Systems Engineer - Splunk

Sanderson Government & Defence; Newport; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanderson Government & Defence in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced System Specialist (Splunk) to join a high-performing SOC. This hands-on role supports SIEM operations, upgrades, migrations and service improvements in a critical programme.

You will provide end-to-end Splunk admin, ensure health and security, deploy add-ons, and contribute to automation. Active SC clearance required, onsite Newport (5 days) under a 3-month initial contract with rolling extensions.

Qualifications

• Hands-on Splunk Enterprise administration experience.
• Experience delivering end-to-end SIEM support in enterprise/security environments.
• Strong knowledge of Splunk upgrades, health checks, monitoring and troubleshooting.
• Proficient in Unix/Linux administration and shell scripting.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end administration and support of the Splunk SIEM platform.
• Conduct Splunk health checks and performance monitoring across the environment.
• Support planned migrations, upgrades and platform enhancement activities.
• Create, maintain and optimise Splunk alerts, dashboards and reports.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation and operational procedures.
• Deploy and manage Splunk Technology Add-ons (TAs).
• Troubleshoot platform issues and implement corrective actions.
• Work closely with SOC analysts, engineers and wider security teams.
• Manage and modify configuration files, deploying changes through Git/GitLab repositories.
• Support automation initiatives through scripting and process improvement.

Skills

Splunk Enterprise

End-to-end SIEM support

Unix/Linux administration

Unix shell scripting

Git/GitLab version control

Splunk dashboards/alerts

Documentation/Procedures

Tools

GitLab

Git

Job description

System Engineer (Splunk) | SC Cleared

Location: Newport (5 days onsite)
Contract: 3 Months Initial Contract (Rolling Extensions, likely 6+ months)
Start Date: 1st November
Clearance: Active SC Clearance Required
IR35 Status: Inside IR35
Rate: Competitive/Market Rate

Overview

We are seeking an experienced System Specialist (Splunk) to join a high-performing Security Operations Centre (SOC) team supporting a critical programme of work. This is an exciting opportunity for a hands-on Splunk professional with strong Unix administration skills and a SecDevOps mindset to support ongoing SIEM operations, upgrades, migrations and service improvements.

The successful candidate will provide end-to-end support for the Splunk platform, ensuring optimal system health, performance and security while contributing to automation and operational efficiencies.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end administration and support of the Splunk SIEM platform.
• Conduct Splunk health checks and performance monitoring across the environment.
• Support planned migrations, upgrades and platform enhancement activities.
• Create, maintain and optimise Splunk alerts, dashboards and reports.
• Produce and maintain technical documentation and operational procedures.
• Deploy and manage Splunk Technology Add-ons (TAs).
• Troubleshoot platform issues and implement corrective actions.
• Work closely with SOC analysts, engineers and wider security teams.
• Manage and modify configuration files, deploying changes through Git/GitLab repositories.
• Support automation initiatives through scripting and process improvement.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong hands-on experience administering and supporting Splunk Enterprise environments.
• Experience providing end-to-end SIEM support within enterprise or security-focused environments.
• Solid understanding of Splunk upgrades, health checks, monitoring and troubleshooting.
• Strong Unix/Linux administration skills.
• Experience performing Unix maintenance and administrative tasks.
• Proficiency in Unix shell scripting.
• Experience creating and maintaining Splunk dashboards, alerts and documentation.
• Regular use of GitLab/Git for version control and configuration management.
• Experience managing application configuration files and deployments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Active SC Clearance.

Desirable Skills

• PowerShell scripting and automation experience.
• Exposure to DevSecOps or SecDevOps practices and tooling.
• Experience supporting large-scale or government security environments.
• Knowledge of SIEM migration projects.
• Familiarity with automation and infrastructure-as-code principles.

What's on Offer?

• Long-term contract opportunity with strong extension potential.
• Work on a high-profile security programme.
• Collaborative SOC environment with cutting-edge security technologies.
• Competitive daily rate.
• Opportunity to contribute to SIEM transformation and operational improvement initiatives.

Please note:

Due to the nature of the project, applicants must hold active SC Clearance and be eligible to work onsite in Newport.

Reasonable Adjustments:

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.