Technical Lead - Gas Control Platform/SCADA

Description

The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership capabilities, advanced technical expertise in SCADA systems, and experience with large-scale technology implementations. This role is critical to ensuring the successful deployment of a state-of-the-art system to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and reliability.

Scope

Control Platform & SCADA replacement Technical Lead

• Architecture experience with Designing & Implementing Gas Control Platforms & SCADA replacements.
• Experience working within Project/Delivery Management Methodologies (SDLC, Hybrid Waterfall),
• Experience working in a cross functional team, with the ability to lead/drive the scope of work in ambiguous client facing situations and requests,
• Creation of daily, weekly and incident reports
• Weekly time tracking and approval
• Weekly report submitted to Company's Project Manager indicating labor hours expended and remaining hours relative to the project schedule and contract.
• Work in collaboration w Company's technical SMEs and Administrators, organization Project management and Change Management team members during organization working hours 7am-4pm PDT Monday-Friday.

o Attend daily Stand Ups

o Attend daily technical working sessions.

o Provide & respond to frequent daily communications and status requests from site owners, PMs, Change Managers.

• Attend and actively participate in end user site validation sessions along w organization business site owners, Technical SMEs, PMs, Change Management team members.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership

o Serve as the primary technical lead for the program, driving the overall architecture, design, and execution of the Aspen Tech Gas Control Room Platform and SCADA replacement project.

o Collaborate with project managers, stakeholders, and cross-functional teams to define program goals, deliverables, and timelines.

o Ensure alignment of technical solutions with organizational objectives and compliance requirements.

Technical Expertise

o Lead the technical evaluation, design, and implementation of the Aspen Tech Gas Control Room Platform and SCADA systems.

o Provide hands-on expertise in SCADA architecture, including redundancy, failover mechanisms, and high-availability designs.

o Develop detailed technical specifications, system blueprints, and integration roadmaps.

o Evaluate existing infrastructure and systems to identify gaps and recommend optimal solutions for seamless integration.

o Expertise in database management and real-time data analytics associated with SCADA systems.

Stakeholder Engagement

o Act as a liaison between technical teams, operational teams, and executive stakeholders.

o Communicate technical concepts and progress to non-technical stakeholders in a clear and concise manner.

o Ensure stakeholder requirements are captured, documented, and incorporated into the solution design.

Oversight and Collaboration

o Provide oversight, partnership, and collaboration with the Utility client’s SCADA engineering team, Enterprise Architecture, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, and Compliance teams.

o Facilitate coordination among internal and external stakeholders to ensure alignment with technical and operational goals.

o Ensure that cross-departmental dependencies are managed effectively, and program objectives are met.

Risk Management

o Identify potential risks associated with the implementation and develop mitigation strategies.

o Ensure system reliability and security are addressed during the planning and execution phases.

o Incorporate best practices for industrial cybersecurity, including threat detection, prevention, and response mechanisms.

Vendor and Partner Coordination

o Manage relationships with external vendors, the System Integration partner, and the Aspen Tech technical team, ensuring deliverables meet project specifications and timelines.

o Facilitate collaboration and alignment between the System Integration partner and Aspen Tech team to streamline project activities.

o Oversee vendor-led activities, including software development, testing, and deployment.

Quality Assurance

o Establish quality standards and testing protocols to validate system functionality, performance, and cybersecurity.

o Conduct system reviews, audits, and performance assessments to ensure project success.

o Lead efforts in Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), and overall system commissioning.

Team Leadership

o Mentor and guide technical team members, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment.

o Provide training and knowledge transfer to internal teams to ensure sustainable system operations post-implementation.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

o Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

o Minimum of 8 years of experience in technical leadership roles, preferably in SCADA system implementations or control room technologies.

Technical Skills

o Expertise in SCADA systems, real-time data acquisition, and control systems architecture.

o Proficiency with Aspen Tech platforms or similar technologies.

o Strong understanding of industrial protocols (e.g., OPC, Modbus, DNP3) and cybersecurity standards for industrial systems.

o Experience in implementing advanced HMI/SCADA designs, including alarm management, trend analysis, and visualization dashboards.

o Familiarity with cloud-based SCADA systems, edge computing, and IIoT integrations.

Leadership and Communication

o Proven ability to lead cross-functional technical teams and manage complex projects.

o Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills.

Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

o Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make data-driven decisions.

o Experience in risk assessment and mitigation in large-scale technology projects.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, including collaboration, facilitation, and negotiation.
• Ability to lead work effort with little day to day supervision. Ability to work through ambiguity and escalate issues to maintain project momentum.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cloud-based SCADA systems or hybrid architectures.
• Familiarity with regulatory requirements in the gas and energy sectors.
• Knowledge of scripting or programming for system automation (e.g., Python, PowerShell).

Key Deliverables

• Comprehensive technical design documentation for the new platform.
• Successful migration from legacy systems to the Aspen Tech Gas Control Room Platform.
• Fully functional and tested SCADA system with improved performance and reliability.
• Knowledge transfer and training materials for operational teams.