Senior System Administrator in Newcastle

About Nomad Digital

Nomad Digital is the world's leading provider of passenger and fleet connectivity solutions to the railway industry. Founded in 2002, and headquartered in the UK, currently serving more than 80+ global customers - in more than 40 countries - Nomad designs, builds, deploys and manages passenger Wi-Fi and on-board passenger infotainment systems. Nomad also provides remote online condition-based monitoring and maintenance solutions for optimising fleet management, operational performance and improving fuel economy. When you join Nomad Digital, you will join a forward-thinking, fast-growing, fun environment with access to some of the very latest technology in its field. You will work with experts who innovate collaboratively, creating an environment of teamwork and trustworthiness.

Overview

Nomad has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Senior System Administrator to join our global Engineering division in Newcastle/ the UK. This role combines deep technical expertise with mentorship, serving as a final escalation point for complex issues while also elevating the overall technical capability of the team. The Senior Engineer will drive technical excellence and ensure that the infrastructure robustly supports Nomad's business objectives. The senior engineer will provide informal training to the team on Nomad process, policy, tools, and products to ensure that quality standards meet or exceed business expectations. Those environments are built, deployed, and maintained with a lean mindset in support of business objectives. This role can be based from our Newcastle head office with a hybrid working arrangement or fully remote within the UK.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and maintain Nomad's global network and server infrastructure, including data centres, VMware, and Azure cloud environments.
• Automate infrastructure provisioning, configuration, and management using tools such as Ansible or Puppet.
• Configure and manage network security, including FortiGate firewalls, Linux based firewalls, VPNs, and routing protocols like BGP.
• Administer and secure Linux-based systems (Ubuntu/Debian).
• Serve as a 3rd line escalation point for complex infrastructure incidents, performing deep-dive troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Develop, maintain, and proactively analyse infrastructure monitoring solutions (e.g., Zabbix) to identify bottlenecks, optimise resource utilisation, and ensure system reliability.
• Manage and support containerised applications using Kubernetes, including cluster administration and lifecycle management.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for infrastructure architecture, standard operating procedures, and disaster recovery plans.
• Collaborate with InfoSec teams to conduct security audits and implement remediation plans based on security best practices (e.g., OWASP Top 10).
• Drive continuous improvement by evaluating, prototyping, and recommending new technologies and automation opportunities to modernise the infrastructure.
• Guide and mentor engineers on technical best practices, contributing to their skill development and the overall capability of the team.
• Translate business requirements into robust technical solutions, effectively communicating the design, risks, and impact to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Qualifications:

Essential

• RHCE or equivalent experience
• CCNA or equivalent networking experience
• Kubernetes Certified Administrator or equivalent experience

Desired

• Microsoft Azure Certified or equivalent experience
• Computer Science degree or similar level of experience.

Experience:

Must have 5 years minimum experience configuring and maintaining network infrastructure Linux based systems: Ubuntu/Debian Automation tools such as Puppet, Ansible etc Security knowledge, OWASP top 10, NMAP scanning Data center Infrastructure Asset management Monitoring solutions like Zabbix VMWare FortiGate Firewalls Routing protocols such as BGP VPN management and deployment Azure infrastructure management

Other Essential Requirements:

• Good communication, planning and co-ordination skills.
• The ability to work as both an independent problem solver and support the wider team.
• The ability to adapt to fit the demands of the business.
• Ability to learn on the job.

Travel Required: Yes

Key Behavioral Competencies:

• Attention to detail
• Ability to think proactively in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to multitask effectively ensuring timelines are met
• Highly proficient in the process of testing, validating, and implementing designs into an existing and new production systems
• Ability to work well in pressurised situations
• Ability to work to set deadlines
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision to develop and execute implementation procedures, test plans, and equipment configurations to defined timescales
• Good verbal and written communication skills, including ability to effectively communicate with internal and external customers
• Self-motivated to take ownership of projects and deliverables

UK Employee Benefits:

• Health Care Cash Plan
• Life Cover & Critical Illness Cover
• Contributory Pension Scheme via Aviva
• 25 Days of Annual Leave with enhanced leave based on tenure
• Option to buy an extra 5 days of annual leave per year
• Employee Referral Scheme / Employee Recognition Schemes
• Company Sick Plan

Our Commitment:

Nomad Digital is committed to being an inclusive and diverse employer, as well as providing equal opportunities in employment and freedom from unlawful discrimination on the grounds of age, race, ethnic or national origin, sex, pregnancy and maternity, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, disability, religion or beliefs. We encourage and welcome all job applicants, especially those from diverse backgrounds and ensure everyone is treated equally and without discrimination. Where possible we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements or appropriate reasonable adjustments on request. To discuss further, please email HR@nomadrail.com.