Senior Networks Engineer

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); Wolverton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A government department in the UK is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to lead a team in designing and configuring solutions to ensure system resilience. The ideal candidate will have extensive networking knowledge, experience with Cisco and Palo Alto technologies, and a focus on mentoring junior colleagues. This role involves problem-solving in secure environments while contributing to national security. Competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for professional development are offered.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Generous holiday entitlement

Civil Service Pension

On-site gym

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Solid background in networking and infrastructure.
• Experience in designing and supporting resilient systems.
• Ability to communicate clearly and confidently.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement solutions based on business requirements.
• Manage and prioritize team tasks to resolve incidents quickly.
• Mentor junior colleagues and support senior engineers.

Skills

Networking

Infrastructure design

Team leadership

Problem-solving

Documentation

Adaptability

Tools

Cisco ASA

Palo Alto Firewalls

Big IP (F5)

VMware

Azure

Job description

Responsibilities

• I need you to have the ability to design, configure, and implement solutions based on our business requirements. It's essential for you to work effectively under pressure and meet tight deadlines while managing rapidly changing priorities and workloads. You will collaborate closely with project managers, developers, incident and problem managers, as well as external suppliers. Your role will involve translating technical terminology and building trusted relationships. Whether you are optimizing systems, escalating service issues, or producing high and low-level documentation, I expect you to communicate clearly and confidently while also focusing on your professional growth and staying updated with the latest technologies and best practices.

• As a natural-born leader, you will help develop our team of engineers—setting direction, coaching individuals, and driving high performance. You will balance people management with hands‑on technical work, managing and prioritizing day‑to‑day tasks to ensure our requirements are met and incidents are resolved quickly. When you encounter complex or unprecedented issues, I trust that you will leverage your expertise and initiative to find effective solutions. You will also spot patterns, address recurring issues, and recommend process enhancements to improve our technical services. Supporting and mentoring junior colleagues is vital, and sharing your expertise while assisting senior engineers when needed will be part of your role.

Technologies

• Azure
• Cisco
• Network
• Security
• VMware
• Cloud
• DevOps
• Support

Qualifications

• More: I seek individuals who are confident working in secure, complex environments and possess a strong background in networking and infrastructure. Your comfort in designing, configuring, and supporting solutions that ensure system resilience is essential. Attention to detail is crucial, whether managing protocols or troubleshooting across networks, as you will bring precision and reliability to every task. I also expect you to produce documentation, report on key performance measures, and share your knowledge with others. Being adaptable, proactive, and committed to ongoing skill development is key to your success in this role. When you join us, you'll play a vital role in keeping people, information, and assets safe worldwide. I want you to feel proud of your contributions, and in return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and a Civil Service Pension. Additionally, you will have access to training and development opportunities to advance your career with us. Our offices provide an on‑site gym, nursery, café, and restaurant, along with interest‑free loans for season tickets and bikes to facilitate your commute. I must also mention that every colleague must go through a mandatory security clearance process. If you succeed in your application, I will ask you to undergo our vetting process to achieve Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. Together, we can protect a diverse world, and I value a diverse team that reflects various skills, backgrounds, cultures, and identities. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and recognized as a 'Carer Confident' workplace, ensuring that every individual feels welcome and valued. I may also consider candidates who come close to meeting the criteria for other positions within our organization, potentially at a lower grade, if there is a relevant skills match.

• As a senior network engineer, I expect you to have a solid working knowledge of the following network technologies:

  • Cisco ASA
  • Palo Alto Firewalls
  • Big IP (F5)
  • Network Protocols
  • Cisco Switching, Routing, Security, and wireless technologies
  • Knowledge of Virtual Environments and virtual network solutions (i.e., VMWare, Azure)