AWS Engineer

Darwin Recruitment; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing space-tech organization in Oxford is hiring an AWS Systems Engineer to manage and scale their internal cloud infrastructure. This hybrid role combines AWS cloud engineering with traditional sysadmin duties. You will support and improve their AWS estate, manage virtual machines, and automate deployments using tools like Ansible and Terraform. Ideal candidates will have around 5 years of experience with Linux and Windows systems, along with strong AWS knowledge. This position offers a chance to work in an international, mission-driven team focused on advanced satellite systems.

Qualifications

• Around 5 years’ experience in commercial IT environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with Linux and Windows systems.
• Working knowledge of AWS in a live production setting.
• Familiarity with VPNs, IAM, and system automation.
• A proactive, self-directed mindset with strong communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Supporting and expanding a growing AWS environment.
• Setting up and managing Linux and Windows VMs.
• Using infrastructure-as-code tools to automate deployments.
• Handling identity, networking, and storage configurations.
• Monitoring costs, patching systems, and refining setups as needed.
• Helping with backup, recovery, and broader IT support tasks.

Skills

AWS environment management

Linux systems administration

Windows systems administration

Infrastructure as Code (Ansible, Terraform)

Version control (Git)

Communication skills

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

Job description

AWS Systems Engineer

A growing space-tech organisation based near Harwell is hiring an AWS Systems Engineer to help manage and scale their internal cloud infrastructure. This is a hybrid role blending AWS cloud engineering with classic sysadmin duties, ideal for someone who has worked across both cloud and on-prem environments in a high‑compliance setting.

The focus here is maintaining and improving their AWS estate, which supports a range of engineering and operations teams. That means provisioning virtual machines, managing IAM, VPCs, and EC2, automating configurations with tools like Ansible or Terraform, and ensuring security and cost‑efficiency are built in from the start.

You’ll be part of the global IT and security team, working alongside engineers and developers to make sure infrastructure is robust, secure, and fit for purpose.

The work includes

• Supporting and expanding a growing AWS environment
• Setting up and managing Linux and Windows VMs
• Using infrastructure‑as‑code tools (Ansible, Terraform) to automate deployments
• Handling identity, networking, and storage configurations
• Monitoring costs, patching systems, and refining setup as needed
• Helping with backup, recovery, and broader IT support tasks when needed

You’ll need

• Around 5 years’ experience in commercial IT environments
• Strong hands‑on experience with Linux and Windows systems
• Working knowledge of AWS in a live production setting
• Familiarity with VPNs, IAM, domain joins, and system automation
• A proactive, self‑directed mindset with strong communication skills
• Comfort using version control tools like Git

Nice to have

• Hands‑on with Ansible or Terraform
• Exposure to QA or DevOps pipelines
• Knowledge of Microsoft Azure
• Experience supporting a high‑compliance industry like aerospace or defense
• An interest in space would definitely help, but not required

This role is hybrid with time on‑site at their Oxfordshire office. You’ll be working with an international, mission‑driven team that’s supporting hardware and software for advanced satellite systems. It’s a great role for someone who wants a bit more variety and ownership in their cloud and infrastructure work.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Adam Slade