OT Cyber Tuesday (Ep. 6) - Reverse Engineering OT/ICS Cybersecurity Job Descriptions

OT Cyber Tuesday (Ep. 6) - Reverse Engineering OT/ICS Cybersecurity Job Descriptions

by Mike Holcomb

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Personal Development VSCAdvice on careers and achieving successVSCBJob hunting
🎙 Mike Holcomb 👥 27K 📅 November 19, 2025 ⏱ 65 min 👁 549 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-16
Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

OT/ICSjob descriptionscybersecuritycareerreverse engineering

Summary

In this episode of OT Cyber Tuesday, Mike Holcomb analyzes a recent OT/ICS cybersecurity job description from Herbal Life, a vitamin manufacturer. He emphasizes the importance of examining job descriptions to understand what hiring managers seek, whether for entry-level or experienced roles. He highlights key elements: salary transparency, remote vs. on-site work, and the alignment between job title and actual responsibilities. He notes discrepancies in the description, such as the title ‘OT Cyber Security Solution Architect’ but responsibilities of a primary authority for global manufacturing operations, indicating a potential mismatch. He discusses specific requirements like experience with PLCs, HMIs, and industrial protocols, and mentions certifications like CISSP and GICSP. He also explains terms like MES, FAT, and SAT, and stresses the importance of risk assessments and risk registers. He concludes that while the role offers a unique challenge, it may be undercompensated and is not suitable for beginners.

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Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The video provides valuable insights into interpreting OT/ICS job descriptions, offering practical advice for job seekers. Mike’s argumentation is based on his extensive experience in the field, making his points credible. He systematically breaks down the job description, highlighting red flags and clarifying technical terms. However, the discussion is subjective and lacks empirical data or references to industry standards, which could strengthen his arguments.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The video does not cite specific sources, but Mike references his own experience and mentions industry standards like IEC 62443 and NIST 800-82. The title accurately reflects the content, which is a detailed analysis of job descriptions. The lack of formal citations reduces the scientific rigor, but the practical nature of the content compensates somewhat.

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Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on dissecting job descriptions to extract key requirements and red flags.

Quality & Reliability

7/10

The video provides practical, experience-based insights into interpreting OT/ICS job descriptions, but lacks formal citations and relies on anecdotal evidence.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

  • Mike Holcomb's Newsletter — Mentioned as a resource for joining his newsletter for more OT/ICS cybersecurity content.
  • Free OT/ICS Cyber Learning Videos — Provided as a link to free videos for learning OT/ICS cybersecurity.

Concurring Sources

  • IEC 62443 — Referenced as a key standard for OT/ICS cybersecurity.
  • NIST SP 800-82 — Referenced as a key guide for ICS security.

Contribution & Novelties

The video offers a practical, experience-based approach to analyzing OT/ICS job descriptions, which is valuable for job seekers. It highlights common pitfalls and provides insights into what hiring managers may actually be looking for. The discussion of specific terms like MES, FAT, and SAT adds educational value.

Pour aller plus loin :

  • IEC 62443 — International standard for industrial automation and control systems security.
  • NIST SP 800-82 — Guide to Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security.
  • GICSP Certification — GIAC’s certification for industrial control systems cybersecurity.

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Radar Profile

The radar chart shows a balanced profile with high scores in information quantity and quality, moderate technical level, and good reliability. This indicates a well-rounded video that is informative and credible, though not highly technical.

Reliability 7/10

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