Infrastructure Engineering Specialist in Manchester

This role is primarily based in our Manchester, New Bailey location with hybrid working; 3 days in the office, 2 days wherever.

Why this job matters

Our ambition is to become the world’s most trusted connector of people, devices, and machines. BT Networks plays a key role in this ambition, and many of our core network features and functions are moving to cloud, taking advantage of the scalability, flexibility, and collaborative benefits of cloud.

The Infrastructure Engineering Specialist independently works with Automation, Enterprise Systems Management (ESM) and Continuous Integration and Continuous Deployment (CICD) technologies, executing the vision of key technologies within the infrastructure landscape.

What you’ll be doing

Network Cloud is a software defined private infrastructure that hosts many of BT/EE’s core network, and network management functions, for our fixed and mobile services. We have a mixed technology stack utilising Linux, KVM, Openstack, CEPH and a mix of opensource and proprietary automation and observability solutions. We also have a mixed vendor hardware stack, including Dell, Cisco, Juniper, Infinidat, Pure and Gigamon.

The Network Cloud Infrastructure specialist works both independently whilst also being part of a team to deliver all aspects of Infrastructure build – designing, building, deploying, maintaining, evolution and efficiency optimisations.

As part of this team, you will:

• Design & development: Lead on the creation and implementation of high- and low-level designs for stable network and infrastructure environments that meet the needs for customers and partners, and are compliant with current security, privacy, and audit requirements. Deliver the required documentation to successfully land new solutions into the support organisation.
• Testing & Platform Validation: Lead on the platform testing strategy for all infrastructure types, defining and delivering automated testing to support the testing and validation of the platform design and evolution. Execute engineering efforts to ensure currency and supportability of platform technology.
• Hardware/Software Evolution: Contributing to the exploration of cutting-edge technologies through the deployment of new technology proof-of-concept projects, participation in their assessment, and development into an in-life service. Lead on the evolution or platform hardware and software being involved in projects such as major component swap outs and the introduction of future hardware. Work to ensure that all Evolution projects are delivered with suitable optimisation and efficiency working with vendors and stakeholders to realise suitable options.
• Automation and observability: Create automations for all implementation, monitoring, and maintenance tasks. Support the OSS teams to deliver innovative ways to monitor the performance of the platform enabling additional visibility of the efficiency on Network Cloud.
• Operations: Provide support for platform incidents from our dedicated NOC. Audits and reports on the performance and the overall health and efficiency making recommendations of actions or enhancements.
• Integration: Manage the installation, testing, and setup of new hardware both physical and virtual (firewalls, routers, switching, monitoring). Support the implementation of core and cloud infrastructure security to manage risks and exposure.

Skills you'll need

• Experience in designing, building, deploying, maintaining, evolving and optimising infrastructure.
• Strong interest in researching new technologies.
• Vendor and tenant engagement – being able to work with Vendors and tenants to understand how the work you are delivering will impact or integrate with their solutions.
• Strong knowledge of Linux configuration management.
• Good knowledge of Linux networking including bridging, routing, iptables and diagnostic tools such as tcpdump, ping etc.
• Ability to develop and maintain programs and scripts that aid in the operation and automation of tasks using various shell and any scripting languages (Ansible/bash/Python).
• An understanding of code review and familiarity with tools like GitLab & Jenkins.
• Familiarity with enterprise grade server hardware (Dell/Cisco); enterprise grade switch hardware and software (Juniper,Junos) and enterprise grade CPU technologies (Intel/AMD).
• Familiarity with Infrastructure as Code technologies (Terraform/Ansible) and orchestration tools such as Jenkins.
• Familiarity with OpenStack.
• General knowledge of change control and operational security processes and the importance of these processes to the integrity of services you operate.

Benefits

At BT, we entertain, educate and empower millions of people every single day. We’re a brand built on connecting people – whether that’s friends, family, businesses or communities. Working here, you’ll receive an attractive salary and a range of competitive benefits, but – more than that – you’ll be joining an ambitious organisation with a culture of togetherness, collaboration and inclusivity.

• Tailored training and development opportunities to continue to build your career.
• 10% on target bonus.
• 25 days’ annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service.
• Life Assurance.
• Pension scheme - If you pay in a minimum of 5% of your pensionable salary every month we will pay in 10%.
• Direct Share scheme.
• Option to join the Healthcare Cash Plan or other benefits such as dental insurance, gym memberships etc.
• 50% off EE mobile pay monthly or SIM only plans.
• Exclusive colleague discounts on our latest and greatest BT broadband packages.
• BT TV, including TNT Sports and NOW entertainment.
• Shared Parental leave - maximum amount of leave you can share with your partner is 50 weeks.

Our leadership standards

• Looking in: Leading inclusively and safely. I inspire and build trust through self-awareness, honesty and integrity.
• Owning outcomes: I take the right decisions that benefit the broader organisation.
• Looking out: Delivering for the customer. I execute brilliantly on clear priorities that add value to our customers and the wider business.
• Commercially savvy: I demonstrate strong commercial focus, bringing an external perspective to decision-making.
• Looking to the future: Growth mindset. I experiment and identify opportunities for growth for both myself and the organisation.
• Building for the future. I build diverse future-ready teams where all individuals can be at their best.

About us

BT Group was the world’s first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled. As home to several of the UK’s most recognised and cherished brands – BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business. Over the next two years, we will complete the UK’s largest and most successful digital infrastructure project – connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband. Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other. While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come. This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK’s best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country’s biggest infrastructure companies. Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented. BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

A FEW POINTS TO NOTE: Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch. We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.

DON'T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT? Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway - you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.