What the job involves day to day
SCADA stands for supervisory control and data acquisition. It is the layer that lets an operator in a control room see and run equipment miles away. At an engineering firm, the SCADA engineer draws communication block diagrams, panel layouts and network drawings. They build points lists for data moving between RTUs, relays and the master station. Then they configure RTUs such as the SEL RTAC or Novatech OrionLX and program the HMI screens operators will use.
The other half of the job is troubleshooting. Expect to chase communication faults on DNP, Modbus, SEL protocol and IEC 61850 links, both serial and IP, sometimes remotely and sometimes in the substation. You also set up switches, routers and firewalls, and you work closely with relay settings engineers on communication port settings. A Sargent & Lundy posting for this work asked for travel of up to 30 percent.
Utility, renewables and water: how the work differs
On the utility side, the focus is substations, distribution automation and master station links. Firms doing grid work also handle battery storage and microgrid controllers. Renewables owners run SCADA across fleets of wind, solar, battery and gas sites. One posting for this kind of job lists project startup tasks: points lists, RTU and ICCP configuration, HMI builds and alarm integration, plus support for relays and meters at existing plants.
Water and wastewater SCADA leans more on PLCs and plant networks. A New York City Department of Environmental Protection posting covered RTUs, PLCs, HMIs, sensors and telemetry across treatment plants and pump stations. It also listed patching, backups and anti-virus work, and asked for Allen-Bradley and Rockwell experience. If you like substations and relays, go toward utilities. If you like process control, look at water.
Where cybersecurity rules come in
In electric power, the rulebook is the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection Reliability Standards, known as CIP. Utility and grid design postings ask engineers to follow the CIP standards strictly, and they count knowing them already as a plus. The rules keep changing. In January 2026 NERC published a CIP roadmap proposing that multifactor authentication become mandatory and that network security protections extend to systems using public telecommunications infrastructure.
Outside electric power, many owners use the ISA/IEC 62443 series. It sets requirements for building and maintaining secure industrial automation and control systems. Water plants and industrial sites often work from it or from in-house IT security rules. Either way, firewall and network configuration is now part of the SCADA job, and security credentials such as CISSP help on a resume.
Pay
USD a year, before tax. The ranges run from the 25th to the 75th percentile. They come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, adjusted to 2026 with a wage index, and the state figures are modeled. The NYC row is one posted salary range. Engineering-titled SCADA jobs that require a degree tend to pay closer to the electrical engineer range. Refer to the Instrumentation & Controls salary guide for figures from live adverts.
What you need
- DegreeMost postings ask for a bachelor's in electrical, computer, telecommunications or computer systems engineering, or computer science. NYC DEP will accept eight years of related experience instead of a degree.
- ProtocolsExpect to know DNP3 and Modbus. Many jobs also want ICCP, OPC, SEL protocols and IEC 61850.
- RTU and HMI platformsHands-on time with SEL, Novatech or GE RTUs and HMI tools carries real weight. Water jobs often want Allen-Bradley PLC experience.
- NetworkingYou need a working grasp of LAN/WAN layouts, switches, routers and firewalls. Some jobs also value IP/MPLS knowledge.
- Security awarenessUtility jobs value knowing the NERC CIP standards, and you will have to follow them on the job. CISSP is listed as a plus on some postings.
- PE licenseYou don't need one to start. It is valued for design roles, and getting one takes the FE exam, several years of experience and the PE exam.
- Driver's license and travelSite visits are routine, and public utility jobs often require a valid state driver's license.
How to get there
- Years 1-4Earn an engineering or computing degreeStudy electrical or computer engineering. Internships and co-op placements count with employers, so try to get one at a utility or an integrator.
- Year 4Take the FE examPassing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam is the first step toward a PE license. It is easiest near graduation.
- Years 1-3 of workStart in a junior SCADA or controls roleEntry jobs at renewables owners ask for about two years of SCADA software experience. Many people start as a technician, a relay tech or a junior engineer.
- Years 2-5Build protocol and RTU depthCommission sites, build points lists and HMIs, and learn to troubleshoot DNP3 and IEC 61850 with Wireshark or a test set.
- Year 4+Sit the PE examNCEES designs the PE exam for engineers with at least four years of experience after college. The Power exam is offered year round.
- Year 8+Move to senior or lead rolesLead SCADA design jobs ask for around eight years in substation SCADA and communications, plus mentoring and client coordination.
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Questions people ask
Do you need an engineering degree to work in SCADA?
Most engineer-titled jobs ask for a bachelor's in electrical, computer engineering or computer science. Some public employers will take experience instead. NYC DEP's SCADA support title accepts eight years of related full-time experience in place of a degree.
Which protocols should a SCADA engineer learn first?
Start with DNP3 and Modbus. They show up on almost every utility, renewables and water posting. After that, learn IEC 61850 for substations and ICCP for links between control centers.
Does NERC CIP apply to every SCADA job?
No. NERC CIP is a set of electric reliability standards, so it shapes utility and grid work. Water and industrial plants more often use ISA/IEC 62443 or their own IT security rules.
Can an electrician or relay tech move into SCADA?
Yes. Field experience with relays, meters and substation controls carries over directly, and postings list relay settings and radio experience as pluses. Engineer titles usually still require a degree, so many people move first into SCADA technician or support roles.
Is a PE license worth it for SCADA engineers?
It is optional at entry, and postings list it as valued. You need it to sign off on designs and offer services directly to the public, so it matters most at consulting and design firms.
Sources
- IllinoisJobLink: Sargent & Lundy Lead SCADA & Automation Engineer posting
- IllinoisJobLink: SCADA Engineer II, Operations Engineering (clean energy) posting
- NYC Jobs: DEP SCADA Support Specialist
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- NCEES: PE Electrical and Computer exams
- ISA: ISA/IEC 62443 Series of Standards
- NERC: Critical Infrastructure Protection Roadmap, January 2026
