Remote Ignition HMI/SCADA Developer: Power Industry Controls Engineer Contract
The power industry faces a critical challenge: finding specialized HMI/SCADA developers proficient in Ignition platform development who understand the unique requirements of electrical infrastructure automation. When engineering teams managing critical power distribution systems need expertise in Python, SQL, and Ignition to improve existing applications, the traditional hiring process creates delays that affect mission-critical infrastructure. This remote Controls Engineer contract offers a solution for both professionals seeking specialized power industry experience and companies needing immediate Ignition development expertise.
This position represents the convergence of three valuable career opportunities: remote work flexibility eliminating commute time and geographic constraints, specialization in the power industry working with cutting-edge electrical infrastructure technology, and professional development in Ignition—one of the fastest-growing SCADA platforms in industrial automation. For professionals with HMI/SCADA development experience looking to expand into power industry applications, or power industry engineers seeking to deepen Ignition expertise, this contract provides immediate value.
Contract Spotlight: Ignition HMI/SCADA Development for Power Infrastructure
Position: Controls Engineer – HMI/SCADA Development in Ignition
Industry: Power generation and distribution
Location: 100% Remote (anywhere in North America)
Duration: November 10, 2025 through end of year with strong possibility of extension into 2026
Schedule: Monday through Saturday (no Sundays or holidays required)
Compensation: $62/hour straight time, $93/hour overtime
The scope of work focuses on assisting engineering teams improve their existing Ignition application by bringing fresh expertise and experienced perspective to current implementations. This represents the ideal project structure for contract professionals: defined technical objectives, collaborative team environment, and immediate value delivery without the overhead of greenfield system design.
Why This Remote Contract Offers Triple Value
Remote Work Flexibility
This position is fully remote with no travel requirements through the end of 2025. For professionals who have experienced the productivity gains of remote work—eliminating commute time, optimizing work environment, and achieving better work-life balance—this contract delivers immediate quality of life improvements. The schedule respects personal time by excluding Sundays and holidays, allowing for genuine disconnection from work during time off.
Power Industry Specialization
The power industry represents critical infrastructure automation at its most sophisticated. Engineers working in power generation and distribution develop expertise in systems where downtime measured in minutes affects thousands of people and costs millions of dollars. This contract provides exposure to the latest technology in power infrastructure automation, building specialized knowledge that remains valuable throughout an automation career. Power industry experience differentiates professionals in the industrial automation marketplace.
Ignition Platform Expertise Development
Ignition by Inductive Automation has emerged as one of the fastest-growing SCADA platforms in industrial automation. Companies across manufacturing, utilities, and infrastructure increasingly select Ignition for its unlimited licensing model, cross-platform compatibility, and powerful integration capabilities. For professionals with Python and SQL experience seeking to enter industrial automation, or automation engineers looking to expand beyond traditional PLC programming, Ignition represents a high-value skill investment.
Why Automate America Connects Power Companies With Specialized Talent
We operate North America’s largest open marketplace for automation professionals, with over 40,000 specialized engineers and trades professionals available for contract work. When power companies need Ignition developers, Python programmers with industrial experience, or SCADA specialists who understand electrical infrastructure, posting contracts on our platform connects them with qualified professionals immediately.
This contract exemplifies how specialized automation positions require platforms designed specifically for industrial automation professionals. Traditional job boards attract software developers without industrial experience. Generic contractor marketplaces lack the technical specificity needed for mission-critical power infrastructure work. Automate America exists specifically to connect power companies, manufacturers, and automation integrators with professionals who understand the unique requirements of industrial automation.
For automation service companies and systems integrators, our platform works both directions. When project demand exceeds current capacity and you need specialized Ignition developers for power industry contracts, find them here instantly. When available capacity exceeds current project requirements and your engineers need work, apply them to contracts like this one. This bidirectional marketplace optimizes utilization for service companies while ensuring power infrastructure companies maintain access to specialized talent.
Ignition HMI/SCADA: The Platform Transforming Industrial Automation
Ignition by Inductive Automation represents a fundamental shift in how industrial automation systems are designed, deployed, and maintained. Unlike traditional SCADA platforms with restrictive licensing models charging per tag, per client, or per server, Ignition uses unlimited licensing. This economic model has driven rapid adoption across industries because companies can deploy comprehensive automation solutions without licensing costs escalating as systems grow.
For professionals, Ignition expertise combines traditional HMI/SCADA development with modern software engineering practices. The platform runs on standard IT infrastructure rather than proprietary hardware. Development uses Python scripting for logic and SQL databases for data management. Web-based clients eliminate the desktop application deployment challenges that plague traditional SCADA systems. This technology stack attracts software developers into industrial automation while providing automation professionals with skills that translate to broader technology markets.
