Principal Engineer - UNIX/LINUX Administrator

NHS Scotland; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A national healthcare organization in Scotland is seeking a Principal Engineer – UNIX/LINUX Administrator. The successful candidate will oversee server management and support the IT infrastructure team. Strong skills in Solaris, Red Hat, VMware, and container technologies are essential. This role offers a hybrid working pattern and competitive benefits. Applications close on 28 November 2025.

Benefits

Pension scheme

Work-life balance policies

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Experienced Unix/Linux engineer needed.
• Strong background in systems administration.
• Experience in a hybrid cloud environment preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform server administration tasks including software installation and maintenance.
• Provide technical support to users throughout the NSS.
• Manage multiple tasks and unexpected issues.

Skills

Solaris and Red Hat server management

VMware vCenter Server up to version 8.0

Storage management

ldap technologies

Web and application servers – Apache and Tomcat

Education

Degree level or equivalent

Tools

Docker

Ansible

Job description

Principal Engineer – UNIX/LINUX Administrator

About The Organisation. National Services Scotland (NSS) is a national NHS Board operating right at the heart of NHSScotland providing invaluable support and advice at a strategic and operational level. NSS supports customers to deliver their services more efficiently and effectively and we offer shared services on a national scale using best-in-class systems and standards. Our priority is always the same – to improve the health and well-being of the people of Scotland. We do this by working in partnership with colleagues across Health and Social Care to deliver fit for purpose solutions and systems, delivering high quality services that help our stakeholders to free up resources so they can be re-invested into essential services.

The Post

As part of the IT Strategic Business Unit, NSS Infrastructure services has direct responsibility for over 400 servers running over 250 different applications, and for processing over 100 million records per year. The NSS Infrastructure Server team is responsible for maintaining and supporting the existing server estate as well as researching emerging technologies and recommending future direction. They are also involved in a number of major IT projects aimed at optimising the use of IT infrastructure.

The Candidate

An opportunity has become available within our Server team for an experienced Unix/Linux engineer. The successful candidate will be part of a small group of experienced technicians supporting over 100 physical and virtual servers mainly running Red Hat Enterprise Linux or Solaris with attached storage arrays. The servers run a variety of applications including Oracle databases, Weblogic, Apache and Tomcat.

You will have a strong background in systems administration with skills covering:

• Solaris and Red Hat server management
• VMware vCenter Server up to version 8.0
• Storage management – experience with Pure, Netapp and Nimble would be advantageous
• Experience of ldap technologies
• Web and application servers – mainly Apache and Tomcat

Also advantageous would be experience of working in a hybrid cloud environment especially MS Azure. Experience of container technologies such as Docker, and automation products such as Ansible would be desirable.

The postholder will work within the IT Infrastructure Server team with responsibility for the Unix/Linux infrastructure and technologies used within NSS.

Tasks Will Include

• Perform server administration tasks including installing software; patching and maintaining servers; managing users and security; server backups and recovery; monitoring systems; deploying and managing servers in physical virtual and cloud environments.
• Provide technical support to users throughout the NSS. Resolve problems within an agreed timescale by adopting an analytical approach designed to identify the cause of any perceived problem, resolve it and avoid a future recurrence.
• Manage the progression of multiple tasks where unexpected events may necessitate the switch of tasks without warning, e.g. virus attack or systems failure.
• Ensure departmental standard operating procedures (SOPs) and standards are followed.
• Liaise with business users to gather information on technical requirements or issues. Provide technical advice ensuring technical issues are clearly explained and understood.
• Keep up-to-date with new and emerging technologies by undertaking research and development as required.
• Liaise closely with colleagues within the IT department and with third party suppliers to make the best use of available resources and optimise service delivery ensuring two‑way communication and understanding of technical issues. The SBU works within an ITIL service management framework.

The IM & T Technical Specialist should be educated to degree level or equivalent. The post holder should have an appreciation of the business requirements of the NSS and combine this knowledge with finely tuned customer relation skills.

Location and Working Pattern

Gyle Square, Edinburgh or Delta House, Glasgow. Currently hybrid working. Monday‑Friday 37 Hours per week. It is a condition of this employment that you must live and remain a resident within the UK for the post in which you will be employed with NSS.

Benefits

Our benefits package includes pension scheme, comprehensive range of work life balance policies, occupational health services, learning resource centres and discounted leisure, financial and shopping benefits. HR Benefits Brochure.

Inclusion

NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) is a national board and, as an anchor institution, it is our ambition to be a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone feels welcome. We recognise that flexible working creates an inclusive workplace where employees can thrive and feel confident about their ability to balance their personal and professional responsibilities. This is supported through Once for Scotland flexible working policies. NSS has made a long‑term commitment to staff health and well‑being and offers many learning and development opportunities to support and improve our approaches to diversity, inclusion and mental health in the workplace. There are a number of equality staff networks in place which all staff are welcome to join. We are also an equal opportunities employer and as such guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies. As an accredited Disability Confident Leader, it is the aim of NSS to offer a fully accessible and inclusive recruitment service that supports applicants on their candidate journey. If you are interested in any reasonable adjustments, please contact the Recruitment Team on [e-mail]

Further Information

For an informal discussion on the post, please contact Paul McKinlay, Infrastructure S MT via email [e-mail]

Closing date for completed applications is Friday 28 November 2025.

Further information on NSS is available from: https://www.nss.nhs.scot/

Please note that the majority of correspondence is sent by e‑mail only, so please check your e‑mail regularly (including junk folders). NSS National Services Scotland is an equal opportunities employer and as committed participant in the disability confident scheme, guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.