Senior Network Engineer - SC Cleared

Senior Network Engineer (Contract)

Contract Duration: initial 12 months, extensions likely
Location: Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria - Full-time onsite
Rate: £550 - £600/day - Inside IR35

Eligibility Requirements

• Active SC Clearance is mandatory

• Sole UK Nationality required (UK passport only)

• Additional vetting applies; onboarding may take longer than standard processes

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Network Engineer to lead the design and delivery of enterprise network infrastructure for a major secure programme. This is a hands-on, on-site role focused on physical network environments, structured cabling, comms rooms, and Cisco-based network implementations.

You will take ownership of technical design, documentation, and on-site delivery, working closely with engineers, project managers, and suppliers to build resilient, secure IT environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical design, planning, and on-site implementation of network infrastructure projects

• Design and oversee comms rooms, rack layouts, patching schemes, structured cabling and containment (copper and fibre)

• Produce and maintain High-Level and Low-Level Designs (HLD/LLD) and technical documentation

• Provide technical assurance on containment design, pathways, labelling, and installation standards

• Support configuration, deployment, and troubleshooting of Cisco network equipment (switching, routing, wireless, firewalls)

• Integrate storage platforms (SAN/NAS) and associated networking

• Plan UPS and power resilience solutions for comms rooms and infrastructure environments

• Conduct site surveys, hardware audits, and implementation assessments

• Ensure solutions meet security, operational, and compliance requirements

• Work with suppliers and third parties on quotes, delivery, and technical coordination

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong background in enterprise network infrastructure and on-site delivery

• Deep knowledge of structured cabling (Cat5e/6/6a), fibre types, termination standards, and containment

• Hands-on experience with Cisco switching and routing (IOS / NX-OS)

• Understanding of VLANs, routing protocols, DHCP, DNS, wireless and segmentation

• Experience with SAN/NAS connectivity and storage networking

• Knowledge of UPS, power distribution, and environmental requirements for comms rooms

• Ability to interpret and produce technical drawings, schematics, rack elevations and wiring diagrams

• Excellent stakeholder communication and leadership skills

• Active SC Clearance (mandatory)

Desirable Experience

• Experience in secure or regulated environments (defence, government, critical national infrastructure)

• ITSM knowledge (ServiceNow or similar)

• Datacentre best practices (cooling, redundancy, monitoring)

• Certifications such as CCNA / CCNP / CompTIA Network+ / Server+ or vendor cabling accreditations

Working Requirements

• Full-time onsite presence in Barrow-in-Furness

• Sole UK nationality (security constraint)

Behaviours & Culture Fit

We're looking for someone who:

• Is approachable and collaborative

• Shares challenges openly and helps solve them

• Has the courage to challenge and innovate

• Asks questions and seeks continuous improvement

• Demonstrates a strong "can-do" delivery mindset