Digital Support Flight ICT Technician (ZigZag)

Ministry of Defence - ZigZag Careers Pathway; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A government defense organization is seeking a Junior Non-Commissioned Officer ICT Technician to provide critical ICT services at RAF Cosford. The role involves troubleshooting ICT infrastructure and ensuring secure communications in high-readiness environments. Candidates should have relevant ICT qualifications and strong interpersonal skills. This position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive training opportunities, alongside a structured induction into the Armed Forces environment.

Benefits

Automatic enrolment in Armed Forces Pension Scheme

30 days annual leave plus UK bank holidays

Qualifications

• Proven experience in Information Service Operations or a similar IT operations role.
• Strong understanding of enterprise IT infrastructure and service reliability.
• Ability to work within the Skills Framework for the Information Age at level 3-4.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on support to establish and troubleshoot ICT infrastructure.
• Assist with cybersecurity measures including threat monitoring.
• Work alongside Signals, Cyber, and Intelligence specialists.

Skills

Diagnosing technical issues

Ensuring IT service availability

Maintaining secure IT environments

Managing systems changes

Effective communication skills

Providing guidance to end-users

Education

Recognised ICT qualification (e.g. CompTIA, Cisco, NVQ Level 3)

Job description

JPAN: 2281257

Grade: Cpl

Location: RAF Cosford

Contract: 3 years Full Time Reserve Contract. Various Engagement types on offer.

Security clearance: SC - may require Developed Vetting (DV) for specific networks

Closing date: 10/11/25, 2355

All offers of employment are subject to UK security clearance. To gain this clearance applicants normally need at least five years’ UK residency.

Overview

The ZigZag Career Pathway is an innovative Defence initiative that offers novel ways of entry into the Armed Forces. It’s a pilot programme that opens the door for people from a range of backgrounds to apply their professional skills in meaningful Defence roles.

This opportunity is open to civilians, veterans and reservists. Whether you’ve never served before or are looking to return, the ZigZag Career Pathway offers you the chance to work in fixed term military roles that are matched to your qualifications and experience.

ZigZag roles may be offered with a range of mobility commitments. Successful candidates will be supported with tailored onboarding, the right level of training, and a structured and supported induction into the Armed Forces environment.

The role

You will join Air CySC Digital Support Flight (DSF) Field Service Team (FST) as a Junior Non-Commissioned Officer (JNCO) ICT Technician, based at RAF Cosford. In this role, you will help deliver critical ICT services and deployable communications capabilities to support sensitive and dynamic operations. This role involves applying skills with guidance and demonstrating autonomy, problem-solving, and supervisory capabilities to achieve effective outcomes.

This is a unique opportunity to work in high-readiness environments where secure communications, resilient systems, and technical adaptability are mission-critical.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on support to establish, maintain, and troubleshoot ICT infrastructure including servers, end-user devices, and secure communications systems.
• Configure and maintain deployable ICT platforms for use in contingent scenarios to maintain operational continuity for the Airbase.
• Assist with cybersecurity measures including threat monitoring, patching, and user assurance across DSF-support networks.
• Contribute to the readiness and resilience of DSF ICT systems. Be prepared to support exercises and short-notice deployments as required.
• Work alongside Signals, Cyber, and Intelligence specialists to deliver integrated support and ensure interoperability with joint and allied networks.

About You

The successful candidate will have proven experience in Information Service Operations or a similar IT operations role, with a strong understanding of enterprise IT infrastructure and service reliability. You hold a recognised ICT qualification (e.g. CompTIA, Cisco, NVQ Level 3, or MOD CIS trade training), or have equivalent experience working in IT support, networks, or systems administration. Be able to demonstrate the ability to work within the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) at level 3-4 in the following:

• Demonstrated ability to diagnose and resolve technical issues, collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Experience in ensuring high availability and optimal performance of IT services, including capacity planning and configuration management.
• Proven track record of maintaining secure and reliable IT environments, with proactive risk identification and mitigation.
• Experience managing changes to systems and configurations to maintain service integrity.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
• Proven ability to work closely with application developers, database administrators, and network support teams to ensure seamless application performance and support.
• Ability to provide clear guidance and training to end-users, ensuring defective use of applications and promoting best practice.

Training & Development

• Initial training and technical induction through Air CySC
• Familiarisation with DSF operational environments
• Opportunities to gain additional Defence ICT or cybersecurity qualifications
• Continuous professional development as part of the wider Air CySC technical community

Salary & benefits

• Salary: £35,531– £40,683 - TBD per year. Candidates without previous military experience will need to complete ten weeks of residential training (salary reduced to between £22,999 – 26,334 pro rata during training). Further Training maybe required depending on Candidates skills and experience.
• Pension: automatic enrolment in the non-contributory Armed Forces Pension Scheme2015 (optout available).
• Leave: 30 days’ annual leave plus eight UK bank holidays.

Application process

• Application: submit a CV via the SERVE portal. Eligibility checks are completed, and applications are sifted for suitability.
• Interview: shortlisted candidates are invited to an interview covering technical skills, qualifications and suitability for military service (command, leadership and management experience).
• Medical Assessment: all candidates must pass a medical screening.
• Offer: successful candidates receive terms and conditions, and a job offer letter.

Don’t meet all the requirements? Get in touch anyway – we are keen to hear from talented individuals from diverse backgrounds. For questions or more information, contact: [e-mail]