Network Engineer

National Physical Laboratory; Tewkesbury; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading scientific organization in Tewkesbury is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to design and implement network infrastructure. The role emphasizes collaboration with scientists and specialists in cyber-security. Candidates should have hands-on experience with network equipment, essential academic qualifications, and the ability to maintain network security. The organization values diversity and offers flexible working conditions, ensuring a positive work-life balance for all employees.

Benefits

Flexible working hours

Broad range of rewards and benefits

Supportive work environment

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience of installing, testing and integrating network equipment.
• Relevant academic and professional qualifications in IT network management.
• Experience with IT and network infrastructure management software.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive network designs tailored to scientific needs.
• Oversee procurement and selection of networking equipment.
• Configure and deploy routers, switches, and firewalls for projects.
• Ensure collaboration with security specialists on best practices.

Skills

Hands-on experience of installing network equipment

Experience with IT and network infrastructure

Cyber-security hygiene practices

Experience with network monitoring software/tools

Experience with Microsoft Azure DevOps

Education

Relevant academic and professional qualifications

Tools

Virtualisation technology

Containerisation

Job description

Job Description

Our world‑leading Time & Frequency department are seeking a Senior Network Engineer with hands‑on infrastructure and network design / implementation experience.

The Role

You will be joining our team at an exciting time - we maintain the UK's National Time Scale, UTC (NPL), and are currently developing a new resilient Time Scale facility that will underpin our Critical National Infrastructure. This will address the risks associated with our dependency on global navigation satellite systems (such as GPS) that are vulnerable to both natural and intentional interference.

You’ll enjoy collaborating with prominent scientists, engineers and specialists in cyber‑security to design and implement network infrastructure to time, quality and cost.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and Architecture: Develop comprehensive network designs that support the unique needs of scientific and engineering capabilities, ensuring robustness, scalability and security.
• Build and Specification: Oversee the specification, selection and procurement of networking equipment, ensuring compatibility and integration with existing and future scientific instruments.
• Configuration and Implementation: Configure and deploy networking solutions, including routers, switches, firewalls and other network devices, tailored to the specific requirements of each project.
• Security Hygiene: Keep up to date with and apply best practice, collaborating with security specialists.
• Testing: Execute integration tests where appropriate, meticulously documenting and analysing results to identify potential vulnerabilities and areas for improvement.
• Troubleshooting and Support: Provide expert‑level troubleshooting for complex network issues, ensuring minimal downtime and optimal performance of scientific equipment and IT infrastructure.
• Collaboration and Leadership: Work closely with scientific, engineering and IT leadership to ensure technology solutions align with research objectives. Mentor junior staff and lead by example in technical excellence.
• Quality Assurance Coordination: Maintain meticulous records to support quality assurance processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with a diverse array of stakeholders to ensure networking requirements are met and understood.

Essential Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience of installing, testing and integrating network equipment.
• Relevant academic and professional qualifications, or equivalent hands‑on experience.
• Experience with IT and network infrastructure (servers, switches, firewalls, WAN, LAN, routers, proxy servers), their management software, IT and security tooling setup and applying policy‑based processes.
• Design and commission of systems, aligned with standards and certifications.
• Cyber‑security hygiene practices and technology.
• Experience with network monitoring software/tools.
• Cloud‑native products, virtualisation, containerisation and database technologies installation and management.

Highly Desirable

• Experience with Microsoft Azure DevOps.
• Agile working practices.
• Interest in physics, measurements and communications.
• Experience with time and frequency measurement and time scale steering.
• Experience with real‑time monitoring and control of electronic hardware.
• Experience with satellite communication, optical fibre and GNSS‑based systems.

Security Requirements

To work at NPL you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance. For this role in the Time & Frequency department you need an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC clearance.

Additional Information

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert, therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world‑leading centre of excellence that provides cutting‑edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview.

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or age, provided they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity. As part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome. More about this on our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well‑being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work‑life balance, along with a broad range of rewards, benefits and recognition. Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.