Technical Consultant

Apto Solutions is a specialist technology consultancy based in Bristol. We help large organisations such as banks, energy companies, airports, and investment platforms get real value from the data that flows through their IT infrastructure. This involves helping them monitor their systems, protect their networks, and make sense of the information generated by their technology every day.

We take graduate development seriously. This isn't a role where you'll spend your first year making coffee and watching others work. From day one, you'll be involved in live client engagements, learning from experienced engineers and consultants, and building skills that have a clear path to progression.

The Opportunity: We're looking for a Graduate Consultant to join our Data practice. You'll work alongside senior colleagues on the design, deployment, and optimisation of monitoring and observability platforms, primarily Splunk and Cribl, helping enterprise clients get real value from their telemetry data. This is a Grade 1 role. The salary range reflects where you will start and grow as you develop your skills across the role. By the time you complete Grade 1 and progress to Grade 2, you will be operating independently on client engagements and demonstrating the full Consultant capability profile. No prior Splunk or Cribl experience is required; we will train you. What matters is a genuine interest in data engineering, a willingness to learn, and the communication skills to work with clients.

What You'll Do: During Grade 1, your responsibilities will grow over time as your confidence and capability develop. You will start by supporting experienced colleagues before taking on increasingly independent work.

• Technical Work: Assist in the configuration and deployment of Splunk, Cribl, and observability tooling under the guidance of senior engineers. Support the ingestion and processing of data. Learn to apply parsing logic, data normalisation, and enrichment techniques for structured and unstructured log data. Help monitor and troubleshoot data pipelines, escalating issues as appropriate. Participate in technical reviews and design sessions, building your understanding of solution architecture.
• Client & Consulting Work: Attend and contribute to client meetings, developing your ability to understand requirements and communicate technical ideas clearly. Assist in producing project documentation, reports, and artefacts as part of Apto's delivery process. Support the maintenance of project information in Apto's resource management system. Begin to learn Apto's service definitions and how they apply to different client situations.
• Learning & Development: Actively engage with Apto's structured learning programme, working towards relevant certifications (e.g. Splunk Core, Cribl). Take ownership of your own development and progress against the Grade 1 capability framework. Contribute to internal knowledge sharing and team discussions.

What We're Looking For: We're not hiring for a specific degree. We're looking for curious, driven people who want to build a career in technical consulting. That said, the following will help you succeed in this role:

• Essential: A degree (or equivalent) in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Information Technology, Mathematics, or any STEM subject area. A genuine interest in data engineering, monitoring, and observability. Strong communication skills. Willingness to learn, take feedback, and grow.
• Desirable: Familiarity with scripting or querying languages (Python, Bash, SPL, SQL). Experience working in a team environment.

Capability Development: Apto uses a structured capability development framework based on SFIA principles. Progression from Grade 1 to Grade 2 is based on demonstrated capability, not time served. You will work with your line manager to build a structured development plan aligned to the Grade. When you consistently demonstrate the Grade 1 profile and are ready to take on the Grade 2 expectations independently, you will progress. Most graduates reach Grade 2 within 12-18 months, though this varies by individual.

What We Offer: £30,000 starting salary at Grade 1, with transparent progression to Grade 2: £45,000+. A structured graduate development programme with mentoring from senior engineers and consultants. Funded training and certification (Splunk, Cribl, and cloud platforms). Real client exposure from day one. A collaborative, technically ambitious team that invests in the people it hires. Clear, framework-based career progression with no ambiguity about what it takes to get to the next level.

Other: We're based in a modern open plan office in Bristol, with access to local amenities including shops, cafes, and restaurants. The office has free tea/coffee/drinks and snacks. The nearest station is Clifton Down, a 10 min walk. We are based in the office 3 days per week (Mon, Wed, Fri) with working from home Tue & Thu. Employment benefits include private healthcare and bike2work scheme.