About the Role
We are building modern, highly customized digital applications on the Ignition platform to support complex discrete manufacturing operations at a heavy industrial US defense contractor. This hybrid role blends industrial software engineering with modern application development, requiring handson SCADA/data systems expertise and strong software fundamentals.
You will integrate live plantfloor data (OPC, Kepware, tags, historians) into scalable web applications, extending Ignition Perspective with Python, JavaScript, CSS, SQL, and APIs. The role is highly customerfacing, involving site visits to collaborate with operators, engineers, and managers to translate operational needs into intuitive digital solutions.
Key Responsibilities:
Application Development
- Design and develop responsive industrial web applications using Ignition Perspective
- Extend Ignition components with JavaScript, CSS, and Python scripting
- Build modular, maintainable architectures for scalability and reuse
Data & Systems Integration
- Connect equipment/control systems via OPC, Kepware, tags, and historians
- Configure and troubleshoot realtime and historical data collection
- Integrate with SQL databases, SAP, SharePoint, Active Directory, REST APIs
- Design efficient data models and queries optimized for operations
Manufacturing Collaboration
- Work directly in manufacturing environments to understand equipment and workflows
- Identify required machine/process data and present it effectively to end users
- Translate diverse user needs into intuitive applications and visualizations
- Build trusted client relationships and represent the company professionally
Quality & Reliability
- Implement error handling, logging, and diagnostics
- Ensure performance, security, reliability, and compliance standards
- Produce clear technical documentation and architecture diagrams
Required Qualifications
Software Development Strengths
- Strong web UI development (HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, responsive design)
- Proficiency in Python scripting for application logic/automation
- Solid SQL database experience and relational data modeling
- Experience integrating external systems via REST APIs/web services
- Ability to design modular, maintainable software solutions
Industrial & OT Strengths
- Handson SCADA/HMI and live industrial data experience
- OPC configuration/troubleshooting and historian data expertise
- Familiarity with equipment, controls, and production workflows
- Experience with Ignition, Kepware, Canary (preferred)
Customer & Manufacturing Aptitude
- Comfortable working independently in active industrial environments
- Strong communication with operators, trades, engineers, supervisors, and managers
- High emotional intelligence, judgment, and interpersonal maturity
- Ability to translate operational problems into practical digital solutions
Bonus Experience (Nice to Have)
- Deep Ignition Perspective expertise
- Knowledge of discrete manufacturing (aerospace, automotive, shipbuilding, heavy industry)
- SAP integration familiarity
- Cloud/hybrid architecture (AWS Industrial Solutions Framework)