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Principal Automation Specialist

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Principal Automation Specialist

Salary

$93,017.60 - $150,862.40 Annually

Location

Metro Plant - 2400 Childs Rd. St. Paul MN 55106, MN

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

2025-00055

Division

Environmental Services

Department

Supp Srvcs-Process Computer

Opening Date

05/15/2025

Closing Date

5/29/2025 11:59 PM Central

+ Description

+ Benefits

+ Questions

WHO WE ARE

This position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement. The candidate’s permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website. (https://metrocouncil.org/About-Us/The-Council-Who-We-Are.aspx)

We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Join an award-winning wastewater industry leader in protecting our environment! Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) operates and maintains the wastewater collection and treatment system in the Twin Cities metropolitan region. It also provides coordinated long-range water resources and supply planning, air and water quality monitoring to meet future needs. MCES treatment plants consistently earn state and national awards for complete compliance with their environmental permits. MCES received a Governor’s Award as a Great Place to Work.

To find out more about the Environmental Services division, please click on the link for more information: https://metrocouncil.org/Wastewater-Water.aspx .

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

ThePrincipal Industrial Automation Specialistdesigns, builds, integrates, maintains, and improves the computerized Industrial Control Systems (ICS) at the nine Metropolitan Council Environmental Services Wastewater Treatment Plants and Collection systems. The ICS is a real-time control system that uses automation to control equipment (motors, valves, etc.), and collects data for permit compliance and optimization requirements. The person in this role is the expert in one or more areas of the ICS to effectively manage the system and complete strategic long-term planning of systems.

What you would do in this job

+ Manage Industrial Control System infrastructure at nine wastewater treatment plants and the Regional Maintenance Facility. Ensure cybersecurity protections are in place and proactive monitoring, patching, and cybersecurity testing are performed by NIST SP 800-82 Rev. 3.

+ Manages and administers the Industrial Control System hardware and software components and practices, completes strategic planning, develops ICS practices and procedures, evaluates ICS performance, and leads continuous improvement projects.

+ Manage Checkpoint firewall infrastructure at nine plants and the Regional Maintenance Facility, including modifying firewall policies and rule sets and ensuring security for remote endpoint devices.

+ Manage remote VPN connection and two-factor RSA for endpoint security.

+ Manage VMware vCenter server and vSphere hosts, nine plants, and the Regional Maintenance Facility. Perform patching and upgrades to virtualization infrastructure as needed.

+ Manage industrial switch networks and wireless infrastructure at nine treatment plants and the Regional Maintenance Facility. Ensure networking infrastructure hardware and software are up to date. Specify equipment and upgrade plans for legacy networking infrastructure to ensure end-of-life equipment replacement.

+ Design network architecture for standalone systems, create standards and security plans, ensure configurations are secure and reliable, oversee the network's growth and usability, and coordinate with Information Services.

+ Establishes hardware and software standards and best practices for upgrades and maintenance.

+ Manage backup and recovery infrastructure for virtual and physical servers and workstations.

+ Plans and coordinates work with affected areas, reviews plans and specifications, researches and recommends hardware and software expenditures, coordinates scheduling and workload resources.

+ Plans for continuity of operations and responding to possible cybersecurity threats.

What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications)

Two (2) year technical degree in Industrial Automation (bachelor's degree in computer science may be substituted for the 2-year technical degree but will not be counted toward additional experience) AND seven (7) years specific experience working on an Industrial Control System in a Wastewater Treatment or similar type of operational facility.

OR

High school diploma or equivalent AND nine (9) years specific experience working on Industrial Control Systems in a Wastewater Treatment or similar type of operational facility.

What additional skills and experience would be helpful in this job (desired qualifications):

+ Experience with Cisco network switching, routing, and Wireless management.

+ Experience with virtualization software such as VMware, vCenter Server, and vSphere.

+ Experience working with Checkpoint firewalls, Endpoint management, VPN, and RSA.

What knowledge, skills, and abilities should you have within the first six months on the job:

+ Knowledge of network administration configurations and system security to ensure cybersecurity protection.

+ Knowledge of Cisco network switching and routing, new hardware installation, and existing infrastructure management.

+ Knowledge of Cisco or Aruba enterprise wireless infrastructure and mobile management.

+ Manage and configure computer hardware and software (laptops, desktops, servers, tablets) to ensure all ICS components are up to date and secure.

+ Technical Knowledge of Virtualization software such as VMware, vCenter Server, and vSphere.

+ Technical knowledge of backup and recovery software such as Commvault and Veeam.

+ Technical Knowledge of Checkpoint firewalls, Endpoint management, VPN, and RSA.

+ Technical understanding of LANDesk, Anti-virus, Active Directory tools, Intermapper, Microsoft OS, and PC/Server repair. (Technical knowledge requirements may change as technology changes)

+ Skilled in applying mathematical calculations and reasoning.

+ Skilled in writing technical documentation.

+ Skilled in technical communication.

+ Skilled in applying logical thinking and structured programming.

