As the living, growing home of our national story, The National Archives is a special place to work. We’re an institution nearly 200 years old with a collection spanning 1,000 years of history.
We’ve set ourselves the challenge of becoming the 21st Century national archive - a different kind of cultural and heritage institution: Inclusive, Entrepreneurial, Disruptive. We won’t become this overnight. It will take time, focus, effort and daring.
That’s where you come in. Because we can’t do this without you.
Job Overview
Salary: £40,000 per annumContract type: permanent
Band: E / HEO
Closing date: Friday 10th July at midnight
Build and run the infrastructure behind the UK’s digital record
We’re growing our Infrastructure team and looking for two engineers to join us as we expand.
At The National Archives, infrastructure underpins how the UK’s digital record is preserved and accessed. This is a hands-on role supporting the platforms behind digital archiving and public services — with a clear focus on reliability, security and service recovery.
You’ll be joining a well-established team, including Senior Engineers with deep experience, who actively support and share knowledge as the team grows.
The role:
• Build, support and improve infrastructure across cloud and on-prem environments
• Work across Azure, AWS, Microsoft 365 and core network and platform services
• Act as a 2nd/3rd line escalation point for incidents and problems
• Improve service reliability, performance and recovery
• Contribute to change, delivery and continuous improvement
What matters here:
• Infrastructure that supports long-term access and trust, not just short-term uptime
• A strong focus on service resilience and recovery
• A team environment where knowledge sharing and learning is expected
• Space to develop your capability over time as the team grows
Who this might suit:
• An engineer ready to step into a broader, more complex environment
• Someone who wants to learn from experienced engineers and build depth over time
• Someone moving from reactive support into more ownership and improvement work
• Someone motivated by working on services that matter beyond the organisation
This is a full time post. However, requests for part-time working, flexible working and job share will be considered, taking into account at all times the operational needs of the Department.
A combination of onsite and home working is available and applicants should be able to regularly travel to our Kew site for a minimum of 60% of their work time.
During the 1-year probation period, onsite presence is encouraged and advantageous (a minimum of 4 days in the office is required during the probation period).
You will work a shared Saturday rota. This will equate to approximately one Saturday duty every month and this will be paid over-time.
SC clearance/willingness to obtain SC clearance will be required for this role. This requires candidates to have been resident in the UK for at least the past three years. Please do not apply if you have been resident in the UK for less than three years as your application will be rejected.
We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role.
Application process:
As part of your application, you will be asked to provide a summary of your relevant work history (what you have done and how you have developed your skills) and respond to a scenario-based question (how you think and approach problems).
Your work history can include:
• Formal roles in IT or infrastructure
• Self-taught experience, home labs or personal projects
• Training courses, certifications or evening study
• Transferable experience from other roles where you have developed relevant technical or problem-solving skills
We are interested in how you have built your capability, not just job titles.
Important: Please be as clear as possible about what you have actually worked on or learned.
Both elements of your application will be assessed against the essential criteria for the role (shown in the job description below).
Interviews will be held on-site on Thursday 30th and Friday 31st July.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please visit the Civil Service Careers website where you can find further information on the use of AI in the application guidance section.
Job Description
Job Purpose
The main purpose of this role is to build, configure and administer the core physical and virtual infrastructure that underpins our production services, working in a team tasked with developing and supporting The National Archives’ cloud services, business systems infrastructure, telecommunications and network infrastructure.
This role works collaboratively across business and digital functions and our operational delivery teams, delivering services, defining opportunities, identifying service change and ensuring services meet or exceed service-level agreements and objectives according to industry and organisational best practices standards, service requirements and key performance indicators.
This role acts as second- or third-line support for incidents, problems and changes to solutions and services and in ensuring the highest levels of operational service delivery. This role supports the department’s Senior IT Infrastructure Engineers and acts as an escalation point for the Service Desk.
Apply technical skills across a range of infrastructure systems including but not limited to, cloud services (Azure and AWS) and Microsoft 365, desktop services, operating systems, LAN and WAN network, VoIP, storage, backup, licensing and Wi-Fi, using your knowledge, industry standards and best practice to contribute to a high performing service-culture orientated team. Apply critical thinking and technical expertise to resolve complex and often unprecedented infrastructure issues.
Assist in the implementation of new technology solutions and develop the infrastructure environment. Partner with and provide advice to stakeholders and operational teams on costs, availability and functionality of both IT and Digital services and systems to ensure solutions provide value for money, are innovative and achieve business goals.
