Sr. OT System Integration Engineer
Challenge Manufacturing · Kansas City
Who We Are: Challenge Manufacturing’s mission is to manufacture with operational excellence by empowering our employee-owners. As a leading tier 1 supplier of complex metal assemblies for the global automotive industry, we drive innovative solutions for future mobility. We believe the best ideas come from individual unique perspectives. These ideas combined with the teamwork of industry leaders allow us to accomplish any challenge. Our team members take pride in the work we do and embody our core values of safety, ownership, and teamwork every day; they are the true driving force in our operations.
Challenge is proud to be one of the largest employee-owned automotive companies in North America. One of the many benefits of joining the Challenge team is the ESOP program. This program allows Challenge to give shares of the Company to all employee-owners annually. These shares are an additional retirement benefit that will continue to grow during your time at Challenge. Being part of an ESOP means our employee-owners share in Challenge’s success!
Challenge is #QualityDriven and #PeoplePowered!
Who We Want:
We are seeking an OT Systems Integration Engineer to lead the integration and standardization of OT systems across multiple automotive plants. This role will be the subject matter expert for Ignition SCADA/IIoT platforms, ensuring reliable data flow, cross-site standardization, and operational excellence. You will collaborate with Production, Engineering, IT, and OT teams to drive data-driven decision-making, predictive maintenance, and high-volume production support, while mentoring engineers and setting best practices for OT system integration.
What You Will Do:
- Lead design, implementation, and optimization of Ignition SCADA/IIoT platforms across multiple plants.
- Serve as the primary subject matter expert for Ignition, integrating MES, SCADA, IIoT sensors, robotics, and PLC/HMI systems.
- Establish cross-plant standardization of dashboards, KPIs, alarms, reports, and system configurations.
- Oversee multi-plant deployment projects for MES/SCADA, IIoT, robotics, and automation systems.
- Validate, test, and commission system interfaces, ensuring accurate and reliable data exchange.
- Collaborate with IT to ensure secure OT/IT connectivity, including adherence to cybersecurity standards.
- Monitor integration KPIs such as uptime, data accuracy, latency, and cross-site consistency.
- Develop SOPs, documentation, and best practices for standardized Ignition and OT deployment.
- Mentor and train OT engineers, automation technicians, and plant personnel on Ignition and multi-site OT standards.
- Lead initiatives to integrate OT data with analytics platforms, predictive maintenance tools, and quality systems.
- Evaluate emerging OT and Ignition-related technologies and recommend adoption across sites.
- Support new vehicle program launches and plant expansions with Ignition-based OT system integration.
- Troubleshoot complex multi-plant system integration and data flow issues, ensuring rapid recovery and minimal production impact.
- Collaborate with robotics and automation teams for Ignition integration with PLCs, HMIs, and industrial robots.
Required Qualifications:
- Associates degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, Computer, or Industrial Engineering.
- 3+ years’ experience in industrial OT system integration, SCADA, or IIoT deployments.
- Expert-level experience with Ignition SCADA/IIoT software, including dashboard development, scripting, alarms, and data integration.
- Hands-on experience with MES, SCADA, IIoT, PLC/HMI systems, and robotics integration (Fanuc, ABB, Kawasaki, Rockwell).
- Proven experience in multi-plant standardization and deployment of OT systems.
- Knowledge of industrial protocols, OT/IT convergence, and cybersecurity standards.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Ability to lead projects, mentor engineers, and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Data Analytics, Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, or related field.
- 5+ years’ experience in OT/automation system integration within automotive OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers.
- Experience designing cross-plant dashboards, KPIs, and reporting frameworks in Ignition.
- Familiarity with AI/ML applications for predictive maintenance and operational optimization.
- Strong project management skills (PMP, Agile) for multi-site initiatives.
- Expertise in integration with ERP (e.g., Plex), MES, SCADA, and IIoT systems.
- Demonstrated success in automotive vehicle launches and high-volume production environments.
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