Network Infrastructure Technical Engineer

Integrated Care System; Dartford; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 49,000; Full time

Job summary

A local healthcare provider is seeking a Network Infrastructure Technical Engineer in Dartford to manage and enhance critical networking services. The role includes providing expert-level support, overseeing network security, and collaborating on digital transformation projects. Candidates should possess strong networking knowledge with relevant certifications and experience in multi-site environments. This position advocates for healthcare excellence while ensuring a patient-focused approach.

Qualifications

• Strong technical knowledge of enterprise networking, ideally with Cisco CCNA or equivalent certifications.
• Proven experience in managing multi-site network infrastructure, security, and troubleshooting.
• A proactive and analytical approach, with excellent communication and documentation skills.
• A passion for delivering high-quality support in a fast-paced, patient-focused environment.

Responsibilities

• Support the Network Infrastructure Manager in the delivery of IT support and network services.
• Investigate technically complex IT issues (incidents) raised to the Service Desk.
• Head up the investigation, resolution and documentation of root causes of IT problems.
• Develop processes and procedures to ensure the IT infrastructure is robustly maintained.
• Act as the lead specialist for one or more specialist network infrastructure technologies.

Job description

Network Infrastructure Technical Engineer

Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust are seeking a technically skilled and motivated Network Infrastructure Technical Engineer to help maintain and evolve the Trust's enterprise networking services. This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a dedicated team delivering critical digital infrastructure across multiple NHS sites including Darent Valley Hospital, Queen Mary's Sidcup, Gravesend, Erith, and community locations.

In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring the availability, performance and security of the Trust's networking infrastructure, supporting over 7,000 clinical and administrative users. You'll work with technologies including switching, routing, Wi-Fi 6/6E, SD-WAN, firewalls, and network access controls.

As part of the wider Infrastructure Team, you'll provide expert-level 2nd, 3rd and 4th line technical support, contribute to digital transformation projects, and play a key role in maintaining clinical and business-critical systems. You'll also be actively involved in the Trust's out-of-hours on-call rota.

This position will not be supported for visa sponsorship. All applicants are expected to have valid right to work document to work in the UK when applying for this position.

Main duties of the job

We're looking for someone with:

Strong technical knowledge of enterprise networking, ideally with Cisco CCNA or equivalent certifications.

Proven experience in managing multi-site network infrastructure, security, and troubleshooting.

A proactive and analytical approach, with excellent communication and documentation skills.

A passion for delivering high-quality support in a fast-paced, patient-focused environment.

If you're looking for a challenging and rewarding role in a forward-thinking and supportive NHS Trust, we'd love to hear from you.

About us

We are committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer. We strive to employ people who reflect the communities we serve, and aim to create an inclusive culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Whatever your race, ethnicity, belief, generation, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, disability or experience, you'll appreciate the opportunities we give you to work in an inclusive atmosphere. We welcome applications from people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experiences to build on the progress we've achieved to make our Trust diverse and the best place to work. We celebrate the diversity of thought, viewpoints and ideas that help us overcome challenges and embrace new possibilities. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant Pledge and have a commitment to the Armed Forces Community.

We are dedicated to using our Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approach as our shared organisation model of change to enhance our services and ensure excellence in patient care.

If you are considering applying for a role, please be aware that as an NHS Employee you may have contact with vulnerable service users. We strongly encourage that all our staff are vaccinated against COVID-19 and are vaccinated annually against Flu, in order to protect the health and safety of our staff and patients. Your commitment will help us to put the safety and care of our patients first, as well as helping us to protect you and your colleagues.

Job responsibilities

Specific Responsibilities: to include level of responsibility for:

Support the Network Infrastructure Manager in the delivery of IT support and network services to the published Service Level Agreement and develop them to provide an efficient and technically capable service.

Investigate technically complex IT issues (incidents) raised to the Service Desk and escalated by the 2nd/3rd line support resources.

