Senior Systems Engineer

Job summary

We're looking for a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the design and evolution of secure, resilient IT infrastructure across on-premise and cloud environments. This is a hands-on role for a technical leader who enjoys solving complex problems, driving improvement, and supporting others to do their best work.

You'll bring strong expertise in automation, cloud platforms, and modern DevOps practices, acting as a technical authority across the organisation. You'll collaborate closely with teams, mentor engineers, and ensure the delivery of reliable, high-quality services that support critical clinical systems.

You'll also play a key role in innovation, compliance with NHS and national standards, and strengthening disaster recovery and business continuity. The role includes out-of-hours support on a rota basis, ensuring the availability of core systems and infrastructure for frontline clinical services outside normal business hours.

If you're passionate about modern infrastructure and want to make a real impact in healthcare, we'd love to hear from you.

Applications for this role will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as vacancies may close early

Main duties of the job

  • Proactivelymaintain, support, and improve IT infrastructure to ensure resilience, security, and reliability

  • Act as a senior escalation point for infrastructure incidents and manage complex technical issues to resolution

  • Ensure incidents, problems, and changes are handled in line with ITIL processes, SLAs, and NHS policies, including root cause analysis

  • Design, implement, and document infrastructure solutions, producing high- and low-level designs and technical documentation

  • Drive disaster recovery and business continuity planning, testing, and continuous improvement

  • Research, test, and introduce new infrastructure technologies,maintainingtest environments whererequired

  • Collaborate with internal teams and third-party suppliers to deliver secure, integrated infrastructure services

  • Provide technical leadership and mentoring to juniormembers of the teamand foster a culture of continual improvement

  • Support and contribute to projects, upgrades, and service transformations with minimal disruption to clinical services

  • Ensure compliance with NHS, information governance, and security standards (including ISO27001)

  • Provide out-of-hours support on a rota basis tomaintainavailability of core systems for frontline clinical services

  • Deputise for the IT Infrastructure Manager whenrequired

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

  • Caring for and about you is our top priority
  • Committed to providing good quality, safe services
  • Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

  • Flexible working options to support work-life balance
  • 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
  • Generous NHS pension scheme
  • Excellent learning and career development opportunities
  • 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
  • Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
  • Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
  • Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
  • Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
  • Free parking across Trust site

Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  1. Educated to degree level or significant equivalent experience.

  1. Certification in Microsoft Azure, Windows Server Hybrid AdministratorAssociateor significant relevant experience

  1. Extensive experience as a Senior systems engineer and system administratorand of providing diverse services to multiple customers within a large multi-faced, multi-site organisation

  1. Advanced knowledge of the following: Windows Server 2016 & above, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure,PowerShelland Hyper-V.

  1. Full driving licence and the use of caron a daily basisas well aswillingness to work outside of normal office hours

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet thecriteria in theperson specificationand write about thispoint-by-pointin your supporting statementfor the best chance of being shortlisted.

Werecommitted to equal opportunitiesand welcomeapplications fromall sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected inour accreditations:Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award.Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Pleasedonthesitate to call:Shiva PallapothuIT Infrastructure Manageron01189046290 or email:Shiva.Pallapothu@berkshire.nhs.ukwhollbe delighted to help.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential
  • Educated to degree level or significant equivalent experience.
  • Certification in Microsoft Azure, Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate or significant relevant experience
Desirable
  • Foundation Certificate in PRINCE2 project management techniques
  • Foundation Certificate in ITIL Service Management

Continuous Professional Development

Essential
  • Demonstrated commitment to continuous development through participation in training courses and achievement of professional certifications

Previous Experience

Essential
  • Extensive experience as a Senior systems engineer and system administrator.
  • Extensive experience in IT support environment
  • Experience of providing diverse services to multiple customers within a large multi-faced, multi-site organisation

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential
  • Advanced knowledge of the following: Windows Server 2016 & above, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, PowerShell and Hyper-V

Additional Requirements

Essential
  • Full driving licence and the use of car on a daily basis
  • Willingness to work outside of normal office hours

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

57-59 Bath Road

Reading

RG30 2BA

Employer's website

https://www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/

Job Details

Company
Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
Location
Reading, RG30 2BA, United Kingdom
Salary
£47810.00 to £54710.00
Posted