About Oxford Nanopore Technologies
Oxford Nanopore Technologies is headquartered at the Oxford Science Park, UK, with a global presence across the US, APAC, and Europe.
We bring together expertise from science, engineering, and software to build technology that enables real-time analysis of DNA and RNA at any scale.
The Role
You will take ownership of core infrastructure, ensuring systems are reliable, well-maintained, and continuously improving. The role blends system administration, troubleshooting, and automation, with plenty of scope to simplify and streamline how things are done.
You’ll work closely with other engineers, development teams, manufacturing and compliance and development teams, focusing on keeping environments stable and usable rather than introducing unnecessary complexity.
Key Responsibilities
1. Maintain and support Ubuntu-based Linux systems across on-prem and limited cloud environments
2. Own system health: patching, upgrades, monitoring, and issue resolution
3. Troubleshoot incidents and see problems through to root cause
4. Build and maintain Ansible automation for configuration and routine tasks
5. Automate repetitive work where it adds value
6. Support VMware (vSphere) environments and virtual machines
7. Work with physical infrastructure (servers, basic hardware issues, cabling)
8. Support Docker / Docker Compose environments
9. Maintain storage and file systems (NFS, autofs)
10. Monitor systems and respond to alerts (OpenMetrics, SNMP-based tooling)
11. Manage SSL certificates and apply security best practices
12. Work within ITIL processes (incident, change, problem management)
13. Create and maintain clear, useful documentation
What We’re Looking For
Essential Skills
14. Strong Linux administration (Ubuntu preferred)
15. Bash scripting and practical automation experience
16. Ansible (including testing approaches such as Molecule)
17. VMware / vSphere experience
18. Solid networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS)
19. Experience with storage systems (NFS, autofs)
20. Familiarity with Docker / Docker Compose
21. Monitoring and alerting (e.g. SNMP, OpenMetrics)
22. Experience with Git (GitHub or GitLab) and CI/CD pipelines
23. Strong troubleshooting and fault-finding skills
24. Experience with Active Directory, LDAP, or Samba
25. Clear communication and documentation skills
Nice to Have
26. Python for automation
27. Terraform (basic exposure)
28. Experience in controlled and compliant environments such as manufacturing and labs
29. Experience working in dynamic environments such as research and development
Practical Requirements
30. Own transport for occasional trips to ONT sites (Harwell, Abingdon, Oxford)
31. Flexibility to come to site as required for hands-on work and meetings
What Success Looks Like
32. Systems are stable, patched, and well understood
33. Repetitive tasks are reduced through pragmatic automation
34. Issues are resolved properly, not repeatedly
35. Improvements are steady, practical, and low-risk
36. Documentation is clear and genuinely useful
Summary
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working close to the systems, taking ownership, and making things better over time. You should be comfortable balancing automation with hands-on operational work and motivated by keeping environments reliable and efficient.
We offer outstanding benefits to include an attractive bonus, generous pension contributions, private healthcare and an excellent starting salary. Based within beautiful, landscaped surroundings with tree-lined walks, water features and a lake, all of which make for a wonderful working environment.
If you are looking to utilise your skills to really make a difference to humankind, then consider joining our team and apply today!