Job Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior Network Engineer specialising in NHS and healthcare environments to lead the design, implementation, and management of complex network infrastructures. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in ensuring the security, reliability, and high availability of our healthcare network systems. This role offers an excellent opportunity to contribute to critical health services through advanced network engineering practices, supporting telecommunication systems, data centres, and cloud integrations across NHS facilities. The ideal applicant will possess extensive expertise in computer networking, network security, and system administration within a healthcare context.
You will act as the technical authority for a complex estate including Cisco Catalyst core switching, Cisco Meraki networks, Fortinet FortiGate firewalls etc and HSCN connectivity. The role requires someone confident handling major incidents independently, managing day-to-day operations, and leading a network team supporting live clinical services.
Responsibilities
* Design, deploy, and maintain secure and scalable network architectures including LAN, WAN, MPLS, and SD-WAN solutions tailored for NHS and healthcare environments.
* Manage and support network infrastructure components such as Cisco routers, Cisco & Fortinet Firewalls, switches, SANs, and wireless access points.
* Support and manage HSCN connectivity, ensuring compliance with NHS standards.
* Manage and support RADIUS / AAA services for network authentication (Broadband – FTTP, VDSL etc.)
* Extensive Experience on NNI handover and access technologies (Ethernet, FTTP, VDSL) for Layer 2.
* Work closely with NHS stakeholders, suppliers, and third-party service providers like BT Wholesale, Zen Wholesale etc.
* Implement and oversee VPNs (including IPsec), firewall policies, load balancing solutions, and high availability configurations to ensure continuous service delivery.
* Administer critical network protocols including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, LDAP, NFS, SSH, SFTP, SNMP (SolarWinds), PRTG monitoring tools and utilise network management platforms like SolarWinds or Splunk for performance optimisation.
* Configure and support telecommunication systems such as VoIP and QoS policies to optimise voice traffic over IP networks.
* Conduct system administration tasks across operating systems including Windows Server environments (Active Directory), Linux distributions (Debian, CentOS, Ubuntu), UNIX variants (Solaris), VMware vSphere virtualisation platforms and cloud services like Azure and AWS.
* Develop automation scripts using PowerShell or Bash to streamline network operations; utilise Ansible for configuration management.
* Monitor network security through IDS/IPS systems; implement encryption standards such as SSL/TLS; manage PKI certificates; enforce SSO protocols; maintain compliance with NHS cybersecurity policies.
* Lead incident response efforts for network issues; perform root cause analysis; recommend improvements based on network monitoring data.
* Manage incidents, problems, and changes using HALO ITSM
* Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support system upgrades and migrations ensuring minimal disruption to healthcare services.
Qualifications
* Proven experience in enterprise-level network engineering within healthcare or NHS settings is essential (HSCN Provider)
* Extensive knowledge of computer networking concepts including routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), TCP/IP stack, VLANs, VPNs (IPsec), DNS/DHCP management.
* Strong familiarity with Cisco networking hardware (routers & firewalls), Juniper devices, SAN storage solutions and virtualisation platforms such as VMware vSphere.
* Proficiency in managing cloud environments like Azure and AWS; experience with automation tools such as Ansible is desirable.
* Demonstrated ability to implement secure network architectures incorporating SSL/TLS encryption standards; experience with network security tools including IDS/IPS is required.
* Skilled in scripting languages including PowerShell or Bash for automation tasks; experience with network monitoring tools like SolarWinds or PRTG is advantageous.
* Relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNP/CCIE Security or Data Centre certifications are highly desirable.
* NNI handover and access technologies (Ethernet, FTTP, VDSL)
* Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to work under pressure within a fast-paced healthcare environment.
* Strong communication skills with the ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders. This position offers a unique chance to contribute significantly to NHS healthcare infrastructure by ensuring robust and secure networks that support vital medical services across multiple facilities.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent, Temporary, Fixed term contract, Temp to perm
Contract length: 6 months
Pay: £40,326.73-£50,451.49 per year
Expected hours: 20 – 30 per week
Benefits:
* Company pension
* Flexitime
* Free parking
* On-site parking
* Sick pay
* Work from home
Experience:
* HSCN: 5 years (preferred)
Language:
* English (preferred)
Licence/Certification:
* CCNA (preferred)
Location:
* Telford TF2 9NT (preferred)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Telford TF2 9NT