SCADA Engineer

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state’s 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship, e.g., H-1B, TN, etc. Please do not apply if you will need immigration sponsorship for a work visa now or in the future, including sponsorship for H-1B, TN, etc., now or in the future. We are unable to hire individuals with CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT for this position as the position is not eligible for participation in the H-1B lottery program and is not eligible for current or future immigration sponsorship for a work visa.

Location : This is a hybrid (virtual/onsite) position with required onsite days on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday assigned to the Parnall East located in Jackson, MI.  The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate (relocation package is available for those that qualify).

General Summary of Job Responsibilities

The SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) Engineer is responsible for designing, configuring, and maintaining SCADA systems that enable real-time monitoring and control of field operations. This work is critical to ensuring the safe, reliable, and secure operation of the electric grid, supporting Consumers Energy’s strategic goals of safety, system reliability, and regulatory compliance. The engineer integrates field devices, develops Human-Machine Interface (HMI) displays, and ensures robust communication between systems and control centers. Collaboration with Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT), and field operations teams ensures system functionality, cybersecurity compliance, and data integrity.

The Grid Applications team provides engineering and lifecycle support for the real-time systems at the center of Consumers Energy’s electric grid operations. Our SCADA environment is built on the Emerson DGM platform, formerly Open Systems International (OSI) Monarch, and supports high-voltage distribution, low-voltage distribution, and generation operations. Team members work across Energy Management System (EMS) and Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) applications, including real-time data acquisition and control, field-device integration, automation, alarming, visualization, and operational technology infrastructure. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate directly with Control Room Operations, field technicians, engineering, IT, vendors, and other grid-focused teams to solve complex technical problems and improve the reliability and situational awareness of a mission-critical, 24x7 operating environment.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

- Develop operator-facing dashboards and automation scripts that are essential for maintaining situational awareness, enabling safe and reliable control of grid operations, and supporting real-time decision-making.

- Configure and maintain SCADA and HMI systems including alarms, trends, and historian data points.

- Integrate SCADA applications with RTUs, IEDs, sensors, and databases using standard industrial communication protocols (DNP3, Modbus, OPC).

- Perform troubleshooting and system maintenance to ensure reliable real-time operation.

- Conduct testing, validation, and commissioning of SCADA components in coordination with operations teams.

- Collaborate with IT and cybersecurity teams to ensure secure integration of SCADA systems within enterprise architecture.

- Document configurations, code changes, and compliance activities to support NERC CIP, TOP, and FERC SOC audit readiness.

- Provide 24x7x365 rotating on-call support.

- Other duties as assigned or may be necessary.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

- Foundational scripting/programming skills (C, Python, SQL, or VBScript).

- Familiarity with relational databases (SQL Server, Oracle) and data historians (OSIsoft PI).

- Ability to document technical solutions clearly and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

- Understanding of cybersecurity principles and compliance frameworks (NERC CIP, TOP, FERC SOC).

- Strong written and verbal communication skills with attention to operational safety and reliability.

- Proficiency in one or more SCADA/HMI platforms (AspenTech, GE, Wonderware, Siemens WinCC).

- Understanding of industrial communication protocols such as Modbus, DNP3, and OPC.

- Ability to troubleshoot hardware/software communication issues between SCADA and field devices.

- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in real-time operations environments.

Education/Experience

- Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Computer Science with two (2) or more years of experience in SCADA, automation, or industrial control systems.

[OR] Associate Degree in Engineering or Computer Science with four (4) or more years of experience in SCADA, automation, or industrial control systems.

- [OR] High School Diploma or GED with six (6) or more years of experience in SCADA, automation, or industrial control systems.

Why should you join our team?

At Consumers Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability, and we take pride in offering our co-workers excellent benefits and compensation packages. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. We're a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

What we offer:

- Competitive compensation packages

- Medical, Dental and Vision

- 401k with company match

- Paid parental leave

- Up to 13 paid Holidays

- Paid time off

- Educational Assistance Program

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

We, at CMS Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don’t discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY (Different Generations), capable (Different Abilities), Interfaith, People Planet Partners, and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.