Principal Technical Architect

Our world-leading Time & Frequency department are seeking an experienced and practicing Technical Architect. You will be joining our team at an exciting time - we maintain the UK's National Time Scale, UTC (NPL), and are currently developing the National Timing Centre that will underpin our Critical National Infrastructure. This will address the risks associated with our dependency on global navigation satellite systems (such as GPS) that are vulnerable to both natural and intentional interference.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define the overall Technical Architecture for the solution, ensuring that it meets the requirements, is deliverable and is capable of underpinning delivery of a mission critical service.
• Ensure Technical Architecture is fully documented in accordance with the applicable standards and governance.
• Through development of the Technical Architecture ensure that the optimal set of system components are adopted in terms of performance, risk, cost and long-term supportability/obsolescence.
• Build and maintain a sound understanding of NPL's own capabilities and strategic intent, consequently inform its internal capability.
• Support NPL's implementation of its own technical development and recruitment strategy.
• Working with the Project Management Team, break down the solution into a set of components that can be delivered efficiently as part of a coherent and structured delivery plan.
• Engage with the Design Team and Developers so that they understand the technical aspects of their delivery.
• Support progress reporting to NPL leadership, in relation to technical aspects of the delivery including risks, opportunities, progress against plan, resourcing requirements and external partnering needs.
• Liaise with the end client to ensure that they are fully updated on the overall Technical Architecture, how it will meet their requirements, progress through delivery and any dependencies that there are upon them.
• Engage with delivery partners to ensure that they are fully aware of their role in delivery of the solution architecture and the dependencies that rest with them.

About You:

Essential criteria:

• Strong technical background.
• Experience in successful delivery of complex mission critical projects at scale.
• Experience as a Technical Architect responsible for development and subsequent implementation of complex, mission critical network infrastructures through the project life cycle.
• Strong technical interest, maintaining currency with exploitable emerging technologies and key players in the field.
• Experienced working across the full project life cycle and within associated standards/governance regimes for delivery of scale mission critical projects into UK Government.
• Proactive and forward thinking, capable of looking into the longer term to identify potential future challenges and determine solutions.
• A strong communicator, capable of bridging between business need, solution requirements, system designers and technical delivery.
• Ability to engage and command respect when engaging at senior levels within client and internal stakeholder communities.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance. Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.