Principal OT Engineer

Industrial automation is evolving rapidly and we're looking for someone who wants to help shape what's next, not simply maintain what's come before.

We are looking for a Principal OT Engineer to lead the design and delivery of modern Operational Technology (OT) architectures, using Ignition as the primary platform, Python to develop intelligent solutions, and MQTT/Sparkplug B to seamlessly connect data from the edge to the cloud.

This is far more than a traditional SCADA engineering role. You'll act as the technical authority for complex automation projects, leading architectural decisions, mentoring engineers, and working closely with clients to deliver innovative, future-focused solutions. Remaining hands-on with emerging technologies, you'll play a pivotal role in advancing both our engineering capability and the next generation of industrial automation.

If you're passionate about modern OT, enjoy solving complex technical challenges, and want to influence the future of industrial automation, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact while working with cutting-edge technologies and a team committed to engineering excellence.

Through our 50 year history, ITI Group has combined the skills, experience, and knowledge of many recognised and respected industry names to become a leading partner for industry. We develop and integrate digital transformation solutions for Energy, Nuclear and Industrial manufacturing sectors. We advance safe, secure and sustainable operations through the innovative use of technology.

You’ll be joining a global brand with locations across the UK, Europe and North America. Our people work together with clients to solve problems, unlock the potential of the connected world, and create solutions that deliver value.

At the heart of ITI Group is a complete commitment to innovation and transformation. Our people are practical, insightful and dynamic, with a personal approach. We are dedicated to working in partnership with our colleagues, leaders and customers, and developing a culture that allows us to inspire, and deliver a safe, sustainable future where people shine.

You will:

• Lead the design of complex solution architectures from Ignition Perspective applications to containerised edge deployments and MQTT/Sparkplug B data pipelines connecting the plant floor to the enterprise. 
• Act as the technical authority on Ignition and industrial IoT architectures, guiding the Engineering team and Project Managers through the tough decisions. 
• Investigate and pilot new OT technologies; containerisation, Unified Namespace architectures, cloud-edge integration and bring them back to the team. 
• Own technical estimates and client conversations for new opportunities, working closely with Sales and Project Managers. 
• Champion modern engineering standards: version control, CI/CD pipelines and automated testing across every project stage. 
• Lead, mentor and grow an engineering team – owning their development, performance and day-to-day direction. 
• Get hands-on with commissioning and troubleshooting at client sites when the team needs you there. 

We are looking for:

Essential Skills

• 5+ years' experience in a related engineering field, across multiple full lifecycle projects. 
• Strong hands-on knowledge of Ignition (Perspective and/or Vision), including module development, scripting and Ignition Edge for distributed/edge deployments. 
• Strong Python scripting and application development experience, with solid OOP and Git version-control practice. 
• Experience with containerisation and orchestration like Docker, Docker Compose, Kubernetes (not essential ) for deploying and managing OT/edge applications. 
• Experience with MQTT and the Sparkplug B specification for real-time, standards-based data movement between edge, plant and cloud. 
• Knowledge of multiple PLC architectures, OPC UA/OPC Servers and industrial networking. 
• Database configuration and querying experience; MySQL, MS SQL. 
• The confidence to make design decisions with authority, and to flag risk clearly when it matters.

Desirable Skills

• Understanding of Unified Namespace (UNS) architectures and event-driven approaches to industrial data. 
• Experience integrating OT systems with cloud platforms such as Azure IoT or AWS IoT. 
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices applied to industrial software delivery. 
• Experience delivering ISA-88 or GMP projects. 
• Ignition certification (Gold or Core). 

In line with our company values we are looking for someone who,

📈Will 'Deliver' what we promise

🦺Will demand the highest levels of 'Safety and Security'

🏆Will apply 'Technical Mastery'

🧠Is committed to 'Continual Learning'

🤝Can work 'Collaboratively'

💡Will challenge the norm to make a difference through 'Innovation'

As a Great Place to Work® certified organisation with over 50 years of deep technology expertise, you’ll work alongside specialists who solve complex, real-world challenges. You’ll gain exposure to intelligent systems that power critical facilities - building skills that shape safer, smarter, and more sustainable operations.

Inspire and innovate with us; Join ITI Group, a place where you can shine! Find out more about what we can offer you by visiting our careers page on the ITI Group Website.

At ITI Group our people are our best asset. We offer a variety of benefits, to attract and retain talent, which include:

• 25 days annual leave, 8 Bank Holidays, plus the ability to buy and sell up to 5 days per year
• Flexible start and finish times, including flexi-Fridays
• Competitive Employee Referral Award Scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Pension
• Payment of professional membership fees
• Healthy Extras - Employee Assistance Programme, access to a practising GP, Confidential Advice
• Enhanced family friendly policies

ITI is an equal opportunities employer. For more information, please refer to our Equality of Opportunity statement on the ITI Group Careers page.

Please note: to help our interviewers stay fully engaged in the conversation, we use an AI note taker during first-round interviews. It will join the meeting to create a transcript, which is used only to support the hiring process.