Automation Engineer (Based in Saudi Arabia)

Overview

We are seeking an Automation Engineer to join the Technical Services Division.

The Technical Services Division is responsible for delivering and managing high-caliber, specialized engineering services that reinforce the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of Saudi Aramco's electrical transmission and distribution networks. The division also plays a critical role in ensuring the resilience and digital transformation of power infrastructure across diverse and demanding environments.

Your primary role is to ensure system reliability, data integrity, and cyber resilience of Saudi Aramco's smart grid and industrial control systems.

Key Responsibilities

As the successful candidate, you will be required to perform the following:

Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Power Substation Automation (PSA) and OT cybersecurity, including control systems, network design, and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS).

Conduct design reviews and technical evaluations to ensure compliance with Saudi Aramco standards and international best practices (e.g., IEC 61850, Modbus, DNP3, GOOSE).

Lead or support technical investigations into automation and cybersecurity incidents, including fault reconstruction, event analysis, and root cause analysis.

Develop, review, and maintain internal standards, guidelines, and procedures for smart grid systems, PSA, and OT cybersecurity controls.

Support commissioning, site testing, troubleshooting, and post-event analysis of automation and cybersecurity systems to ensure system integrity and cyber resilience.

Provide technical consultation to operations, maintenance, and engineering teams to enhance system reliability, selectivity, and security posture.

Drive digitalization initiatives, including power system modeling, analytics, and secure OT/IT integration, to support grid modernization and transformation.

Collaborate with vendors, consultants, and contractors to ensure secure deployment of automation and cybersecurity solutions.

Represent Saudi Aramco in industry forums, technical committees, and professional working groups related to smart grid, automation, and industrial cybersecurity.

Prepare technical reports, presentations, and knowledge transfer materials, and provide mentoring and guidance to junior engineers and multidisciplinary teams.

Minimum Requirements

• As the successful candidate, you will hold a:
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Cybersecurity, or related discipline from an accredited university. An advanced degree and/or Professional Engineer (PE) certifications is a plus.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in substation automation, OT network design, and industrial cybersecurity, preferably in oil & gas, utilities, or industrial environments.
• Hands-on field experience in deploying and commissioning cybersecurity controls and automation systems in OT environments.
• In-depth knowledge and practical implementation experience with Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) in OT systems, including tuning, rule-set configuration, and incident response workflows.
• Experience with smart grid technologies, SCADA systems, and automation platforms such as COPA-DATA Zenon or equivalent.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity standards and frameworks, including: ISA/IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82, ISO 27001, and Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards (SAES).
• Certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional (GICSP), Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), or CompTIA Security+ is a plus.
• Experience with leading OT/IT cybersecurity tools, such as Tenable.io/OT, FireEye, Cisco ISE, PAN Threat Prevention, Darktrace, or Claroty, in industrial environments is a plus.