Platform Engineer (National Security) in London

Platform Engineer (National Security) in London

London Full-Time 40000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
Forwardrole

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Design, build, and operate secure infrastructure for National Security programmes.
  • Company: Join a growing engineering consultancy with a collaborative culture.
  • Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, flexible working, and generous leave options.
  • Other info: Great opportunities for career progression into architecture and leadership roles.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact in National Security while working with cutting-edge technology.
  • Qualifications: Experience in cloud infrastructure, automation, and secure software delivery.

The predicted salary is between 40000 - 80000 £ per year.

Location: Opportunities available across Gloucestershire, Manchester and London

Hybrid: Secure-site working patterns vary by programme

Salary: £40,000 – £80,000 plus bonus and benefits, depending on experience and SFIA grading

Clearance: Active DV / eDV clearance preferred

The Opportunity

You will be joining a growing engineering consultancy delivering secure software and platform capability into highly classified National Security and Defence environments. The organisation has built a strong reputation for combining modern engineering practices with a genuinely collaborative and engineering-led culture. Teams remain intentionally small, giving engineers broader technical exposure, closer collaboration with leadership and far greater influence over delivery than is typical within larger defence primes. Many engineers join from larger organisations looking for less process-heavy delivery structures, broader project exposure and the opportunity to work more closely with both customers and engineering teams. The environment particularly appeals to engineers who enjoy working alongside smart, pragmatic people solving difficult problems collaboratively rather than operating inside narrow technical silos. As the organisation continues expanding capability across both West and North sites, there is a strong focus on maintaining engineering quality, community and reputation as the teams grow. There are also increasingly clear opportunities to progress into architecture and leadership roles as the business continues to scale.

The Role

As a Platform Engineer you will help design, build and operate the infrastructure and tooling that underpins secure software delivery across a range of National Security programmes. You will work closely with software engineers, architects and operational stakeholders to improve automation, scalability, operational resilience and secure delivery practices across cloud and containerised environments.

Typical responsibilities include:

  • Building and maintaining secure infrastructure using Infrastructure as Code tools such as Terraform and Ansible
  • Deploying and operating containerised platforms using Docker and Kubernetes
  • Supporting cloud-native platform delivery across AWS and Azure environments
  • Designing and improving CI/CD pipelines and modern software delivery workflows
  • Implementing observability and monitoring using tooling such as Grafana, Elastic Stack and cloud-native monitoring platforms
  • Supporting platform reliability, operational resilience and secure delivery practices across engineering teams
  • Contributing to modernisation programmes involving secure data environments and legacy platform transformation
  • Collaborating directly with multidisciplinary teams and customers to evolve platform standards, tooling and automation approaches

The teams tend to value pragmatic engineers who can communicate well, work closely with stakeholders and balance technical quality with real-world operational constraints. The organisation places far more emphasis on engineering mindset, adaptability and collaborative delivery than on matching a rigid checklist of technologies. These roles are particularly well suited to engineers who enjoy broad technical exposure and operating across cloud infrastructure, automation and secure software delivery rather than specialising in a single narrow technology area.

Security Requirements

Due to the nature of the work, active UK*C DV clearance is preferred. Candidates should typically be sole UK nationals and willing to travel to secure customer sites where required.

Benefits

  • 10% clearance bonus
  • 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
  • Buy or sell up to 5 days leave per year
  • 8% employer pension contribution
  • Private healthcare
  • Life assurance
  • EV car scheme via salary sacrifice
  • EMI share scheme
  • Flexible working and flexi-time
  • Dedicated training allowance and individual development plans

Platform Engineer (National Security) in London employer: Forwardrole

As a Platform Engineer in our dynamic engineering consultancy, you will thrive in a collaborative environment that prioritises modern engineering practices and offers significant opportunities for professional growth. With a strong emphasis on team cohesion and broad technical exposure, you will work alongside talented individuals to tackle complex challenges in National Security, all while enjoying a competitive salary, generous benefits, and a flexible working culture that supports your personal and professional development.

Forwardrole

Contact Details:

Forwardrole Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Platform Engineer (National Security) in London

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to current employees on LinkedIn or at industry events. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for getting your foot in the door.

Tip Number 2

Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical skills and understanding the company’s projects. We want you to show off your knowledge of cloud infrastructure and automation tools like Terraform and Kubernetes!

Tip Number 3

Don’t just focus on your technical skills; highlight your collaborative mindset too! Share examples of how you've worked with teams to solve complex problems, as this is key in our engineering-led culture.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website for the best chance! It shows you're genuinely interested and gives us a direct line to your application. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step!

We think you need these skills to ace Platform Engineer (National Security) in London

Infrastructure as Code
Terraform
Ansible
Docker
Kubernetes
AWS
Azure

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Platform Engineer role. Highlight your experience with Infrastructure as Code, cloud platforms, and any relevant security clearances to catch our eye!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to show us your personality and passion for the role. Share why you’re excited about working in National Security and how your collaborative mindset fits with our engineering culture.

Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on projects involving Docker, Kubernetes, or CI/CD pipelines, make sure to include them! We love seeing real-world examples of your work and how you’ve tackled challenges in secure software delivery.

Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows us you’re serious about joining our team!

How to prepare for a job interview at Forwardrole

Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Terraform, Ansible, Docker, and Kubernetes. Brush up on your knowledge of cloud platforms like AWS and Azure, as well as CI/CD pipelines. Being able to discuss these tools confidently will show that you're ready to hit the ground running.

Showcase Your Collaborative Spirit

This role values teamwork and collaboration, so be prepared to share examples of how you've worked effectively with others in the past. Think about times when you’ve solved problems alongside colleagues or contributed to a team project. Highlighting your ability to communicate and work well with multidisciplinary teams will set you apart.

Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills

Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities, especially in high-pressure situations. Prepare to discuss specific challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you approached them. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and make them impactful.

Understand the Security Landscape

Given the nature of the work, having a solid grasp of security practices is crucial. Familiarise yourself with secure software delivery and operational resilience concepts. Be ready to discuss how you would approach security in platform engineering, as this will demonstrate your alignment with the organisation's focus on maintaining high standards in a classified environment.