+ Ability to think sequentially, diagnose, and troubleshoot problems.

+ Ability to motivate/mentor others on the team.

+ Ability to plan strategically with long-term goals and short-term tasks.

+ Ability to prioritize work based on the criticality of the problems or projects.

+ Ability to solve problems creatively.

What you can expect from us:

+ We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

+ We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.

+ We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a good work/life balance.

More about why you should join us! (https://metrocouncil.org/Employment/Making-A-Difference.aspx)

Additional information

Union/Grade: AFSCME/Grade I

FLSA Status:Exempt

Safety Sensitive:No

Full Salary Range: $44.72 - $72.53 hourly / $885,987 - $150,862 annually

Work Environment:

Work is regularly performed in a typical office environment, but occasional local metropolitan area travel by car is required for field work. The shift is Monday-Friday with flexible hours, and you will be part of a rotating on-call schedule. Position is occasionally exposed to fumes, airborne particles, and toxic or caustic chemicals. Position is exposed to moderate noise. Position is required to lift up to 50# and crawl under desks to plug in equipment.

What steps the recruitment process involves:

+ We review your minimum qualifications.

+ We rate your education and experience.

+ We conduct a structured panel interview.

+ We conduct a selection interview.

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a background check verifying education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they relate to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a criminal background check if the job you're applying for is safety sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position.

IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.

If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email [email protected].

We believe our employees are a key to our agency's success! In order to attract and retain high quality employees, the Council provides a highly competitive benefits package both in choice and coverage levels. Some highlights about our benefits are listed below:

+ Guaranteed monthly retirement income through Minnesota State Retirement System pension fund

+ Opportunity to save additional funds for retirement on a tax-deferred basis through a voluntary deferred compensation (457) plan

+ Two or more medical plans from which to choose, with employer contribution towards premiums over 80%

+ Dental insurance, life insurance and vision insurance

The following benefits are provided to all employees as part of working for the Council. You will have access to free:

+ Well@Work clinic

+ bus/rail pass valued at over $1200 per year

+ parking at many job locations

+ fitness centers at many job locations

+ Employee Assistance Program

+ extensive health and wellness programs and resources

01

Applicant Instructions: It is important thatyour application shows all relevant education and experienceyou possess. The supplemental questions listed below are to further evaluate your education and experience and to determine your eligibility for this position. Answer each question completely, and please do not type "see resume" otherwise your application will be considered incomplete, and you will not receive further consideration for this position. The experience you indicate in your responses should also be consistent with the Work History section of this application. If you attach a resume and/or cover letter to your application, it will be reviewed at the education and experience review step. I have read and understand the above instructions regarding my application and supplemental questions.

+ Yes

+ No

02

How did youfirsthear about this job opening?

+ CareerForce Center

+ Community Event/Organization

+ Employee Referral

+ Facebook

+ Glassdoor

+ Indeed

+ Job Fair

+ LinkedIn

+ Metro Transit Bus Advertisement

+ Twitter

+ Website: governmentjobs.com

+ Website: metrocouncil.org

+ Website: metrotransit.org

+ Website: minnesotajobnetwork.com

+ Other

03

Please select the option that best indicates your education and experience.

+ Bachelor's degree, or higher, in Computer Science AND seven (7) years of specific experience working on an Industrial Control System in a Wastewater Treatment or similar type of operational facility

+ Two (2) year technical degree in Industrial Automation AND seven (7) years specific experience working on an Industrial Control System in a Wastewater Treatment or similar type of operational facility

+ High school diploma or equivalent AND nine (9) years specific experience working on Industrial Control Systems in a Wastewater Treatment or similar type of operational facility

+ Some education in Industrial Automation or Computer Science AND/OR some experience working on an Industrial Control System in a Wastewater Treatment or similar type of operational facility, but less than the options above

+ None of the above

04

Please list your degree major and minor. If this does not apply to you, indicate 'N/A.'

05

Describe your work experience with Industrial Control Systems (ICS) or Enterprise environments. Include duties performed and where the experience took place. If you do not have this experience, indicate 'N/A.'

06

Describe your experience managing and configuring computer hardware and software (laptops, desktops, servers, tablets) to ensure all ICS components are up to date and secure. If you do not have this experience, indicate 'N/A.'

07

Describe your experience with Networking and configuring switches, routers, and wireless. If you do not have this experience, indicate 'N/A.'

08

Describe your experience with Firewalls, endpoint management, and cybersecurity management. Include the various programming types you have experience using. If you do not have this experience, indicate 'N/A.'

09

Describe your work experience with Virtualization, such as VMware or Hyper-V. Include duties performed and where the experience took place. If you do not have this experience, indicate 'N/A.'

10

The Metropolitan Council values a workplace that is as diverse as the people we serve. Please describe your experience working and collaborating in a diverse, multicultural, and inclusive environment. If you do not have this experience, indicate 'N/A.'

Required Question

Employer

Metropolitan Council

Address

390 Robert St. N.St. Paul, Minnesota, 55101

Website

https://metrocouncil.org

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