Automation Engineer SCADA/PLC

Location: Onsite in Alpharetta, GA, 30009.

Employment Type: 6-month Contract (W-2 / 1099)

Compensation: Up to $70/hour (W-2) or $77/hour (1099)

Independent Contractors: open to individuals who have an LLC or S-Corp (not 3rd party eligible)

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, LTD/STD, HSA/FSA, term life, and supplemental health insurances (e.g., Aflac) for all employees (and their families if needed)

This contract role supports the reliability and evolution of industrial SCADA solutions used in day-to-day operations. You will configure and maintain Ignition systems, integrate real-time data using MQTT and related technologies, and help ensure operators and stakeholders have accurate, actionable visibility into production and material flow. Success is measured by stable gateway performance, dependable data delivery, and timely resolution of issues impacting operational monitoring.

Responsibilities

Configure, deploy, and maintain Inductive Automation Ignition solutions, including Ignition Gateway setup, project configuration, and environment management.

Build and support MQTT-based data pipelines for industrial telemetry, including topic design, payload structure, and integration patterns aligned with Sparkplug/UNS-style architectures when applicable.

Integrate data from industrial systems using related connectivity technologies such as OPC UA, Kepware, HighByte, Cirrus Link modules, historians, or edge workflows as needed.

Troubleshoot SCADA and data-integration issues by diagnosing gateway health, connectivity, tag quality, latency, and data integrity, then drive issues to closure with clear root-cause findings.

Develop and maintain SCADA screens, tags, alarms, and basic reporting elements to improve operational visibility and reduce manual work for operators and support teams.

Implement operational-ready changes by following change control practices, validating updates in non-production environments, and supporting cutovers with minimal disruption.

Document configurations, data flows, and support procedures so systems can be maintained consistently across shifts and by different support personnel.

Partner with operations and engineering stakeholders to translate monitoring needs into working SCADA/data solutions, including clarifying requirements and validating outcomes.

Required Skills

2+ years of hands-on industrial automation/SCADA experience in manufacturing, material handling, or a comparable operational environment.

Hands-on experience with Inductive Automation Ignition, including Ignition Gateway configuration, project deployment practices, and ongoing support.

Professional experience implementing or supporting MQTT or closely related industrial messaging/data integration technologies (e.g., Sparkplug, Cirrus Link, HighByte, Kepware, OPC UA, Canary, Node-RED, FlowFuse, or Unified Namespace patterns).

Ability to troubleshoot end-to-end data flow issues across gateways, edge connectivity, network paths, and consuming applications, with clear documentation of findings.

Experience working with real-time operational data concepts such as tags, alarms, device connectivity, data quality, and basic historian/telemetry expectations.

Preferred Skills

Experience supporting IIS/.NET-based applications or web services in a production environment, including basic deployment and operational troubleshooting.

Familiarity with Allen-Bradley ControlLogix or CompactLogix platforms, including understanding PLC-to-SCADA data mapping and common integration approaches.