Our Global IT Infrastructure & Operations (ITIO) group is a team of innovators who love technology as much as you do. Together, we’ll use a disciplined, innovative and a business focused approach to develop a wide variety of high-quality solutions and services. You’ll work in a stable, resilient and secure operating environment where you—and the products and services you deliver—will thrive. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to take an entire IT department and help transform it into a world-class provider of high-quality services that not only aligns with but anticipates the business needs. The ITIO organization is focused on delivering exceptional and secure network services across 330+ sites around the globe. All this while designing a state-of-the-art cost effective globally transformed network within a user centric culture across all the ITIO service teams. Towards this objective, the ITIO organization is looking for an Operational Technology Network Engineer.

This position will primarily focus on the planning, design, and subsequent development of local area networks (LANs), at the individual site level including physical and/or logical separation of the IT and OT network, while continuing to clarify the role of IT and OT from and overall Sonoco technology perspective. The goal of OT Network Engineer is to ensure stability, performance, and integrity of all in-house data, physical devices, processes, and wireless network infrastructures that consistently provides a positive secure network experience that is aligned with the overall global enterprise network configuration standards. As the OT Network Engineer, you will collaborate with the Global ITIO Network Team to architect, install, monitor, maintain, support and optimize the network hardware, software, and communication links within your purview, while aligning with the Site Engineers and the Digital Manufacturing Technology Product Team. The OT Network Engineer will be expected to recommend and vet new products and services, as well as maintain a general knowledge of emergent network technologies that are applicable to the continued growth and well-being of the enterprise. This inclusive, customer driven, and open mindset will ignite a global cultural shift that will enable us to continue to evolve driving innovation and reprograming of the network services. You will be involved with the development, implementation and continual improvement of network service delivery while serving as a change agent for IT. Not only will you be responsible for delivering quality services and projects in a timely manner, but you will also help foster an inclusive and innovative culture. This position will be a member of a global virtual team, communication and collaboration is essential to the team’s success. The position requires a proven team player, technical leadership, and guidance during complex situations. Primary responsibilities include building and nurturing a world-class network team, driving network and security policies and procedures, fostering relationships with key partners, helping to managing complex projects and team workloads to drive efficiency and effectiveness.

Key Responsibilities:  Reporting to the Manager of Global Networks, you will have responsibility for the following:  Strategy & Planning: Responsible for the architecture, design, and operation of the network infrastructure required to support Industrial Ethernet networking, IoT, IIoT, and edge computing used by automated systems and smart connected manufacturing environments. • Play a key role in the development of recommendations and standards that support the strategic and secure integration of disparate OT network environments with our Global Enterprise environment. These include but are not limited to PLC’s, HMI’s, OPC servers, and secure OEM access systems. • Productive member of the team to prepare and usher Sonoco into Industry 4.0 and beyond • Collaborate with management and department leaders to assess near- and long-term network capacity needs ensuring alignment with the operational technology strategy • Create and maintain documentation as it relates to network configuration, network topological diagraming and mapping of internal OT networks, and network related processes, and services. • Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures, and associated training plans for network administration, usage, and disaster recovery. • Research, design, and implement new technologies and systems in order to upgrade or replace legacy technologies or systems. Operational Management: • Design and deploy company LAN, and wireless networks, including, but not limited to, routers, switches, firewalls, wireless access points, and network appliances as it relates to OT technologies. • Conduct research on network products, services, protocols, and standards to remain abreast of developments in the networking industry. • Oversee new and existing equipment, hardware, and software upgrades. • Interact and negotiate with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure network products and services • Configure networks to ensure their secure smooth and reliable operation for fulfilling business objectives and processes. • Monitor network performance and troubleshoot problem areas as required • Ensure network connectivity of all network connected appliances such as servers, workstations, PLC’, etc. • Engage in network asset management, including the maintenance of a network component inventory along with any related documentation and technical specifications information. • Monitor and test network health to provide network performance statistics, trending reports, and analytics. • Collaborate with the Information Security Team in managing all network security solutions. • Perform security audits, and system backups and recovery of network infrastructure.

Formal Education & Certification: • University/College degree (AA, BA, BS) • 7 plus years or more of relevant work experience working on enterprise class equipment required. • Cisco certifications, Firewall certifications, Meraki certifications • Candidate required to be fluent in English.

Knowledge & Experience: • Proven experience in architecting a OT/IT environment for secure communication and data collection with physical or logical separation • Proven experience and success with enterprise class LAN, WAN, WLAN, design and implementation. • Proven experience in OT technologies. (Ewon a plus) • Proven experience with network capacity planning, and general network management best practices. • Proven experience with network infrastructure, security technologies and best practices, including, Router/Switch security, Firewall Management, protecting perimeter network devices, as well as experience with and an understanding of security logging for monitoring and incident response, wired and wireless guest network design. and implementation • Excellent, hands-on technical knowledge and experience working in an enterprise class network environment [multiple LAN locations, a globally encompassing WAN spread across international locations, multiple data centers, high speed Campus and MAN links, VLAN separation a plus] • Excellent working technical knowledge of current network hardware, protocols, and network services related to a OT network internal to a manufacturing location. • Excellent working knowledge of configuring and supporting wireless access points (Meraki and Cisco) • Working technical knowledge of Cisco Nexus: [9k, 7k, 5k, 3k] • Cisco ASA firewall knowledge • Fortinet firewall knowledge • Network management, performance monitoring, network monitoring, inventory management, and backup tool software experience is essential. • Competency with testing tools and procedures for voice and data circuits, packet capturing, and protocol analysis experience is essential • Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws. • Experience with; tools including but not limited to Puppet, Solar Winds, New Relic APM/Synthetics/Insight, and Service Now. • Experience in creating reports using security and network appliances with primary administration tools (i.e. Cisco CSM, Splunk, Prime, Solar Winds) • Experience with networking, infrastructure, server, application and development technologies • Domain expertise with IT operations, security or compliance is desirable • A high degree of creativity and “out-of-the-box” thinking • Ability to think broadly and strategically, balanced with high attention to detail. • Able to execute on multiple projects simultaneously in fast-paced environments. • Possesses a services and solution orientated approach • Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills • Ability to share knowledge and collaborate by developing content and documentation for distribution to other team members, managers and customers • Ability to handle pressure situations with clarity, focus and professionalism • Needs to be adaptable to rapid change • A very good understanding of “Quality” as it relates to Customer satisfaction Nice to have • Ability to interact and build strong relationships within all business and corporate functions • Excellent communication and extraordinary personal social skills • Ability to effectively execute on multiple simultaneous projects • Ability to work on a fast pace, ever changing global environment • Outstanding organization skills • Other network and IT certificates a plus • Takes responsibility and achieves results • Excellent organizing, time management and priority setting skills.

Work Conditions:  On-call availability. • Sitting for extended periods of time. • Occasional inspection of cables in floors and ceilings. • Lifting and transporting of moderately heavy objects, such as network equipment and peripherals.

Job Location: Remote, Charlotte (NC), Hartsville (SC), or many other locations. This is a progression position based on Business Needs (Level I-IV).

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we strictly prohibit and do not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any legally protected characteristic.