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

• Active SC Clearance is mandatory
• Sole UK Nationality required (UK passport only)
• Additional vetting applies; onboarding may take longer than standard processes

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.

• 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

• 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)

• Experience in secure or regulated environments (defence, government, critical national infrastructure)
• ITSM knowledge (Service Now or similar)
• Data centre best practices (cooling, redundancy, monitoring)
• Certifications such as CCNA/CCNP/CompTIA Network+/Server+ or vendor cabling accreditations

• Full-time onsite presence in Barrow-in-Furness
• Sole UK nationality (security constraint)

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