Automation Project Manager with VMware

We are looking for an Automation Project Manager with strong OT / industrial automation experience and solid VMware knowledge to support infrastructure and automation-related projects in a regulated manufacturing environment. The role will focus on managing the delivery of automation and OT infrastructure activities, including system migrations, virtual server changes, application coordination, vendor
alignment, change control, and site implementation planning. The candidate does not need to be a deep VMware engineer, but must understand VMware-based OT environments well enough to manage technical dependencies, risks, cutover planning, and stakeholder
discussions.

This role requires someone who can work effectively with automation engineers, OT architects, infrastructure teams, site engineering, vendors, cybersecurity teams, and business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage automation and OT infrastructure project activities across manufacturing sites.
• Coordinate activities related to VMware-hosted OT systems, including virtual servers, OT applications, SCADA-related components, historians, engineering tools, and supporting infrastructure.
• Support planning and execution of OT system migrations, upgrades, and infrastructure changes.
• Work with automation teams to understand system dependencies, communication flows, production constraints, and vendor requirements.
• Coordinate with infrastructure teams on VMware, virtual machines, storage, backups, snapshots, networking, and capacity requirements.
• Support migration planning from VMware to alternative platforms where applicable, such as Hyper-V, Azure Local, or cloud-connected infrastructure.
• Drive project planning, milestones, RAID logs, status reporting, stakeholder updates, and escalation management.
• Coordinate site readiness, technical prerequisites, implementation windows, and cutover activities.
• Support change-control preparation, including CAB submissions, implementation plans, rollback plans, validation evidence, and post-change checks.
• Work with OT cybersecurity teams to ensure alignment with segmentation, firewall, remote access, hardening, and compliance requirements.
• Manage third-party vendors and OEMs involved in automation systems and OT applications.
• Ensure risks and dependencies are clearly documented and actively managed.
• Facilitate workshops with site teams, automation engineers, IT infrastructure, OT security, and vendors.
• Track deliverables, actions, decisions, assumptions, and open technical questions.
• Provide clear executive-level and technical-level project reporting.

Required Experience

• Proven experience as a Project Manager in industrial automation, OT infrastructure, manufacturing IT, or regulated production environments.
• Good understanding of industrial automation systems, including SCADA, HMI, PLCconnected systems, historians, batch systems, or OT application servers.
• Practical knowledge of VMware environments, including virtual machines, ESXi, vCenter, snapshots, storage, networking, backups, and migration dependencies.
• Experience managing infrastructure or application migration projects involving virtualized servers.
• Experience working with manufacturing sites and production-critical systems.
• Strong understanding of change control, implementation planning, rollback planning, and validation requirements.
• Ability to coordinate technical teams without needing to be the hands-on engineer.
• Experience managing vendors, OEMs, and cross-functional delivery teams.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience with RAID management, project planning, status reporting, and delivery governance.

• Ability to work in complex, multi-site, multi-vendor environments.

Preferred Experience

• Experience in pharma, life sciences, chemicals, food manufacturing, or other regulated industries.
• Experience with GxP / CSV / validated systems.
• Experience with OT cybersecurity programmes, network segmentation, or secure remote access.
• Familiarity with Purdue Model / ISA-95, IEC 62443, or NIST 800-82.
• Experience with VMware-to-Hyper-V, VMware-to-Azure Local, or VMware-to-cloud migration projects.
• Understanding of OT networking, VLANs, firewall rules, port matrices, and system connectivity.
• Experience coordinating plant shutdown windows or tightly controlled maintenance windows.
• Experience with ServiceNow, Jira, MS Project, Smartsheet, or similar project management tools.
• Experience preparing steering committee updates and executive reporting.

Technical Knowledge Expected

The candidate should understand the following concepts well enough to manage discussions, risks, and dependencies:

• VMware ESXi and vCenter basics.
• Virtual machine lifecycle management
• VM snapshots, backups, and restore points.
• VM migration dependencies.
• Storage and compute capacity planning.
• Virtual networking, VLANs, port groups, and firewall dependencies.
• Windows Server and OT application hosting.
• OT application dependencies and vendor constraints.
• Change windows, rollback plans, and production-impact assessment.
• Backup and disaster recovery requirements.
• OT segmentation and secure access principles.

What we offer

• Long-term contract engagement possible or pernament agreement
• Hybrid working model depending on project requirements
• International and multi-stakeholder environment
• Involvement in complex engineering, infrastructure, manufacturing, or transformation
  programs

For more information about us, visit Cognizant Poland.
If you are looking for another opportunity and are interested in the company, do not hesitate to apply online!

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We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

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Acerca de Cognizant   
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) es un creador de soluciones de IA y proveedor de servicios tecnológicos que conecta la inversión en IA con el valor empresarial mediante el desarrollo de soluciones de IA full‑stack para sus clientes. Su profundo conocimiento de la industria, junto con su experiencia en procesos e ingeniería, permite incorporar el contexto único de cada organización en sistemas tecnológicos que amplifican el potencial humano, generan resultados tangibles y mantienen a las empresas a la vanguardia en un entorno en constante cambio. Más información en cognizant.ai o @cognizant.

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