Senior Platform Engineer (Fixed-Term Contract)

Salary: £50,000 - 50,000 per year

Requirements:

• We require strong experience administering Linux server environments within enterprise organisations, including designing, implementing and supporting Linux services.
• We require experience administering, maintaining and supporting VMware environments.
• We require strong automation and scripting experience using tools such as Bash, Ansible, Terraform, Python and other enterprise automation frameworks.
• We require experience designing, implementing, maintaining and supporting secure, resilient and highly available systems.
• We require experience producing technical documentation, operational procedures or runbooks, and implementation plans.
• We require strong stakeholder management, communication and engagement skills.
• We require demonstrable experience in a senior infrastructure, platform engineering, systems administration or technical consultancy role.
• Relevant Linux, security, infrastructure or automation certifications are desirable.
• Knowledge of MS Windows operating systems is desirable, along with a willingness to further develop MS Windows and MS Tooling skills.
• Experience with Kubernetes and containerised platforms is desirable.
• Experience supporting infrastructure in regulated, public sector, financial or security-conscious environments is desirable.
• We require BPSS security clearance. For this role, we require unrestricted SC clearance or the ability to obtain SC clearance. Nationality, residency and security requirements may apply.

Responsibilities:

• Design, deliver and support secure infrastructure services across complex enterprise and customer environments, with a focus on automation and DevOps practices.
• Implement, harden, automate and support identity, security, messaging and infrastructure platforms, including Kubernetes orchestration services running on virtual platforms.
• Administer, maintain and secure Linux environments, including Linux and DevOps tooling and open-source Linux databases.
• Assist with administering, maintaining and optimising VMware vCenter and vSAN environments.
• Support the management and use of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and certificate services.
• Design, implement and support resilient, highly available infrastructure solutions, and troubleshoot complex infrastructure, platform and network issues.
• Deliver upgrades, migrations, patching and lifecycle management activities.
• Develop and maintain automation and orchestration capabilities using scripting and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Support enterprise security initiatives, including privileged access management, monitoring, logging and data protection solutions.
• Produce technical documentation, operational procedures and support runbooks.
• Contribute to disaster recovery, business continuity and redundancy planning.
• Travel to sites as required to support deployment, implementation and operational activities.

Technologies:

• Ansible
• Bash
• DevOps
• Support
• Kubernetes
• Linux
• Network
• Python
• Security
• Terraform
• VMware
• Windows
• Active Directory
• Backbone
• Embedded

More:

We are offering a 12-month fixed-term contract in our world-leading Time & Frequency department at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), a centre of excellence in measurement science, engineering and technology. We contribute to the £180 million National Timing Centre programme, developing a resilient time distribution capability to complement satellite systems and support essential services such as telecommunications, online banking, emergency response and transport. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to diversity, inclusion, equal opportunity and reasonable adjustments. Candidates who meet the minimum criteria may be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme. We offer flexible working, social activities, a range of rewards, benefits and recognition, and a culture focused on employee health, wellbeing and work-life balance. Applications and interviews may take place throughout the advert period, and we may bring the closing date forward.

last updated 39 week of 2026