Infrastructure Engineer

GCHQ; Wigan; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 45,000; 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 critical infrastructure projects that enhance national security. You'll engage with cutting-edge technologies and collaborate with talented professionals to develop innovative solutions. With a focus on personal growth, you'll receive comprehensive training and mentorship while enjoying a supportive work environment. If you're passionate about IT and eager to learn, this position will allow you to make a significant impact while advancing your career.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Interest-free season ticket loan

Excellent pension scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Paid parental and adoption leave

Employee performance recognition

Facilities such as gym and restaurant

Qualifications

• Enthusiasm and motivation to learn new skills in IT and technology.
• Ability to analyze problems and communicate solutions effectively.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with teams to develop customer-driven infrastructure solutions.
• Troubleshoot infrastructure issues and support operational tasks.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Problem-Solving

Motivation to Learn

Organizational Skills

Education

GCSE in Maths (Grade 4/C or above)

Tools

Python

PowerShell

Bash

Terraform

Ansible

Docker

vSphere

Hyper-V

Cisco

Juniper

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 of the work undertaken in the office and a small proportion of time working outside of the office. We offer flexible working hours, including options for compressed and part-time shifts. While working from home isn't guaranteed, it might be possible on occasion, based on personal and business needs. Once you're fully trained, you may also 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 our intelligence partners 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 and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

The Role

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

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

Whatever your specialism, you'll have real influence and impact. You might develop solutions for existing and future infrastructure or create innovative approaches to operational challenges. By contributing to your team's success, you'll also hone technical skills that advance your career. Whether troubleshooting infrastructure issues or supporting operational tasks throughout their lifecycle, you'll gain exposure to unique technology and grow in confidence and experience.

This role involves collaboration within both large and small teams, engaging with a range of customers and analysts across varied missions to develop customer-driven infrastructure, meet requirements, and develop pioneering solutions.

About You

Are you passionate about IT and technology? Do you thrive in vibrant environments and love learning new skills? If so, this opportunity is for you!

You only need 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 background in STEM, experience working in a small company with exposure to end-to-end products, or simply a passion for IT and technology. Enthusiasm, motivation, and eagerness to learn are key.

Organised and adaptable, you prioritise tasks effectively and stay focussed under pressure. You analyse problems and explore different approaches to find creative solutions, communicating them clearly to customers. Regardless of your career stage, if you have a passion for learning and value collaboration, this role is suitable for you.

Training and Development

Upon starting, you'll be assigned a “buddy” and a mentor to help you settle in. You'll engage in formal and on-the-job training and be given early ownership of tasks. You will rotate through three areas of our large team, spending 6 months in each, to gain comprehensive knowledge. After 18 months, you'll be placed in the team that best matches your skills. Note: Rotation and training are specific to the Samlesbury location; Manchester has its own tailored programme.

Depending on your specialism, you'll have opportunities to develop skills in:

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

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

Rewards and Benefits

Starting salary of £36,408, with potential for skills payments and benefits including:

• 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 after 5 years, plus 10.5 days public holidays
• Employee performance recognition
• Interest-free season ticket loan
• Excellent pension scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as gym, restaurant, coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave

Equal Opportunities

GCHQ values diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from under-represented groups. Details are available on our website.

Disability Confident

We are a Leader within the DWP's Disability Confident scheme, committed to fair recruitment and support for disabled candidates. The essential criteria for interview include:

• GCSE or Level 2 qualification in Maths at Grade 4/C or above
• Motivation to work at GCHQ
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Awareness of emerging technologies

Support and reasonable adjustments are available during recruitment. More info is on our website.

What to Expect

Our merit-based process includes:

• Application Sift
• Interview with skills assessment
• Conditional Offer

The process may take 6-9 months, so applicants are advised to continue current employment until final offers are made.

Before You Apply

Applicants must be UK residents, with security clearance (DV), and meet eligibility criteria. We advise setting up a separate, non-identifiable email for contact, and consider practicalities of location and travel. Applications from overseas are not accepted outside the UK.

Note: We may close applications early if we receive sufficient responses.