Principal Infrastructure Engineer

DV Cleared Principal Platform Engineer - Platform Security & Infrastructure

Location: Yeovil (Onsite)
Rate: £680 - £713 per day (Inside IR35)
Contract: 12 Months
Working Pattern: Full-time or condensed week available (work 3 long days and get paid for 5)
Security Clearance: Active UK Developed Vetting (DV) Clearance required

Principal Platform Engineer - Secure Platforms | Defence & National Security

We're seeking an experienced DV Cleared Principal Platform Engineer to join a high-profile programme delivering secure, mission-critical platforms supporting defence, government, and national security operations.

This is an opportunity to work at the forefront of platform security, enterprise infrastructure, and cyber engineering, taking ownership of complex technical challenges within highly secure environments. You'll play a key role in designing, integrating, and delivering resilient platforms that underpin critical operational capabilities.

For candidates seeking greater work-life flexibility, a condensed working pattern is available, allowing you to work three extended days per week while being paid for a full five-day week.

The Role

As a Principal Platform Engineer, you will act as a technical authority across platform engineering disciplines, combining hands-on technical delivery with leadership, mentoring, and strategic input.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the design, implementation, and integration of secure platforms across on-premise, hybrid, and cloud environments.
• Capturing and analysing complex customer requirements to develop robust technical solutions.
• Producing high-level and detailed technical designs aligned to secure-by-design principles.
• Owning technical delivery across work packages, including planning, estimation, and reporting.
• Providing technical leadership, mentoring, and capability development within engineering teams.
• Driving innovation, automation, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Integrating enterprise infrastructure, security, and identity services within complex environments.
• Engaging with stakeholders to present, justify, and deliver technical solutions.

Essential Experience

Candidates must demonstrate strong experience across several of the following areas:

Platform & Infrastructure Engineering

• Windows and Linux operating systems.
• VMware and Hyper-V virtualisation technologies.
• Software-defined datacentre architectures.
• VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF), including:
  • vSphere
  • vSAN
  • NSX-T
  • Aria Suite
• Network virtualisation and micro-segmentation.

Identity, Access & Security

• Privileged Access Management (CyberArk or equivalent).
• Secure credential storage, rotation, and access control.
• Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) design and implementation.
• Certificate life cycle management.
• Cryptographic principles and secure communications.

Enterprise Integration

• Active Directory.
• Identity and access management solutions.
• Monitoring and SIEM platforms.
• Enterprise security service integration.

Networking & Automation

• TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, and Firewall technologies.
• Automation and Scripting using:
  • PowerShell
  • Bash
  • Python
  • Ansible
  • Terraform
• Infrastructure as Code and platform automation.

Security & Systems Engineering

• Cyber security controls and accreditation requirements.
• Systems engineering life cycle experience.
• Delivery within highly secure, air-gapped, defence, or government environments.

Desirable Experience

Experience in any of the following areas would be advantageous:

• VMware Certified Advanced Professional (VCAP).
• AWS and Azure cloud platforms.
• DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• VxRail and hyper-converged infrastructure.
• VMware Cloud Foundation life cycle automation.
• SIEM/SOC integration.
• Hardware Security Modules (HSMs), including Thales.
• Cross-domain and secure communications environments.
• Kubernetes and Docker container platforms.

What We're Looking For

• Extensive experience delivering secure enterprise platforms.
• Strong technical leadership alongside hands-on engineering capability.
• Excellent problem-solving and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Experience operating within defence, government, or national security environments.
• Active UK DV Clearance.

If you're a technically strong, DV-cleared platform engineer looking for a long-term contract working on nationally significant programmes, we'd like to hear from you.