The power industry has embraced Ignition particularly strongly because electrical infrastructure demands reliable, scalable SCADA systems that integrate seamlessly with diverse equipment from multiple manufacturers. When a power distribution company needs to monitor substations, generation facilities, and transmission systems through a unified interface, Ignition’s open connectivity and unlimited licensing make economic and technical sense.
Building Cross-Industry Automation Expertise Through Contract Work
Professionals who build careers through contract positions gain exposure to diverse industries, technologies, and problem-solving approaches that full-time employment at a single company cannot provide. An Ignition developer who has implemented SCADA systems for power companies, water utilities, manufacturing facilities, and logistics operations understands which design patterns translate across applications and which remain industry-specific.
This cross-industry experience creates better engineers. When a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant needs cleanroom monitoring, an automation engineer with power industry experience brings perspectives on critical infrastructure reliability that pure pharmaceutical automation specialists might miss. When an automotive manufacturer needs production monitoring, someone who has worked in power distribution understands real-time data requirements differently than engineers who have only worked in discrete manufacturing.
For professionals looking to deepen Ignition expertise specifically, resources like Inductive University’s free Ignition training courses and Python programming certifications for industrial applications accelerate skill development. The professionals who invest in continuous learning across multiple platforms and industries command higher contract rates and attract more interesting projects.
The Economics of Contract Work in Power Infrastructure
Power infrastructure automation represents some of the highest-value contract work in industrial automation. The criticality of these systems, the specialized knowledge required, and the consequences of failure justify premium compensation for qualified professionals. This contract’s $62/hour base rate with $93/hour overtime reflects market rates for specialized Ignition development in mission-critical applications.
For professionals evaluating contract work versus full-time employment, the financial calculation extends beyond hourly rate comparisons. Contract positions typically offer higher hourly compensation than equivalent full-time salaries when calculated hourly. The remote nature eliminates commuting costs and time. The flexibility to accept multiple contracts throughout the year or take extended time off between projects provides lifestyle options that traditional employment cannot match.
For power companies and utilities, contract professionals provide immediate expertise without the long-term commitments and overhead costs of full-time hiring. When engineering teams need to improve existing Ignition applications, bringing in an experienced developer for focused work delivers better results than distributing the work across internal staff who are already managing operational responsibilities. The contract model aligns compensation directly with delivered value.
How Power Industry Contract Work Differs From Other Automation Sectors
Power generation and distribution automation differs significantly from manufacturing automation in ways that affect how contractors approach these projects. Manufacturing automation typically focuses on optimizing production efficiency, reducing cycle times, and improving quality metrics. Power infrastructure automation prioritizes reliability, redundancy, and fail-safe operation. The consequences of automation failure in a manufacturing environment might be production downtime. In power infrastructure, automation failure affects critical services for entire communities.
This difference in priorities influences how HMI/SCADA applications are designed. Power industry Ignition applications emphasize alarm management, event logging, and clear indication of system status under all operating conditions including failures. The interface design must support operators making critical decisions under time pressure. The data historian must capture information needed for regulatory compliance and post-incident analysis.
For professionals, understanding these industry-specific requirements distinguishes capable general SCADA developers from specialists who can deliver value in power infrastructure applications. This contract provides the opportunity to develop that specialized understanding while working alongside engineering teams who manage electrical infrastructure daily.
The Philosophy of Specialized Contract Work
There exists a fundamental mismatch between how companies need specialized expertise and how traditional employment structures deliver it. When a power company needs an experienced Ignition developer to improve their existing SCADA application, they need that expertise intensely for a defined period. Hiring a full-time employee for this work commits the company to ongoing salary and benefits long after the specific project is complete. The new employee must then find ongoing work to justify their position, even if the company’s actual need for that specialized expertise was temporary.
Contract work solves this mismatch by aligning the duration of expertise with the duration of need. The company gains immediate access to specialized knowledge. The professional gains interesting project work at premium compensation. When the project completes, both parties benefit from a successful engagement without the complications of managing ongoing employment relationships when the work no longer requires full-time attention.
For professionals, building a career through specialized contract work provides continuous learning opportunities that single-company employment cannot match. Each project brings new challenges, technologies, and problem-solving approaches. The diversity of experience compounds over time, creating professionals who can analyze problems from multiple perspectives and propose solutions that draw from broad industry knowledge.
Thank You
Thank you for taking the time to read this. We hope you gained valuable insight into this remote Ignition HMI/SCADA development opportunity in the power industry, and more broadly, how specialized contract work creates value for both professionals and companies managing critical infrastructure.
If you’re an Ignition developer, Python programmer, or SCADA specialist looking for remote contract work in the power industry, apply to this contract. If you’re a power company, utility, or automation integrator seeking specialized Ignition expertise, post your next project and connect with North America’s largest network of automation professionals.
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Tony Wallace, Co-Founder
Automate America
Phone: 586-770-8083
Email: info@automateamerica.com
