Job Description
Infrastructure Engineer Ref. 3481
Department: Engineering
Location(s): Manchester, Samlesbury
Salary: £36,408, plus a recruitment bonus of £2,000, dependent on skills assessed during the interview. Additionally, there is an opportunity to obtain a skills bonus of £4,513, based on a skills review during your first year in the role.
Job description
Flexible Working: This role is primarily office-based, with most of the work undertaken in the office and a small proportion of time working outside of the office. We offer flexible working hours, including options for compressed and part-time shifts. While working from home isn’t guaranteed, it might be possible on occasion, based on personal and business needs. Once you’re fully trained, you may also be required to join an on-call rota.
About Us
GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage. At GCHQ you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.
The Role
As an Infrastructure Engineer, you’ll become part of a friendly and skilled team dedicated to finding end-to-end solutions that optimise our systems and support our mission. You’ll be assigned a specialism based on your suitability, either at recruitment stage or following an in-role assessment. Specialisms include:
Tailored Acquisitions
Platform Engineers
Network Engineers
DevOps Engineers
Web Technology SMEs
Whatever your specialism, you’ll have real influence and impact. You might develop solutions for existing and future infrastructure or create innovative approaches to operational challenges. By contributing to your team’s success, you’ll also hone technical skills that advance your career. Whether you’re troubleshooting infrastructure issues or supporting operational tasks throughout their lifecycle, gain plenty of exposure to unique technology and grow in both confidence and experience.
This role involves collaboration. Work in both big and small teams, depending on the project, and engage with a range of customers. Additionally, collaborate with analysts across varied missions and the wider technical community to develop customer-driven infrastructure. In doing so, meet unique requirements, develop pioneering solutions, and help enable the success of our mission.
About You
Are you passionate about IT and technology? Do you thrive in vibrant environments and love learning new skills? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you!
You only need one qualification: GCSE grade 4/C or above, or an equivalent Level 2 qualification in Maths. No other specific qualifications or deep technical background are required. You might have a background in STEM, experience working in a small company with exposure to end-to-end products, or simply a passion for IT and technology. If you’re enthusiastic, motivated, and eager to learn new skills, you’ll thrive in this role.
Organised and adaptable, you prioritise tasks effectively and stay focussed under pressure. You analyse problems and are willing to explore different approaches to find creative solutions. Moreover, you communicate those solutions to customers with clarity. No matter where you are in your career, if you have a passion for learning new skills in an environment that values collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and innovation, this opportunity is for you.
Training and Development
When you start, you’ll be assigned a “buddy” and a mentor to help you settle into the role and life at GCHQ. You’ll engage in a mix of formal and on-the-job training and be given ownership of tasks early in your role. At the beginning, you’ll collaborate with your team and line manager on initial responsibilities to develop your skills and ease into the types of projects you’ll be working on. As an Infrastructure Engineer, you’ll rotate through each of the three areas of our large team, spending 6 months in each area. This will help you gain comprehensive knowledge and a well-rounded experience. After 18 months, you’ll be placed in the team that best matches your skills. Please note that the rotation and training programme described is specific to our Samlesbury location. Manchester will have its own tailored training programme.
Depending on your specialism, you’ll have the opportunity to develop a wider range of valuable skills including:
• Technical risk management: Learn to identify, assess, and mitigate technical risks.
• Operational security: Gain expertise in protecting systems and data from threats.
• Domain services (Windows/Linux): Master the management of domain services across different operating systems.
• Operating system administration and security (Windows/Linux/Android/iOS): Enhance your skills in administering and securing various operating systems.
• Web technologies (Tor/VPNs/Proxies/CDNs/Cloud): Dive into the world of web technologies and learn to navigate complex networks.
• Scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash): Develop proficiency in scripting to automate tasks and improve efficiency.
• Virtualisation technologies (vSphere, Hyper-V): Explore virtualisation technologies and their applications.
• Networking (Cisco, Juniper, NSX): Build your knowledge in networking with industry-leading technologies.
• Automation Tooling (Terraform/Ansible/Docker): Get hands-on experience with automation tools to streamline processes.
• Monitoring and analysis (ELK, Splunk): Learn to monitor and analyse systems using powerful tools.
• Storage (3PAR & Primera): Understand the intricacies of storage solutions and their management.
We aim to develop your knowledge through exposure and using the right technologies for the problem. You’ll gain experience with a wide variety of tech tools and programming. As your skills develop, we’ll support your applications for specialist skill payments that recognize your abilities. We’ll also encourage you to pursue external training when necessary to enhance your knowledge of new technologies and provide opportunities to gain relevant funded qualifications.
Rewards and Benefits
You’ll receive a starting salary of £36,408, with the opportunity for additional skills payments once in role, plus other benefits including:
• 25 days of annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years of service, plus 10.5 days of public and privilege holidays.
• Opportunities to be recognized through our employee performance scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan (travel and parking).
• Excellent pension scheme.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on-site coffee bars (at some locations).
• Paid parental and adoption leave.
Equal Opportunities
At GCHQ, diversity is critical to our mission. We need a workforce that reflects society, including different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, identities, orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We welcome applications from everyone, especially under-represented groups such as women, minorities, people with disabilities, and those from low socio-economic backgrounds. More about our culture and environment can be found at:
https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/life-at-gchq/-.html
We’re Confident
GCHQ has achieved Leader status within the DWP’s Confident scheme, demonstrating our commitment to recruiting, retaining, and developing disabled people. We offer a fair number of interviews to candidates who self-identify as disabled and meet the role's essential criteria, known as the ‘Offer of Interview’ (OOI). To secure an interview, you must demonstrate during application:
• A GCSE or Level 2 qualification in Maths at Grade 4/C or above.
• Motivation to work for GCHQ as an Infrastructure Engineer.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Awareness of emerging technologies.
Additional support is available through our recruitment process. Details on reasonable adjustments are at:
https://www.gchq-careers.co.uk/how-to-apply.html
What to Expect
Our recruitment process includes:
• Application Sift: Review of motivation and essential skills.
• Interview: Skills assessment and potential skills payment.
• Conditional Offer: Successful candidates receive a conditional employment offer.
Note that each stage must be passed to proceed, and the process may take 6-9 months including vetting. We advise continuing current employment until final offer.
Before You Apply
Applicants must be British or hold dual British citizenship. Full eligibility criteria are available on our website.
This role requires Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance, common in the UK Intelligence Community. More about vetting can be found at the provided link.
We have a strict drugs policy. Recreational drug use is prohibited once you start your application, and previous usage must be declared.
For security, create a separate email for your application, avoiding identifiable information. The role is based in Samlesbury or Manchester; consider travel and relocation costs as we do not cover these.
Applications from outside the UK are not accepted until visiting the UK. Discuss your application only with close contacts.
Right to Withdraw: We may close the application early if enough applications are received. Submit early to avoid missing out.
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