Lead Network Engineer - Secure Infrastructure

Sopra Steria; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Private medical

Life assurance

Pension

Flexible benefits fund

Job summary

Sopra Steria is seeking a Lead Network Engineer to help modernise enterprise networks through automation. Based near Salisbury, you will join a secure platform engineering function and work on high‑impact network platforms for defence activities.

The role emphasizes reliability, security, and continuous improvement, with three days on site per week. You will design, deploy and support networks, advance automation, and mentor peers while navigating a DV‑level security environment.

Qualifications

• Experience with Cisco networking technologies including routing, switching, firewalls and wireless.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP, VLANs, DHCP, DNS and ACLs.
• Experience with automation or scripting using Ansible, Python, Bash or PowerShell.
• Knowledge of routing protocols such as BGP and network segmentation using VRFs.
• CCNA certification with CCNP achieved or in progress.
• Ability to produce technical documentation including designs and root cause analysis reports.

Responsibilities

• Assist with design, build, deployment and support of enterprise network platforms.
• Drive adoption of automation using tools such as Ansible and Terraform.
• Support operational requirements within a fast-paced, secure environment.
• Investigate complex issues, produce root cause analysis, and implement solutions.
• Proactively monitor and maintain production systems while managing escalations.
• Mentor colleagues and contribute to service improvement and innovation.

Skills

Cisco networking

Networking fundamentals

Automation scripting

BGP

Documentation

Root cause analysis

Education

CCNA / CCNP certification

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

Python

Bash / PowerShell

Job description

Are you a Network Engineer who enjoys solving complex problems and wants to play a key role in modernising enterprise networks through automation?

You’ll be joining a dedicated network team based in Salisbury, working as part of a wider platform engineering function within a highly secure environment.

This Lead Network Engineer role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge network platforms that support critical defence activities, while developing your skills as the organisation moves towards a more automated and software-driven approach.

You’ll collaborate closely with colleagues and customers, contributing to meaningful work where reliability, security and continuous improvement are key.

This is an ideal opportunity for someone who is curious, motivated to learn, and keen to build on their existing technical expertise.

You’ll be based near Salisbury, with an expectation to work onsite three days per week.

What you’ll be doing:

• Assisting with the design, build, deployment and support of enterprise network platforms.
• Driving the adoption of automation using tools such as Ansible and Terraform.
• Supporting operational requirements within a fast-paced, secure environment.
• Investigating complex issues, producing root cause analysis, and implementing solutions.
• Proactively monitoring and maintaining production systems while managing escalations.
• Mentoring colleagues and contributing to service improvement and innovation.

What you’ll bring:

• Experience with Cisco networking technologies including routing, switching, firewalls and wireless.
• Strong understanding of networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, VLANs, DHCP, DNS and ACLs.
• Experience with automation or scripting using tools such as Ansible, Python, Bash or PowerShell.
• Knowledge of routing protocols such as BGP and network segmentation using VRFs.
• CCNA certification with CCNP achieved or in progress.
• Ability to produce technical documentation including designs and root cause analysis reports.

It would be great if you had:

• Exposure to cloud networking principles in Azure or AWS.
• Experience working within an ITIL environment.
• Knowledge of software-defined networking technologies such as Cisco ACI or VMware NSX.

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent.
Location: Salisbury - with an expectation of 3 days per week onsite.
Security Clearance Level: Developed Vetting (DV) or eligible for DV clearance.
Salary: Up to £65,000, depending on experience.
Benefits: £5,400 car allowance, 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days, private medical, life assurance, pension, and generous flexible benefits fund.

Although this role is advertised as full-time, we believe that flexibility at work can promote work/life balance, increase your motivation, reduce stress and improves performance and productivity. We support different ways of working and can offer a range of flexible working arrangements.

Loved reading about this job and want to know more about us?

Sopra Steria's Aerospace, Defence and Security business designs, develops and deploys digital solutions to Central Government clients. The work we do makes a real difference to the client's goal of National Security, and we operate in a unique and privileged environment. We are given time for professional development activities, and we coach and mentor our colleagues, sharing knowledge and learning from each other. We foster a culture in which employees feel valued and supported and have pride in their work for the customer, delivering outstanding rates of customer satisfaction in the UK's most complex safety- and security-critical markets.

We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation. We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status. We have partnered with Vercida , the UK's largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.
If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application. We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.