IT Operations Engineer (Infrastructure & Network Lead)
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Veterinary Medicines Directorate provided pay range
This range is provided by Veterinary Medicines Directorate. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — talk with your recruiter to learn more.
Base pay range
Salary: £46,060 + 25 days Annual Leave + Pension Scheme with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
Location: Addlestone, Surrey KT15 3LS
Job Reference: 437292
Closing date for applications: 29 December 2025
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and is responsible for ensuring the safety, quality, and efficacy of veterinary medicines in the UK.
We have a vacancy for IT Operations Engineer (Infrastructure & Network Lead).
Responsibilities
Your role as our IT Operations Engineer will be to focus on our Networks, Servers, and IT infrastructure, hands‑on technical lead, for day‑to‑day networking and cloud platform operations across our site and Microsoft cloud tenancy. You will provide 1st–3rd line support for networks and core infrastructure, collaborate closely with our managed service providers, third‑party service providers and vendors for escalations and complex changes, and steward our Azure/M365 estate.
You will also liaise with our managed AWS provider to ensure effective service and knowledge flow to the technical operations team.
Technical Expertise
* Infrastructure & Network: Strong understanding of servers, storage systems, Active Directory, and network technologies (switching, routing, firewalls, VPNs, Wi‑Fi). Experience with installation, configuration, and maintenance of operating systems, including virtualised environments.
* Hybrid Environment: Knowledge of cloud platforms (Azure, M365 modern technology) and their integration with on‑premises infrastructure.
* Disaster Recovery & Security: Familiarity with backup strategies, DR planning, and security best practices for infrastructure and networks.
* Hands‑on delivery of 1st–3rd line support for enterprise networks and Microsoft cloud services, including incident/problem/change.
* Strong knowledge of network protocols (TCP/IP, routing, switching, VLANs, QoS, VPN, wireless, DNS/DHCP) and secure configuration.
* Practical experience with Fortinet FortiGate (policy configuration, NAT, VPNs, firmware/patching, troubleshooting, HA).
* Working knowledge of managed Wi‑Fi platforms, captive portals/802.1X, and RADIUS/NPS.
* Solid experience with Azure/M365 core services—Entra ID (Azure AD), Conditional Access & MFA, Intune, Defender, Teams, and Azure networking (VNets/NSGs/VPN).
* Clear, accurate documentation (HLD/LLD, runbooks, change plans) and strong stakeholder communication.
* Experience working with/through managed service providers and vendors, including escalation management and RCA.
* Familiarity with ITIL v4 processes (incident, problem, change, configuration).
* Ability to plan and execute out of hours changes and participate in an on‑call rota (if introduced).
Professional Skills
* Problem Solving – Ability to analyse complex technical issues, identify root causes, and implement effective solutions under pressure.
* Communication – Clear and concise written and verbal communication skills, able to convey technical information to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
* Teamwork – Works collaboratively with colleagues and external suppliers to achieve shared objectives and maintain service continuity.
* Adaptability – Demonstrates flexibility and willingness to learn new technologies and approaches in a rapidly evolving environment.
* Fault Finding – Skilled in troubleshooting on‑prem & cloud infrastructure and network incidents, applying structured diagnostic methods, and documenting resolutions for knowledge sharing.
* Vendor & Governance – Experience in coordinating with third‑party suppliers, validating deliverables, and ensuring compliance with agreed standards and SLAs.
How to Apply
We are excited to hear from you! To apply for this position, please submit your application through the Civil Service Jobs website. You can find the full job description, including details on salary and location, by clicking apply.
The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is an Equal Opportunity employer.
No Recruitment Agency, Newspaper or Publication calls please.
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Seniority level
* Associate
Employment type
* Full‑time
Job function
* Engineering and Information Technology
* Industries: Government Administration
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