Rate: £400-£450 per day Inside IR35
Duration: 6 months initially (view to extend)
The Physical Layer Datacenter Engineer is responsible for the design, detailed engineering, implementation, and quality assurance of all Layer 1 infrastructure within enterprise and colocation datacenter environments. This role owns physical installation design, rack layouts, minor material Bills of Materials (BOMs), and QA/QC oversight for technician and vendor installations, and serves as a technical liaison to customers for physical infrastructure discussions and coordination.
Key Responsibilities
Physical Layer Design & Detailed Engineering
* Produce physical installation designs including rack elevations, cable routing, fiber distribution layouts, and patching schemes
* Develop detailed engineering packages for technician execution, including installation drawings, port assignments, labelling conventions, and work instructions
* Perform site surveys and validate existing physical infrastructure prior to design finalization
* Define installation methods aligned with space, airflow, power pathways, and scalability requirements
Installation BOM & Material Planning
* Create and maintain minor material Bills of Materials (BOMs) supporting installations (fiber jumpers, copper cables, cassettes, patch panels, cable management, labeling materials)
* Validate material compatibility with approved designs and existing infrastructure
* Coordinate with supply chain, field teams, and vendors to ensure material availability
* Review and approve material substitutions as needed
QA/QC Oversight for Technician Installations
* Provide quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) for all technician and vendor-performed Layer 1 work
* Validate installations against approved designs, engineering packages, and BOMs
* Review test results (OTDR, power levels, continuity) and as-built documentation
* Conduct post-installation audits and site walk-throughs prior to service turn-up
* Identify defects, drive remediation, and approve final installation acceptance
Customer & Stakeholder Technical Liaison
* Act as the technical point of contact for customers regarding physical layer design, installation, and readiness
* Participate in customer-facing technical discussions, walkthroughs, and design reviews
* Translate customer requirements into executable physical layer designs and work packages
* Communicate installation status, risks, and constraints to customers and internal stakeholders
* Support customer acceptance and handoff for completed physical infrastructure work
Standards, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
* Own physical layer standards, installation guidelines, and acceptance criteria
* Ensure compliance with TIA, BICSI, and internal engineering standards
* Identify recurring installation, material, or quality issues and implement corrective actions
* Support audits and compliance reviews
Vendor & Project Coordination
* Oversee vendors and installation partners during project execution
* Review vendor deliverables including designs, BOMs, test results, and as-built documentation
* Serve as the physical layer authority for project acceptance and closeout
Cross-Functional Collaboration
* Partner with network engineering, server, storage, facilities, and project teams
* Ensure physical layer readiness for network turn-ups, migrations, and expansions
* Support incident response and root cause analysis related to Layer 1 infrastructure
Required Qualifications
* 5+ years of experience in datacenter physical layer engineering or operations
* Experience producing installation designs, detailed engineering packages, and minor material BOMs
* Demonstrated QA/QC oversight of technician or vendor installations
* Strong knowledge of fiber optic (SMF/MMF, MTP/MPO) and copper cabling systems
* Hands-on experience with fiber testing tools (OTDR, power meter, VFL)
* Experience participating in customer-facing technical discussions
Preferred Qualifications
* BICSI RCDD, ETA, or equivalent certifications
* Experience supporting large-scale datacenter or service provider environments
* Familiarity with DCIM, asset management, and change management tools
* Knowledge of high-density and modular cabling architectures
Soft Skills
* Strong customer-facing communication and technical presentation skills
* High attention to detail and quality-focused mindset
* Ability to translate customer requirements into executable designs
* Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects
Work Environment
* Remote office
* Travel between datacenter locations may be required
We are committed to equal opportunities and actively seeks applications from all sectors of the community irrespective of sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, having responsibility for dependents, age, religion/beliefs, or any other reason which cannot be shown to be justified.