Head up the investigation, resolution and documentation of root causes of IT problems including severity level 1 incidents (System / departmental outages) and performance issues.

Take part in the Research and Development of all elements of the IT Infrastructure determining what future technology would be of benefit to the Trust and how it should be implemented

Develop processes and procedures to ensure the IT infrastructure is proactively and robustly maintained to the highest standards on behalf of D&G and its customers.

Ensure the infrastructure teams issue resolution targets are met and calls updated accordingly in the service desk software management platform.

Actively partake in an even share of the ICT out of hours on call rota

Daily organisation of infrastructure tasks & standard checks of all infrastructure operability, interfaces, space, backups and remedial action where needed.

Assist the Network Infrastructure Manager with the development and annual review of IT Disaster Recovery Plans to ensure that the IT network Infrastructure can be recovered in the event of an IT disaster and as part of Trust-wide Business Continuity Planning.

Act as the lead specialist for one or more specialist network infrastructure technologies; and cascade knowledge to wider ICT Team.

Please see attached job description for further information.

Person Specification

Education and Training

• Computer or related science degree or equivalent proven experience in ICT Networks.
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) v4 Foundation
• CompTIA Network+ / Security+
• IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) v4 Expert Level
• Cisco CCNP Enterprise Certification
• AZ-700 (Designing and Implementing Microsoft Azure Networking Solutions)
• CISSP or CompTIA CySA+

Knowledge and Skills

• Extensive knowledge of IT standards and systems management. methodologies
• Layer 2/3 switching and routing (OSPF, BGP)
• Good knowledge on Security/VPN, MPLS, SD-WAN, NAC (802.1X Wired and Wireles)
• Good knowledge of Wi-Fi 6/6E
• VLAN, VXLAN/EVPN overlays
• Good knowledge on network switching & routing in a multi-site environment.
• Network security best practices (NAC, ZTNA)
• Thorough understanding of LANS/WANS (P2P vs national Ethernet etc)
• Good knowledge in a range of Network tools covering Lan/Wan/Wireless and firewall performance, capacity, and security monitoring and analysis.
• Excellent written skills for the production of effective business documentation
• Excellent problem solving skills
• Ability to present highly complex information and data to internal and external audiences at all levels
• Good interpersonal communication skills including the ability to work within a team, demonstrate initiative, good customer service skills and work to timescales with a flexible approach.
• Ability to research new solutions to persistent or intractable problems
• Ability to analyse a range of highly complex IM&T environments, client needs and supplier capability.
• Must have own transport and be able to travel frequently between sites across Kent, Sidcup, Bexley.
• Network Infrastructure
• Microsoft Windows Desktop and Server Operating Systems
• General knowledge of Project Management methodology
• Wi-Fi 7 & Private 5G (CBRS)
• AIOps platforms (DNA Center, Mist)
• Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI)
• Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

Experience

• Handling complex organisational and customer issues
• Supplier, contract and service management
• Proven experience of Managing the performance of Network infrastructures in an acute NHS Trust or similar organisation.
• Analysis of data to identify problem areas and implement solutions
• Ability to work proactively under own initiative, take responsibility.
• Proven experience of workload planning and delivery of key targets within a service environment.
• Proven experience of disaster recovery concepts & testing
• Proven experience of Cisco Network technologies Working on high end Cisco switches.
• Working on full network implementation covering all LAN/WAN technologies from VPN, Firewalls to MPLS etc. Implementation of LACP (802.3ad), EtherChannel, iSCSI.
• Thorough understanding of the OSI model and the relationship with all IT Layers.
• Experience of working within or alongside an Acute NHS Trust or similar organisation.
• Experience of close working with healthcare professionals.
• Thorough understanding of Fiber channel(FC) and Fiber channel over Ethernet(FCOE) technology
• Proven experience of implementing and managing infrastructure management solutions such as SolarWinds, PRTG, Zabbix, Azure Monitor etc
• Next-Gen Firewall deployment and tuning

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£40,617 to £48,778 a yearper annum inclusive of allowances