Real Time Operations Application Support Specialist

The Real Time Operations Applications Support Specialist establishes a foundational understanding of the technologies and processes essential for the development and support of Operational Technology (OT) real-time tools and systems. Responsibilities include providing 24/7 application support for Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS), Energy Management Systems (EMS), and Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, which support four Transmission and seven Distribution Control Centers across 11 states.

Key responsibilities include coordinating patching, software releases, failover testing, maintenance activities, and application lifecycle initiatives supporting Real-Time Systems platforms. The role is responsible for driving operational readiness, managing vendor relationships, coordinating cross-functional support activities, and ensuring incidents, problems, changes, and enhancement requests are effectively tracked through resolution. Additionally, the position will maintain governance processes, support ServiceNow ITSM workflows, develop operational procedures and support documentation, and provide visibility into platform health, risks, and service performance. Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, stakeholder management, customer focus, adaptability, and a continuous improvement mindset to ensure reliable and efficient operation of business-critical real-time applications., * Serve as the primary coordinator for operational support activities across EMS, SCADA, ADMS, Historian, and related Real-Time Systems applications.

• Own the lifecycle of ServiceNow incidents, problems, changes, service requests, and enhancement requests, ensuring timely assignment, prioritization, escalation, and resolution.
• Lead daily issue triage efforts and coordinate activities among application support teams, infrastructure teams, cybersecurity, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Manage vendor support relationships, including ticket tracking, escalation management, defect follow-up, SLA monitoring, and resolution accountability.
• Coordinate software releases, hotfix deployments, platform upgrades, and maintenance activities across Real-Time Systems environments.
• Maintain application release calendars, patch roadmaps, upgrade schedules, and lifecycle management plans for supported platforms.
• Facilitate change management activities, including implementation planning, risk assessments, stakeholder communications, approvals, and post-implementation reviews.
• Track and report operational metrics, including incident trends, problem management activities, vendor performance, release readiness, backlog status, and service health indicators.
• Coordinate root cause analysis (RCA) activities following major incidents and ensure corrective and preventive actions are tracked through completion.
• Partner with technical engineering teams to ensure operational readiness for new applications, enhancements, upgrades, and infrastructure changes.
• Develop and maintain operational runbooks, support procedures, service documentation, knowledge articles, and platform ownership records.
• Monitor platform lifecycle events, vendor release notifications, end-of-support dates, security advisories, and technology refresh requirements.
• Facilitate recurring operational review meetings and provide status reporting to leadership, stakeholders, and support teams.
• Coordinate application maintenance windows, outage planning, and implementation schedules to minimize operational risk and business disruption.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on support processes, service quality, operational efficiency, and platform reliability.
• Participate in major incident response activities and serve as the coordination lead for communication, tracking, and stakeholder engagement.

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Or Associate’s degree in a related field with 2 years of relevant experience
• Or High school diploma/GED with 4 years of relevant experience
• Related Fields for Education and Experience:* IT/OT System Administration* IT/OT Application Support* Cyber Security* ADMS/DMA/EMS/OMS/SCADA, * Bachelor’s degree in a related field with 2 years of relevant experience
• Or Associate’s degree in a related field with 4 years of relevant experience
• Or High school diploma/GED with 6 years of relevant experience

Note: Professional certifications (such as A+, Network+, CCNA, CCNP, Cyber Security+, Security+, and CCSP) may be accepted as substitutes for a portion of the required experience.

In addition:

• Overtime, on-call assignments, and occasional travel may be required.
• Experience serving as a Service Owner, Service Delivery Manager, Technical Program Manager (TPM), Business Systems Analyst (BSA), or similar operational role supporting enterprise applications.
• Demonstrated success managing ServiceNow Incident, Problem, Change, Release, and Request Management processes.
• Experience coordinating software releases, patch deployments, failover exercises, disaster recovery testing, and platform maintenance activities in a production environment.
• Proven ability to drive issue resolution and accountability across multiple teams, including vendors, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and business stakeholders.
• Experience supporting mission-critical or 24x7 operational environments such as EMS, SCADA, ADMS, OMS, ICCP, Historian, industrial control systems, or critical infrastructure applications.
• Strong vendor management experience, including escalation management, SLA tracking, operational reviews, and delivery oversight.
• Experience developing operational dashboards, KPI reporting, executive status updates, and service health metrics.
• Familiarity with ITIL service management practices and continuous service improvement methodologies.
• Experience leading root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and driving corrective actions through completion.
• Knowledge of utility operations, electric transmission, distribution systems, NERC CIP, or Operational Technology (OT) environments.

In addition to competitive compensation, AEP offers a unique comprehensive benefits package that aims to support and enhance the overall well-being of our employees.

At AEP, we’re more than just an energy company - we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you’re passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!