IT Networking and Infrastructure Engineer - 6 month FTC

Hitachi, Ltd.; Newton Aycliffe; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

25 days holiday annually

Pension scheme with contributions up 9

Private medical insurance

Group Life Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Job summary

Hitachi Rail is seeking a Networking & Infrastructure Engineer (6‑Month Fixed Term Contract) to join the UK Infrastructure team at Newton Aycliffe. You will lead secure enterprise networking initiatives, focusing on Cisco ISE/NAC and Fortigate firewall management across multiple UK sites.

The role demands strong networking, security, and stakeholder collaboration skills, with occasional travel to other locations.

Qualifications

• Proven experience supporting enterprise networking in a large multi-site organisation.
• Strong knowledge of IP networking, routing, switching and network security.
• Significant experience with Cisco networking technologies (switches, wireless APs and WLCs).
• Strong experience with Cisco Network Access Control (802.1X) and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).
• Experience supporting and administering Fortigate firewalls.
• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and network hardening practices.
• Experience supporting networking incidents, problems and change activities.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel occasionally to other company locations as required.

Responsibilities

• Support and maintain enterprise networking services across the organisation.
• Lead and contribute to network infrastructure and security projects, with a particular focus on Cisco ISE and Network Access Control.
• Support Cisco switching, wireless networks, wireless LAN controllers and associated networking technologies.
• Administer and support Fortigate firewalls, including firewall policies, VPNs and DMZ environments.
• Ensure network infrastructure remains secure through patching, upgrades, hardening activities and cyber security compliance initiatives.
• Investigate and resolve networking incidents, problems and service requests in line with ITIL principles.
• Support change management activities relating to networking infrastructure.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams, external partners and third‑party suppliers to deliver reliable business services.
• Provide technical expertise for multi‑site network environments and support deployment activities across UK locations.
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of network performance, resilience and operational effectiveness.

Skills

Enterprise networking

IP networking

Cisco networking

Network security

Cisco ISE

Fortigate

ITIL

Stakeholder management

Travel to UK locations

Education

CCNA certification

Tools

Cisco ISE

Fortigate

Zscaler ZIA/ZPA

Job description

About Us

A career at Hitachi Rail will help create a legacy. With operations in every corner of the world, our work goes to the cutting-edge of digital transformation and technology. From the multi-cultural strength of our global organisation to the sustainable and innovative ways we work to bring people together, there’s something for everyone to get stuck into. And that’s where you come in.

Job Description

Your new role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Networking & Infrastructure Engineer (6-Month Fixed Term Contract) to join our UK Infrastructure team, based at our Newton Aycliffe manufacturing facility.

We're looking for an experienced networking professional who can quickly add value, bringing strong Cisco ISE and Network Access Control (NAC) expertise to support the successful delivery of a key business‑critical project.

Working as part of a skilled Infrastructure team, you'll play a leading role in supporting, maintaining and enhancing our network environment, with a particular focus on a major Cisco ISE implementation project. You'll help ensure secure, reliable and high‑performing network services across multiple UK locations while contributing to wider network modernisation initiatives.

This role is ideal for a networking specialist with strong experience in enterprise networking, security and access control technologies who enjoys working in a project‑focused environment and collaborating with stakeholders across the business.

Some key responsibilities

• Support and maintain enterprise networking services across the organisation.

• Lead and contribute to network infrastructure and security projects, with a particular focus on Cisco ISE and Network Access Control.

• Support Cisco switching, wireless networks, wireless LAN controllers and associated networking technologies.

• Administer and support Fortigate firewalls, including firewall policies, VPNs and DMZ environments.

• Ensure network infrastructure remains secure through patching, upgrades, hardening activities and cyber security compliance initiatives.

• Investigate and resolve networking incidents, problems and service requests in line with ITIL principles.

• Support change management activities relating to networking infrastructure.

• Work collaboratively with internal teams, external partners and third‑party suppliers to deliver reliable business services.

• Provide technical expertise for multi‑site network environments and support deployment activities across UK locations.

• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of network performance, resilience and operational effectiveness.

About you

We're looking for a networking specialist who combines strong technical knowledge with excellent communication skills and a proactive approach to problem‑solving.

You'll be able to demonstrate:

Essential

• Proven experience supporting enterprise networking environments within a large, multi‑site organisation.

• Strong knowledge of IP networking, routing, switching and network security.

• Significant experience with Cisco networking technologies, including switches, wireless access points and wireless LAN controllers.

• Strong experience of Cisco Network Access Control (802.1X) and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).

• Experience supporting and administering Fortigate firewalls.

• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and network hardening practices.

• Experience supporting networking incidents, problems and change activities.

• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.

• Willingness to travel occasionally to other company locations as required.

Desirable

• CCNA certification.

• Experience with Zscaler ZIA and ZPA solutions.

• Knowledge of operational technology (OT) and IoT network environments.

• Exposure to Windows Server administration and VMware technologies.

• Understanding of modern endpoint security and infrastructure management tools.

What we offer

We value the importance of all of our employees. If you would like to join our fantastic organisation, you could be entitled to:

• Competitive salary

• 25 days holiday annually

• Pension scheme with contributions up to 9%

• Private medical insurance

• Personal Accident insurance

• Group Income Protection

• Group Life Insurance

• Employee Assistance Programme

We also offer additional perks for you to choose from within a flexible benefits plan that can be tailored to your individual needs and lifestyle.

Thank you for your interest in Hitachi Rail. If your application is of interest, we will be in contact. Please do not hesitate to discover more about us and our latest jobs at https://www.hitachirail.com/careers.

At Hitachi Rail, there is a place for everyone. We welcome and value differences in background, age, gender, sexuality, family status, disability, race, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and world view. It is our commitment to create an inclusive environment - we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

We would be delighted if you would be one of our followers at https://www.linkedin.com/company/hitachirail