Enterprise Operational Technology (OT) Architect
Non-Union Position
IS Enterprise Architecture; Portland, Oregon (US-OR)
Hybrid schedule available for Oregon & Washington residents.
Regular FT, Exempt
Posting # 5547
About Us:
At NW Natural, we offer more than rewarding career opportunities and a vibrant, inclusive work culture. We invite you to join us in providing safe and reliable utility services and renewable energy to better the lives of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be the leader in service excellence, innovation and environmental stewardship for our customers, while building on our strengths as a trusted energy provider and environmental leader for our industry.
In addition to environmental stewardship, we’re also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NW Natural. Our DEI Council started 21 years ago, and today we continue to foster a culture where all employees can experience a sense of belonging, shared purpose and possibility.
NOTE:
Employees based at our Headquarters are required to work on-site a minimum of two days per week. Specific in‑office days may vary by team and business needs. This hybrid schedule supports collaboration, connection, and engagement while also offering flexibility for remote work.
The Role:
- You will be responsible for defining, maintaining, and governing NW Natural’s Operational Technology (OT) architecture, supporting gas control, pipeline, distribution, storage, and field operations.
- This role ensures OT systems are secure, resilient, highly available, and aligned with enterprise architecture standards and business objectives.
- You will provide architectural leadership across the full OT lifecycle, including strategy, solution design, modernization, risk mitigation, and technology roadmaps.
- You will collaborate with Enterprise Architects, Solution Architects, Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Operations, and Engineering teams to ensure consistent, standards based OT solutions.
- This role also performs Solution Architecture responsibilities.
Day to Day:
- Develop, document, and communicate the enterprise OT architecture strategy, including reference architectures, standards, roadmaps, and guiding principles.
- Define current state and future state OT architectures supporting gas control systems, pipeline monitoring, distribution operations, and field telemetry.
- Ensure OT architectures address safety, reliability, availability, scalability, and operational continuity requirements.
- Partner with Gas Operations and Engineering teams to translate operational requirements into architecturally sound OT solutions.
- Lead architectural design for OT initiatives, including system upgrades, modernization efforts, integrations, and lifecycle replacements.
- Ensure alignment between OT architectures and enterprise IT infrastructure, network, identity, and security strategies.
- Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to incorporate defense in depth, segmentation, access control, monitoring, and risk mitigation into OT architectures.
- Provide architectural oversight and governance to ensure OT implementations adhere to approved standards, policies, and designs.
- Conduct architectural assessments, gap analyses, and risk assessments for OT environments and recommend mitigation strategies.
- Participate in vendor and technology evaluations, proof of concepts, and architecture trade off decisions for OT platforms.
- Develop and maintain architectural documentation, diagrams, and decision records.
- Communicate and present OT architecture concepts and solutions to technical and non technical stakeholders, including leadership.
- Provide architectural mentoring and guidance to project teams and technical staff supporting OT initiatives.
- Stay current with industry trends, regulatory expectations, and emerging technologies impacting utility OT environments.
Come on your first day with:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Minimum 10 years of experience designing, architecting, and implementing technology solutions, with significant experience in Operational Technology or industrial environments, preferably within utilities.
- Demonstrated experience developing architecture strategies, reference architectures, and roadmaps.
- Knowledge of OT systems and environments used in gas or industrial operations, including:
- SCADA and control systems
- Gas control, pipeline, and distribution operations platforms
- Field devices, telemetry, and industrial communications
- Understanding of IT/OT convergence and integration patterns.
- Experience working within enterprise architecture and solution architecture disciplines.
- Knowledge of IT service management, governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to convey complex architectural concepts clearly.
- Excellent analytical, problem solving, and decision making skills.
- Leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across teams without direct authority.]
Skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills in areas such as teamwork, facilitation, and negotiation.
- Exceptional leadership skills.
- Excellent analytical and technical skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent planning and organizational skills.
- Enterprise and solution architecture principles and practices
- Operational Technology architecture and system design
- Process Control & Plant Environment Architecture
- Industrial Network Architecture
- Telemetry & Communications Architecture
- Enterprise SCADA Architecture
- High availability and disaster recovery architectures
- OT cybersecurity architecture concepts and controls
- Architecture documentation and modeling
- Vendor and technology evaluation
- Risk assessment and mitigation
- Stakeholder communication and facilitation
- Strategic planning and roadmap development
- Financial and lifecycle awareness for technology decisions
Competencies
- Ability to balance short term operational needs with long term architectural vision.
- Ability to apply architectural standards and governance while enabling business agility.
- Ability to evaluate multiple technical options and determine best fit solutions for safety critical environments.
- Ability to understand and integrate legacy OT systems while supporting modernization efforts.
- Demonstrated ability to lead through influence and be recognized as a trusted architectural authority.
- Commitment to safety, reliability, and regulatory responsibility consistent with a regulated gas utility.
What we offer:
Health & Wellness –
- Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution
- Free access to an online wellness resources platform
Work Life Balance -
- Up to 23 Vacation Days
- 80 Hours of Sick Time
- 10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays
- Flexible work arrangements
- 3 weeks paid parental leave
- Be part of a workplace where your voice matters. Engage with our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, and a variety of Employee Resource Groups that support community and growth.
- 1500 sq foot exercise facility and secure bike room
Financial -
- Meaningful annual incentive bonus opportunity in addition to base salary
- Competitive 401K company contribution and match
- 15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program
- Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement
- Wellness incentive program
Discounts -
- 20% off natural gas service
- Up to 30% discount at NW Natural Appliance Center
- TriMet Pass for all HQ employees
- Generous discounts with Verizon & AT&T Wireless
Base salary range: $135,550.00 - $200,500.00 per year, depending on qualifications
Annual Target Incentive: Grade 24, 12.0% target
Targets are calculated using eligible earnings during plan year participation. Payout, if earned, is based on company and individual performance for each plan year and may range from 0% – 200% of target. Targets are subject to change in subsequent plan years. Must be employed by September 30 in order to receive any prorated payout.
Application Process: To be considered for this position, submit a complete electronic application including cover letter and resume via our website.
https://www.nwnatural.com/about-us/the-company/careers
Deadline: 5/26/26
Disclosure: We are a drug free workplace and we comply with Federal Drug Free Workplace Act and Department of Transportation regulations. NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.
E-Verify Information
NW Natural participates in E-Verify. Individuals hired will have their Form I-9 information submitted to E-Verify. E-Verify is an Internet-based system that compares information from an employee’s Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records to confirm employment eligibility.
All applications must be submitted through NW Natural’s Electronic Application System. Resumes submitted via email, fax or mail will not be accepted in lieu of an electronic application.
NW Natural is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and embrace our candidates’ diversity and take affirmative action to employ and advance individuals without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, pregnancy (including childbirth or related medical conditions), national origin, marital status, genetic information, and all other legally protected characteristics. We forbid discrimination and harassment in the workplace based on any protected status or characteristic. A criminal history is not an automatic bar to employment with NW Natural. Instead, we make individualized assessments regarding qualifications and backgrounds. NW Natural is also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities, individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs, and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation as part of the application process, please contact us at employment@nwnatural.com or (971) 979-6341.
NW Natural does not accept unsolicited submissions or assistance from search firms for posted positions. Resumes submitted by search firms working under a valid and current written contract with NW Natural valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from NW Natural HR/Employment will be deemed the sole property of NW Natural. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by NW Natural as a result of the referral or through other means.
