Lab Infrastructure Engineer – Telecoms & IT

National Physical Laboratory (NPL); England; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Based in Oxfordshire

Job summary

National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Oxfordshire is seeking an Infrastructure Engineer to support design, commissioning, and operation of telecoms and enterprise IT lab infrastructure. This office‑based, hands‑on role collaborates with researchers and senior engineers to ensure robust configurations, reliable lab services, and safe operations.

You will gain training and work with Cisco/Juniper/Nokia equipment, Linux systems, and network planning, with opportunities to grow expertise in telecoms

Qualifications

• Experience installing and commissioning network or telecoms equipment.
• Practical knowledge of TCP/IP networking fundamentals.
• Familiarity with router and switch CLIs and GUIs (e.g. Cisco, Juniper, Nokia).
• Understanding of routing protocols such as MPLS, OSPF or BGP.
• Familiarity with Linux (command‑line usage, system basics, configuration, and troubleshooting).
• Experience in an infrastructure, networking, telecoms, or lab‑based engineering role.
• A hands‑on, methodical approach to working with both physical and logical infrastructures.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and develop deeper expertise over time.
• Comfortable working in a lab environment with real hardware.
• Ability to maintain technical network diagrams and commissioning procedures using Microsoft Office

Responsibilities

• Supporting the design, build, and layout of lab infrastructure containing telecoms and enterprise equipment
• Network planning including numbering (IP addresses, GTs, Cell IDs) and RF frequency allocation
• Installation and commissioning of routers, switches, firewalls, servers and telecoms systems
• Day‑to‑day operation, monitoring, and maintenance of lab environments to ensure reliability and availability
• Working with Linux‑based systems for configuration, management, scripting, and troubleshooting
• Network configuration, connectivity testing, and fault‑finding across physical and virtual environments
• Preparing, maintaining and adjusting lab setups to support ongoing research activities
• Maintaining accurate documentation of lab configurations, changes, and procedures
• Ensuring the safety of the lab environment and staff, including physical, electrical and RF

Skills

Network installation & commissioning

TCP/IP fundamentals

Cisco/Juniper/Nokia CLI

Routing protocols (MPLS/OSPF/BGP)

Linux basics

Infrastructure/telecoms lab eng

Hands-on physical and logical infra

Willingness to learn

Lab environment operation & safety

Network diagram maintenance

Job description

National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in Oxfordshire is seeking an Infrastructure Engineer to support design, commissioning, and operation of telecoms and enterprise IT lab infrastructure. This office‑based, hands‑on role collaborates with researchers and senior engineers to ensure robust configurations, reliable lab services, and safe operations.

You will gain training and work with Cisco/Juniper/Nokia equipment, Linux systems, and network planning, with opportunities to grow expertise in telecoms