- Support the design of protection, control, and automation architectures covering relays, BCUs, merging units, RTUs, gateways, and SCADA systems.
- Review and validate redundancy architectures (PRP/HSR), time synchronization (IEEE 1588/PTP), and network resiliency design.
- Support FAT, SAT, commissioning, and site cybersecurity evaluations.
Networking & System Engineering
- Design and implement secure OT networks (L2/L3 switching, VLANs, routing, DMZ, NAT, VPN, IDS/IPS).
- Conduct system hardening for Windows/Linux servers, virtual machines, and OT hardware.
- Develop and validate backup/restore strategies, monitoring systems, and secure remote access configurations.
- Produce engineering documentation including architecture diagrams, test procedures, and compliance evidence.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with project managers, protection engineers, automation engineers, and IT security teams to ensure cybersecurity is embedded in all project phases.
- Guide customers and partners on cybersecurity best practices, regulatory requirements, and secure system operation.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Electronics/Computer Engineering or related field.
- 8+ years experience in substation automation, OT cybersecurity, or ICS/SCADA engineering (or 6+ years with a Master's).
- Hands-on experience with IEC 61850 engineering, PRP/HSR networks, process bus, and digital substation concepts.
- Strong understanding of global cybersecurity standards and audit processes.
- Expertise in network security architectures, firewalls, and OT communication protocols.
Preferred Competencies
- Experience with SCADA/EMS/DMS, RTUs, gateways, and utility communication systems.
- Knowledge of protection relay logic, fault analysis, and interlocking schemes.
- Familiarity with virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V), SIEM systems, and OT monitoring tools.
- Exposure to CEA guidelines or regional utility cybersecurity frameworks
Soft Skills:
- Strong analytical and documentation abilities.
- Effective communication with cross-functional teams and customers.
- Ability to work independently and manage complex, multi-disciplinary tasks.
Desirable Certifications (Optional but Advantageous):
- ISA/IEC 62443 Cybersecurity Certification
- IEC 61850 Engineering / Protection & Automation Certification or Formal Training
- IEC 61850 System Engineering & Testing Certification
- Cisco CCNP Industrial or Cisco Industrial Networking
- CISM / CISSP
