Infrastructure Engineer

ZipRecruiter; Burgess Hill; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Infrastructure Engineer to join their dynamic team. This role offers a unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology, providing solutions that optimize systems while supporting national security. You will thrive in a collaborative environment, engaging with a variety of teams and customers. The position offers comprehensive training, allowing you to develop specialized skills in areas such as operational security and automation. With a focus on personal growth and professional development, this role is perfect for those passionate about IT and eager to make a difference.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Interest-free season ticket loan

Excellent pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Paid parental leave

Access to gyms and restaurants

Qualifications

• GCSE in Maths or equivalent Level 2 qualification required.
• No deep technical background needed, just a passion for IT.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with teams to develop infrastructure solutions.
• Engage with customers and contribute to operational tasks.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Problem Solving

Communication

Adaptability

IT Passion

Education

GCSE Grade 4/C in Maths

Tools

Python

PowerShell

Bash

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

Cisco

Juniper

NSX

vSphere

Hyper-V

ELK

Splunk

Job description

Job Description

Infrastructure Engineer Ref. 3481

Department: Engineering
Location(s): Manchester, Samlesbury
Salary: £36,408, plus a recruitment bonus of £2,000, dependent on skills assessed during the interview. Additionally, there is an opportunity to obtain a skills bonus of £4,513, based on a skills review during your first year in the role.

Job description

Flexible Working: This role is primarily office-based, with most work undertaken in the office and a small proportion outside. We offer flexible hours, including compressed and part-time shifts. Working from home isn’t guaranteed but may be possible occasionally, based on needs. Once fully trained, you may be required to join an on-call rota.

About Us

GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ, you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive, inclusive environment emphasizing teamwork.

The Role

As an Infrastructure Engineer, you'll join a friendly, skilled team dedicated to finding solutions that optimise our systems and support our mission. You’ll be assigned a specialism based on your suitability, either at recruitment or following an assessment. Specialisms include:

• Tailored Acquisitions
• Platform Engineers
• Network Engineers
• DevOps Engineers
• Web Technology SMEs

Regardless of your specialism, you’ll influence and impact your work. You might develop solutions for infrastructure or create innovative approaches to operational challenges. Contributing to your team’s success, you’ll hone technical skills that advance your career. Whether troubleshooting or supporting operational tasks, you’ll gain exposure to unique technologies and grow in confidence and experience.

This role involves collaboration. You’ll work in teams of various sizes, engage with different customers, and collaborate with analysts and the wider technical community to develop infrastructure. You’ll meet unique requirements, develop pioneering solutions, and enable our mission’s success.

About You

Are you passionate about IT and technology? Do you thrive in vibrant environments and love learning? If yes, we have an exciting opportunity!

You need only one qualification: GCSE grade 4/C or above, or an equivalent Level 2 qualification in Maths. No other specific qualifications or deep technical background are required. You might have a STEM background, experience in a small company with exposure to products, or simply a passion for IT. Enthusiastic, motivated, eager to learn—you’ll thrive here.

Organised and adaptable, you prioritise tasks effectively and stay focussed under pressure. You analyse problems and explore different approaches for solutions. You communicate clearly with customers. No matter your career stage, if you’re passionate about learning in a collaborative, knowledge-sharing, innovative environment, this role is for you.

Training and Development

On starting, you’ll be assigned a “buddy” and a mentor. You’ll engage in formal and on-the-job training and be given early ownership of tasks. You’ll collaborate with your team and line manager to develop skills and ease into projects. You’ll rotate through three areas of our large team, spending 6 months in each, gaining comprehensive knowledge. After 18 months, you’ll be placed in the team matching your skills. Note: rotation and training are specific to Samlesbury; Manchester has its own programme.

Depending on your specialism, you can develop skills in:

• Technical risk management
• Operational security
• Domain services (Windows/Linux)
• Operating system security (Windows/Linux/Android/iOS)
• Web technologies (Tor/VPNs/Proxies/CDNs/Cloud)
• Scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash)
• Virtualisation (vSphere, Hyper-V)
• Networking (Cisco, Juniper, NSX)
• Automation tools (Terraform, Ansible, Docker)
• Monitoring (ELK, Splunk)
• Storage (3PAR & Primera)

We support your application for specialist skill payments and external training to enhance your knowledge and qualifications.

Rewards and Benefits

You’ll start on £36,408, with potential additional skills payments and benefits including:

• 25 days’ annual leave, rising to 30 after 5 years, plus 10.5 days public holidays
• Recognition through performance schemes
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities like gyms, restaurants, coffee bars (some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave

Equal Opportunities

We value diversity to reflect society. We encourage applications from under-represented groups including women, minorities, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds. Learn more on our website:

https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/-.html

We’re Confident

GCHQ is a Leader within the DWP’s Confident scheme, supporting disabled candidates. To secure an interview, you must meet the essential criteria, including GCSE or Level 2 Maths, motivation, analytical skills, and awareness of emerging technologies, assessed during application sift.

We offer support and reasonable adjustments. Details are on our website:

https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/how-to-apply.html

What to Expect

The recruitment process is fair and merit-based, comprising:

• Application Sift
• Interview with skills assessment
• Conditional Offer

Application processing may take 6-9 months, including vetting. Continue current employment until final offer.

Before You Apply

You must be British or dual British to apply, with full eligibility criteria available online. The role requires Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance. Visit our website for details. We have a strict drugs policy; declare previous drug use at the relevant stage.

Prepare a separate, non-identifiable email for contact. The role is based in Samlesbury or Manchester; consider travel and relocation implications. Applications from outside the UK are not accepted. Discussing your application should be limited to close contacts.

Note: We may close the vacancy early if we receive enough applications.