OT Network Engineer

Kinetik is strategically located in the heart of the Delaware Basin in the Permian, one of the fastest growing areas for oil and gas development in the world. We provide the gathering, compression, processing, transportation and water management services required to bring natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil to market and are dedicated to providing the best service and netback for our customers. We are driven to be best-in-class and committed to growing our existing assets in the Permian Basin through both greenfield and acquisition opportunities.

Kinetik employees have decades of experience in West Texas and provide all the important services our customers need to deliver gas and crude oil production to market, which include gathering, transportation, compression, processing and produced water management.

Schedule: 5/2, 7/7, 14/14

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The OT Network Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting reliable, high-performance Operational Technology (OT) network infrastructure used throughout industrial control environments. This role focuses on ensuring maximum network availability, performance, resiliency, and scalability while supporting digital transformation initiatives across industrial operations.

• Design, deploy, and maintain industrial Ethernet networks including Layer 2/Layer 3 switching, routing, wireless, firewalls, and remote connectivity.
• Engineer highly available network architectures for industrial facilities, compressor stations, plants, and remote assets.
• Develop and maintain accurate network diagrams, IP address management, and technical documentation.
• Configure and troubleshoot industrial networking equipment including managed switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless infrastructure.
• Support industrial communication protocols including Modbus TCP, DNP3, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, OPC UA, MQTT, and other OT protocols.
• Work closely with Automation, SCADA, Controls, and Operations teams to ensure reliable communications between field devices and control systems.
• Plan, execute, and support network upgrades, migrations, and technology refresh initiatives.
• Monitor network health, performance, and availability while proactively identifying opportunities for optimization.
• Troubleshoot network outages and communication issues to minimize operational downtime.
• Assist with implementation of network segmentation, VLANs, redundancy, QoS, and resilient network designs.
• Support disaster recovery planning and network resiliency initiatives.
• Collaborate with the OT Security team to implement secure network architectures and security best practices.
• Evaluate new networking technologies and provide recommendations for improving reliability, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Assist with cloud connectivity initiatives supporting OT applications, data collection, and industrial IoT solutions.
• Participate in AI-driven automation initiatives by supporting infrastructure required for machine learning, predictive analytics, and intelligent operational workflows.
• Work with vendors, integrators, and service providers during project implementation and support activities.
• Participate in on-call support for critical OT network infrastructure as required.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field; equivalent experience may be substituted.
• Minimum 5 years of experience designing and supporting enterprise or industrial network infrastructure.
• Minimum 3 years of experience supporting Industrial Control Systems (ICS), SCADA environments, or industrial networking.
• Strong understanding of industrial networking principles and communication protocols including Modbus TCP, EtherNet/IP, DNP3, PROFINET, OPC UA, and MQTT.
• Experience with Layer 2/Layer 3 networking including VLANs, OSPF, BGP, STP, VRRP, multicast, QoS, and network redundancy.
• Experience configuring and supporting enterprise networking platforms such as Cisco, Palo Alto, Juniper, Fortinet, or equivalent.
• Experience with industrial networking platforms including Hirschmann, Cisco Industrial Ethernet, Stratix, Moxa, Phoenix Contact, or similar vendors is preferred.
• Experience with wireless networking, LTE/5G, microwave, and remote communications used in industrial environments.
• Working knowledge of network monitoring and management platforms such as SolarWinds, Libre, LogicMonitor, or similar.
• Working knowledge of virtualization platforms including VMware or Hyper-V.
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure platforms including Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) is preferred.
• Knowledge of AI automation platforms, industrial data analytics, and modern automation technologies is preferred.
• Understanding of Zero Trust networking principles and secure OT architecture is preferred.
• Relevant certifications such as CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, CCIE, JNCIP, PCNSA/PCNSE, Fortinet NSE, AWS, Azure, or equivalent are highly desirable.
• Excellent troubleshooting and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across Operations, Engineering, Automation, and IT teams.
• High level of integrity and professionalism, effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• High level of integrity and professionalism.

Working Conditions:

• Available to attend in-person office and field meetings as needed
• Occasional driving may be needed to travel to Kinetik plants and worksites.
• Will be working in an office environment with long periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Available outside of normal working hours as needed for business necessity

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA, and other federal, state, and local standards.
• Exposure to hazardous conditions, adverse weather, cramped conditions, and some heavy lifting.
• Subject to 24-hour call out 7 days per week and possible extended workdays.

Kinetik is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate against qualified applicants on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by law.