Lead Specialist Engineer - Identity Automation

UK Health Security Agency; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A national health organization in the UK is seeking a Security Engineer to support the Senior Security Architect and the Identity Management Team. This role involves ensuring that security and identity automation services are reliable and well-maintained. Responsibilities include user account administration, service monitoring, and compliance with departmental standards. Ideal candidates should have PowerShell scripting knowledge, a formal technical qualification, and excellent communication skills. The role offers a hybrid work model and various employee benefits.

Benefits

Defined Benefit pension scheme

Cycle-to-work scheme

Flexible working patterns

Generous leave package

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in a senior engineer role.
• Experience with Microsoft Windows Server Identity Management Services.
• Ability to analyse information and recommend actions.

Responsibilities

• Support Security and Identity automation services.
• Administer user accounts for network access.
• Conduct monitoring and auditing of services.

Skills

PowerShell scripting

Technical support experience

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Customer service

Education

Formal technical qualification (e.g., MCP, MCSAE)

Tools

Azure Services

Git

Terraform

Python

Job description

Job Overview

The United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) protects the nation from infectious diseases and other external threats to health. This role supports the Senior Security Architect and the Identity and Access Management Team by ensuring Security and Identity automation services are reliable, documented, and well‑maintained.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Senior Security Architect and the Identity and Access Management Team in ensuring that Security and Identity automation services work, are documented, and reliable.
• Administration of user accounts for network access, including creation, modification of permissions, and removal of accounts for staff leaving the Agency.
• Ensure provision of support and service to all customers during scheduled hours.
• Undertake appropriate system and service monitoring and auditing to ensure service state and availability.
• Maintain awareness of technical developments in Security and Identity Management and advise on suitable technical strategies for UKHSA.
• Conduct work directed by line management consistently with departmental standards and agreed timescales.
• Comply with departmental requirements for staff management activities, including reporting of absences and completion of Performance Development processes.
• Daily operational duties: incident and request management via ITSM suite; management and monitoring of existing IAM automation services (predominantly Microsoft PowerShell and Graph API); development, test, and release of additional automation services following DevOps principles; maintain Git repositories for IAM services; align services with best practices with Cyber Security.

Essential Role Criteria

• Formal technical qualification (e.g., MCP, MCSAE) or equivalent relevant experience in a similar senior engineer role.
• Demonstrable PowerShell scripting / Automation knowledge and experience.
• Substantive experience in a technical support role, supporting Microsoft Windows Server Operating System based Identity Management Services.
• Experience/knowledge of Azure Services (IaaS, PaaS, Serverless).
• Clear communicator with excellent writing, report writing and presentation skills.
• Evidence of excellent customer service skills and a commitment to improving services and performance for end users.
• Ability to analyse and interpret information, pre‑empt and evaluate issues, and recommend appropriate action.
• Problem‑solving skills and ability to respond to sudden unexpected demands.
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload without supervision, managing tight and changing timescales.

Desirable Role Criteria

• Azure DevOps Pipeline experience via Git repositories.
• Terraforming and Container experience.
• Other scripting languages (e.g., Python) and development experience or certificates.
• Understanding of the health and social care environment and roles and responsibilities within it.
• Experience/knowledge of Azure Services (IaaS, PaaS, Serverless) with a focus on making effective decisions, working together, managing a quality service, and working at pace.

Benefits

• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions.
• Cycle‑to‑work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving.
• Retail discounts and cashback site.
• Flexible working patterns (part‑time, job‑share, condensed hours). UKHSA promotes flexible working as essential.
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave package.
• Hybrid working model: minimum 60% of contractual hours (approx. 3 days a week) in one of UKHSA's core HQs.
• Public holidays plus one privilege day for the King's birthday.

Eligibility & EEO Statement

UKHSA is an employer of choice where Everyone Matters, promoting equality of opportunity and encouraging applications from all groups, especially those underrepresented in the workforce. Open to external applicants (including all nationalities and gender identities) who meet the security clearance and residency requirements required for the Deputy Security role.

Applicants must pass a Security Check clearance. Successful candidates must meet security requirements before appointment.