This role is pivotal in ensuring the reliability, security, and continuous improvement of The National Archives’ IT infrastructure and directly supporting the success of teams and projects throughout the organisation.
Role and Responsibilities
Supporting ICT Services
Build, configure, administer and support infrastructure technologies, solutions and services, including computing, storage, networking, physical infrastructure, software, commercial-off-the-shelf software (COTS), and open-source packages and solutions. Also including virtual and cloud computing such as Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) according to industry and organisational best practices standards and policies, service requirements and key performance Indicators
Provide comprehensive desktop support, including the deployment and management of workstation builds and corporate software packages. Ensure efficient software distribution, patch management, and compliance settings to maintain optimal workstation performance and security.
Own, analyse and resolve incidents by collaborating with colleagues and third parties, maintaining detailed service tickets and keeping customers informed throughout the process, in line with the approved incident management procedure.
Work with suppliers of technology to ensure the delivery of services at agreed standards, negotiating services and supplies as required
Implement change to technology systems ensuring they are made with the agreement of the appropriate authorities and system owners, and that they follow an approved change control process
Monitor systems proactively to identify and remedy performance issues
Ensure that appropriate information security is in place across all systems and services and design and implement security controls to mitigate security threats
Create and maintain documentation using required standards, methods and tools, ensuring technical and procedural documentation is in place and up to date
Undertake any other duties consistent with the role as required and in agreement with the IT Infrastructure Services Lead
Collaborating and Communicating
Analyse appropriate technologies and ensure that customers have the solutions they need, when they need them, and in the media best suited to the requirements
Work closely with the Service Desk to diagnose and resolve issues, promote knowledge sharing and identify opportunities for continuous improvement
Work closely with external suppliers, third parties and colleagues, communicating effectively to resolve problems and to design and implement new solutions
Planning
Identify and progress technical improvement opportunities, working with technical architects, and provide technical support and assistance to projects ensuring delivery of non-functional requirements and continual service improvement
In collaboration with others, develop and maintain an appropriate business continuity plan.
Manage workload and longer-term plans to ensure that business needs are met and that work is delivered on time and to budget
Plan to be available for scheduled releases at specific times as required
Working Conditions
Normal office environment
Display Screen Equipment user
Moving items up to 20kg in weight
Working in confined spaces, e.g., under desks
Person Specification
Essential criteria:
Demonstrate a background and hands-on experience in building, configuring, administering, supporting and developing infrastructure solutions and services in a complex enterprise environment, including computing, storage, networking, physical infrastructure, software, commercial-off-the-shelf software (COTS), virtual and cloud computing and open-source packages and solutions.
Proven track-record of developing infrastructure services and delivering projects to time and budget using structured project management techniques and methodologies to deliver high-quality, innovative, value for money services and systems
Familiarity and competence with Microsoft technologies (On-premises and cloud) including Windows OS (client and server), Active Directory, Group Policy, Configuration Manager, Entra ID and Intune
A good working knowledge of information security processes and government security policy and practice and of implementing security controls such as IPS, firewall, proxy and management and monitoring services to mitigate security threats
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills and the ability to troubleshoot and solve problems logically and independently using techniques to identify root cause
Demonstrate awareness of the scripting tools and software that are available to support the deployment and management of IT infrastructure components
Excellent verbal and written communication skills: proven ability to communicate technical issues clearly and concisely to both technical and non-expert audiences and providing technical assurance to projects and developments; able to produce clear and accurate documentation
Desirable criteria:
Professional industry qualifications such as Microsoft Certification (in any of the following areas: Server, Desktop, Azure, Administrator etc.), HPE, CCNA, ITIL
Experience of working on cloud migration projects. For example, migration to Microsoft 365 or service migrations to Azure and AWS
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is
found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service
D&I Strategy.
Benefits
Generous benefits package, including pension, sports and social club facilities, onsite gym, discounted rates at our on-site cafe and opportunities for training and development. Annual leave entitlement of 22 days per calendar year (rising to 25 after the first year, and incrementally to 30 days after six years) and 10½ days public and privilege holidays per annum.
Any move to The National Archives from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ (opens in new window)
Reasonable adjustments
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact The National Archives via careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
Complete the ‘Reasonable Adjustments’ section of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks (opens in new window)
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. (opens in new window)
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative. (opens in new window)
Contact point for applicants:
Name: The National Archives Recruitment Team
Email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact The National Archives via email: careers@nationalarchives.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/recruitment-complaints/ (opens in new window)
