Operations Technology Engineer

Operations Technology Engineer

Tacoma Power's Utility Technology Services (UTS) section is accepting applications for an Operations Technology Engineer to join the UTS Service Management Office. This position performs engineering, implementation, and lifecycle management of Operations Technology (OT) workstation platforms that support critical operational systems. The position is responsible for developing and maintaining secure, reliable, and compliant workstation environments through configuration management, engineering practices, and coordination with cybersecurity, vendors, and operational teams. This role serves as a technical resource for OT workstation standards, security controls, configuration, and support strategies and contributes to system reliability, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and the long-term sustainment of OT capabilities across projects and operational environments. The position also serves as the primary technical contact for OT asset management, helps advance asset management practices across Operations Systems, and provides on-call and after-hours support.
  
Job Responsibilities:

• Lead OT workstation engineering and implementation by designing, planning, and implementing workstation environments that support critical operational systems, including ADMS, EMS, and related platforms. Coordinate with infrastructure, cybersecurity, application, and vendor teams to deliver integrated solutions that meet performance, reliability, security, and operational requirements.
• Develop and maintain workstation architectures, designs, and technical standards in partnership with UTS operational teams. Establish configuration standards and evaluate technical solutions to support scalable, resilient, secure, and compliant OT workstation environments.
• Manage the lifecycle of OT workstation platforms including imaging, baseline configuration, patching, software packaging, upgrades, technology refresh, capacity planning, asset tracking, procurement, and disposal. Develop support strategies and proactive maintenance practices that promote long-term system reliability and sustainability.
• Engineer and maintain secure OT workstation environments by implementing system hardening, access controls, patching, vulnerability remediation, endpoint management, logging, and other applicable cybersecurity controls. Support compliance with NERC CIP and internal cybersecurity requirements and participate in audits, evidence development, and remediation activities.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation and infrastructure roadmaps, including workstation build documentation, configuration standards, architecture diagrams, and lifecycle plans. Ensure technical standards and documentation remain current and aligned with operational needs, regulatory requirements, and evolving technology.
• Troubleshoot complex workstation and endpoint issues and support incident response by investigating system failures, performance degradation, failed patches, logging issues, and other technical problems. Perform root-cause analysis and implement corrective actions and system optimizations to improve reliability, stability, and efficiency. Participate in response and recovery activities for compromised endpoints.
• Provide technical leadership and vendor coordination for OT workstation technologies, tools, designs, implementations, and issue resolution. Evaluate vendor recommendations and deliverables, ensure adherence to established standards and requirements, and maintain technical ownership of system outcomes.

Qualifications

Minimum Education*
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science or directly related field.

Minimum Experience*
2 years of computer network, communications engineering or industrial controls experience

*Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education 

Licensing, Certifications and Other Requirements
As Assigned: 
Washington State Driver's License

Depending on assignment, some positions may require the ability to pass additional background checks and / or obtain additional certifications, with maintenance thereafter

Knowledge & Skills

First response to system failures through participation in on call rotation in a 24x7 data
center environment. 

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience with operational IT infrastructure support systems operations including management, backup/recovery, antivirus, and system monitoring/logging.
• Experience working in the utility industry on regulated systems.

Selection Process & Supplemental Information

This recruitment is being managed by Kye Merritt, if you would like to be notified of similar opportunities or stay connected with things going on at Tacoma Public Utilities and the City of Tacoma, connect with me on LinkedIn!

Compensation & Benefits

Pay Details: 

Annual Salary: $98,280.00 - $138,320.00

Employee Benefits | City of Tacoma

Tacoma Power 
Tacoma Power is an almost 100% hydroelectric, municipally-owned public power utility, located in Tacoma. We serve approximately 180,000 customers as one of the three operating divisions of Tacoma Public Utilities, alongside Tacoma Water and Tacoma Rail. As one of the most livable, walkable cities in the country, you'll find that Tacoma is a great fit for all interests with places to bike, run, hike, and explore, the perks of a big city, and the charm of a small town. We welcome you to take a look at our website and discover how the City of Tacoma can make your next career move part of our combined destiny: 
http://www.cityoftacoma.org/
https://www.mytpu.org/
http://www.traveltacoma.com/

City of Tacoma’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

A Commitment to Equity & Diversity
  At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.

If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.

The Community

Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.

Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.

With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!

View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI

Application Process

Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process. Applicants who have the strongest backgrounds related to the responsibilities of this position may be invited to participate in the interview process, which may include a work problem. Appointment is subject to passing a background check. 

Get Assistance

For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.

For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.

Communication with the City of Tacoma

We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.

Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice