Service Operations Engineer in Teddington

Time & Frequency Department – Service Operations Engineer

Our world-leading Time & Frequency department are seeking an experienced Service Operations Engineer.

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

• Planning, deployment and operation of components
• Implementing systems and processes (such as ITSM and ITIL)
• Developing IT management systems and performance indicators
• Partnering with prominent scientists and experts in cybersecurity to ensure service readiness
• Building operation practices and routines (such as monitoring and responding to alerts / alarms / threshold breaches / incidents / reported problems)
• Reporting complex technical information in a clear and digestible format

Required skills and experience

• Essential:
  • A degree (or equivalent experience) in Telecommunications, IT, or relevant field
  • Prior experience in delivery and operation of Telecoms / IT solutions
  • Familiarity with ITIL practices and IT / Telecom standards
  • Delivery of ITSM
• Advantageous:
  • Experience in open‑source applications (such as Zabbix, Netbook, Grafana, ServiceNow, etc.)
  • Familiarity with JSON, Linux, Kubernetes
  • Professional experience within an R&D environment
  • Interest in Physics, measurements, and communications, for example:
    • Time and frequency measurement and time scale steering
    • Real‑time monitoring and control of electronic hardware
    • Satellite communication, optical fibre and GNSS‑based systems

Security and Clearance

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.

Equality and diversity

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds. Please note that the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others.