Principal Engineer

Insignis; England; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology solutions provider in the United Kingdom seeks a Principal Hardware Engineer. This role involves delivering and managing infrastructure across data centres and office environments, ensuring compliance with various standards. Candidates should have 5+ years in data centre operations with a strong focus on hardware. Key responsibilities include overseeing hardware installation and maintenance, managing risks, and collaborating with project managers. Travel may be required for site visits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in data centre operations or infrastructure engineering.
• Strong knowledge of commodity compute, storage, and networking hardware.
• Experience producing and working to RAMS in critical environments.
• Structured cabling expertise (Cat6/6a, OM3/OM4, fibre).

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute physical build, installation, and decommissioning of hardware.
• Maintain asset records and support compliance requirements.
• Produce and maintain RAMS for engineering activities.

Skills

Methodical, accurate, and calm under pressure

Clear communicator

Ownership of on-site decisions

Ability to prioritise workload

Job description

Principal Hardware Engineer

Overview

Senior hands-on role responsible for the physical delivery and lifecycle management of infrastructure across data centres, build labs, and office environments. This role combines deep technical expertise with on-site leadership, risk ownership, and responsibility for engineering standards in critical environments.

Key Responsibilities

Infrastructure Delivery

• Lead and execute physical build, installation, relocation, and decommissioning of servers, storage, and network hardware
• Own rack layouts, structured cabling, patching, labelling, and cable management standards
• Coordinate power, cooling, and space planning with facilities and design teams
• Oversee logistics, manual handling, and on-site hardware movements

Risk, Safety & Change

• Produce and maintain RAMS for engineering activities
• Identify operational risks and implement mitigations
• Operate within formal Change Management processes, including CAB participation for data centre works
• Enforce health and safety standards on site

Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain accurate asset records and site documentation
• Support audits and compliance requirements including ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS

Project Support

• Work with project managers, architects, and third parties to deliver infrastructure projects
• Provide technical input for data centre migrations, expansions, and refresh cycles

Experience & Skills Required

Experience

• 5+ years in data centre operations or infrastructure engineering
• Strong knowledge of commodity compute, storage, and networking hardware
• Advanced understanding of data centre best practice
• Experience producing and working to RAMS in critical environments
• Structured cabling expertise (Cat6/6a, OM3/OM4, fibre)
• Working knowledge of power distribution, PDUs, and load balancing

Skills

• Methodical, accurate, and calm under pressure
• Clear communicator with engineers, customers, and stakeholders
• Takes ownership of on-site decisions and outcomes
• Able to prioritise workload across multiple activities

Vetting & Practical Requirements

• Clean manual driving licence
• Valid passport
• Ability to pass BS7858 vetting
• Eligibility for UK SC clearance (5 years UK residency)
• Willingness to travel to UK and overseas sites
• Flexibility to work nights and weekends when required