Senior Platform Engineer (12 month Fixed Term Contract)

• About the Role
• Fixed Term Contract for 12 months

Our world-leading Time & Frequency department are seeking a Senior Platform Engineer with expertise in Microsoft infrastructure, Linux system administration, automation, security and operational support, with particular focus on Active Directory, PKI, automation, security technologies, and operational support.

This is an exceptional opportunity to join the global authority in precision timing at a defining moment for UK digital infrastructure.

Backed by a government investment of £180 million in the National Timing Centre (NTC) programme, we are developing a world-first resilient time distribution capability that will provide industry with a robust complement to satellite systems (such as GPS) – which are increasingly vulnerable to disruption from solar storms, jamming and spoofing. This will underpin essential services, including

• Telecommunications,
• Online banking,
• Emergency response,
• Transport networks, and
• Wider digital and data-driven operations.

Together, these services form the backbone of modern society - and your leadership will help ensure they remain secure, reliable and robust even if global navigation satellite systems fail.

Key Responsibilities

As a Senior Platform Engineer specialising in Linux, Tooling, and Security, you will help design, deliver, and support secure infrastructure services across complex enterprise and customer environments, with a strong focus on automation and DevOps practices. Working as part of a specialist team, you will implement, harden, automate, and support core identity, security, messaging, and infrastructure platforms, including orchestration services (Kubernetes) running on virtual platforms.

• Administering, maintaining, and securing Linux environments, including Linux/DevOps tooling and open-source Linux databases.
• Assisting with the administration, maintenance, and optimisation of VMware vCenter and vSAN environments.
• Supporting the management and utilisation of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and certificate services.
• Designing, implementing, and supporting resilient, highly available infrastructure solutions, while troubleshooting complex infrastructure, platform, and network issues.
• Delivering upgrades, migrations, patching, and lifecycle management activities.
• Developing and maintaining automation and orchestration capabilities using scripting and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Supporting enterprise security initiatives, including privileged access management, monitoring, logging, and data protection solutions.
• Producing technical documentation, operational procedures, and support runbooks.
• Contributing to disaster recovery, business continuity, and redundancy planning.
• Travelling to sites as required to support deployment, implementation, and operational activities.

• About You
• Essential Criteria

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Strong experience administering Linux Server environments within enterprise organisations, including the design, implementation, and support of Linux services.
• Experience administering, maintaining, and supporting VMware environments.
• Strong automation and scripting experience using tools such as Bash, Ansible, Terraform, Python, and other enterprise automation frameworks.
• Experience designing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting secure, resilient, and highly available systems.
• Experience producing technical documentation, operational procedures/runbooks, and implementation plans.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and engagement skills.
• Demonstrable experience in a senior infrastructure, platform engineering, systems administration, or technical consultancy role.
• Relevant Linux, security, infrastructure, or automation certifications are desirable.

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of MS Windows operating systems, with a willingness to further develop MS Windows skills and MS Tooling.
• Experience with Kubernetes and containerised platforms
• Experience supporting infrastructure in regulated, public sector, financial, or security-conscious environments.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

However, to work in this role in the Time & Frequency department, you will need to have an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as possible.

About Us

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome. More about this on our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of rewards, benefits and recognition. Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.