SC Cleared Systems Engineer

The Opportunity Hub UK Ltd; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Private medical insurance

Dental insurance

Enhanced pension

Bonuses

Career development

Job summary

The Opportunity Hub UK Ltd is seeking a SC-cleared Systems Engineer to design, build, and maintain secure infrastructure for Defence & government programmes from a Manchester-based hybrid role.

You will troubleshoot complex issues across networks and servers, apply security hardening, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to upgrade systems on schedule. Strong communication and calm, methodical thinking are essential.

Qualifications

• Active SC clearance is essential for this role.
• Strong background in systems engineering, networking or infrastructure support.
• Familiarity with security frameworks used in defence/government environments.
• Experience with structured change control and best practices.
• Ability to explain technical detail to non-technical stakeholders.
• Methodical, calm under pressure, and curious about how systems fit together.

Responsibilities

• Design, build and maintain secure systems infrastructure supporting Defence & Government programmes
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues across networks, servers and integrated platforms
• Apply security hardening and accreditation standards throughout the systems lifecycle
• Work with cross-functional teams to deliver system upgrades and migrations on schedule
• Produce technical documentation that meets government and MOD assurance requirements
• Support incident response and root cause analysis on live operational systems

Skills

Active SC clearance

Systems engineering

Security frameworks

Change control

Clear communication

Calm under pressure

Job description

Step into this SC Cleared Systems Engineer role and build something that matters in Defence & Government.

Defence and government programmes run on infrastructure that simply cannot fail, and that reliability comes down to the engineers who design and maintain it. This position sits within an established enterprise organisation known across the sector for large-scale, mission-critical delivery. You'll be working alongside people who've been doing this for decades, on systems where precision actually counts.

Here’s what you’ll be doing:

• Design, build and maintain secure systems infrastructure supporting Defence & Government programmes
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues across networks, servers and integrated platforms
• Apply security hardening and accreditation standards throughout the systems lifecycle
• Work with cross-functional teams to deliver system upgrades and migrations on schedule
• Produce technical documentation that meets government and MOD assurance requirements
• Support incident response and root cause analysis on live operational systems

Here are the skills you’ll need:

• Active SC clearance (essential, non-negotiable for this role)
• Solid grounding in systems engineering, networking or infrastructure support
• Familiarity with security frameworks relevant to Defence & Government environments
• Comfortable working to established best practices and structured change control
• Clear communicator who can explain technical detail to non-technical stakeholders
• Methodical, calm under pressure, and genuinely curious about how systems fit together

Key perks and benefits:

• £42,000 to £62,500, depending on experience
• Hybrid working, based from Manchester
• Private medical and dental insurance
• Enhanced pension scheme and performance-based bonuses
• Comprehensive benefits package and structured career development

Why pursue a career in Defence & Government?

The sector isn't slowing down. Budgets are growing, programmes are lengthening, and the demand for cleared engineers keeps outpacing supply. Manchester has become a genuine hub for this kind of work, with several major defence and public sector employers building out technical teams here rather than defaulting to London. Progress in this field tends to be structured and visible, and the work itself carries a weight you don't always get elsewhere.