Cybersecurity OT Specialist

Location: Berkshire or Scotland

Contract type: Inside IR35 contract

Duration: 6 months, extendable

Clearance: BPSS required; active SC clearance desirable

Role overview

We are seeking an experienced Cybersecurity OT Specialist to support the security, hardening, and operational resilience of Operational Technology (OT) environments. The successful candidate will work closely with IT, OT engineering, security, and infrastructure teams to assess risks, implement secure configuration standards, and improve automation across critical systems.

This is a hands-on role requiring strong technical expertise in Ansible automation, SQL job configuration, and secure administration of OT-related platforms. Candidates must be comfortable working in security-sensitive environments and following strict change-control and personnel-security requirements. BPSS is the baseline screening standard for access to government assets and includes identity, right-to-work, employment-history, and unspent criminal-record checks; SC is a higher level of national security vetting.gov+1

Key responsibilities

• Assess, review, and improve the cybersecurity posture of OT environments, including industrial control systems, SCADA-related infrastructure, servers, databases, and supporting networks.
• Develop, maintain, and deploy Ansible playbooks, roles, and automation workflows to standardise secure configurations across Windows and Linux systems.
• Configure, troubleshoot, and optimise SQL Server jobs, schedules, dependencies, alerts, and automated maintenance tasks.
• Support vulnerability management activities, including patch coordination, configuration remediation, exception tracking, and risk-based prioritisation.
• Implement and maintain security controls in line with recognised frameworks such as IEC 62443, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST SP 800-82, CIS Benchmarks, and NCSC guidance.
• Work with OT engineers to ensure security changes do not adversely affect system availability, safety, or operational processes.
• Produce clear technical documentation, configuration baselines, runbooks, and handover material.
• Support security audits, assessments, incident-response activities, and remediation plans.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate security requirements into practical, deployable technical controls.
• Adhere to site security policies, change-management procedures, and clearance-related obligations.

Essential skills and experience

• Proven experience securing or supporting OT, ICS, SCADA, or other industrial/mission-critical environments.
• Strong hands-on Ansible experience, including playbook development, inventory management, role design, templating, and automation at scale.
• Solid SQL Server administration experience, particularly SQL Agent job configuration, scheduling, automation, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
• Strong Windows and Linux administration skills.
• Practical understanding of network segmentation, secure remote access, patching constraints, asset inventory, and logging in OT environments.
• Experience with vulnerability management tools and remediation workflows.
• Ability to work independently within a structured, security-conscious delivery environment.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain BPSS clearance.

Desirable skills and experience

• Active SC clearance.
• Experience with IEC 62443, NIST SP 800-82, NIST CSF, CIS Controls, or NCSC OT security guidance.
• Familiarity with OT-specific technologies, protocols, or vendors.
• Experience with SIEM, EDR, PAM, patch-management, or asset-discovery platforms.
• Scripting skills using PowerShell, Python, or Bash.
• Experience supporting regulated, defence, energy, utilities, manufacturing, transport, or critical national infrastructure environments.
• Experience producing security documentation for audits or accreditation.

Security clearance

Candidates must be eligible to complete BPSS screening before engagement. BPSS is not itself a national security clearance; it is the baseline pre-employment screening standard used for individuals accessing government assets.gov+1

An active Security Check (SC) clearance is highly desirable. SC clearance is generally required for roles involving long-term, frequent, and uncontrolled access to SECRET assets, and it includes additional checks such as departmental records, criminal and security records, and credit-history checks.www+1

Engagement details

• Duration: 6 months initially, with a strong likelihood of extension.
• Working model: To be confirmed; candidates should be available to work on-site in either Berkshire or Scotland as required.
• IR35 status: Inside IR35.
• Start date: ASAP, subject to screening/clearance requirements.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.

Sheikh Salem