Senior Security Systems Design Engineer

Title:

Senior Security Systems Design Engineer

Location:

Blackburn Job Type: Contract Length: 12 months  Rate: £600-£650 per day INSIDE IR35 Security Clearance required - can start on BPSS then moving to SC Qualifications and training (typical) - HNC/HND/Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering (or demonstrable equivalent experience).

- Recognised electrical/safety training aligned to site requirements (varies by operator).

- Vendor training/certification (beneficial): major VMS/ACS/IDS platforms used in the sector.

- Security vetting/clearance:
Enhanced BPSS & SC clearances required. Role purpose Design, engineer and assure integrated electronic security systems (ESS) for Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sites (e.g., energy, water, transport, telecoms, defence-related estates). The role ensures electronic & physical security solutions are safe, compliant, resilient, maintainable, and proportionate to assessed risk-often within high-assurance environments and under strict governance. Scope and typical systems
- Access Control Systems (ACS): door controllers, credential technologies, biometrics, turnstiles, vehicle access.

- Intruder Detection Systems (IDS): perimeter and internal detection, alarm routing, graded signalling.

- Video Surveillance (CCTV/VSS): fixed/PTZ, analytics, storage, evidential export.

- Perimeter security electronics: fence detection, radar, thermal, gates/barriers interfacing.

- Intercom/help points, duress/panic alarms, lockdown/alerting functions.

- Security management and integration platforms: PSIM, VMS, access control management, event correlation.

- Alarm monitoring integration: SOC/ARC interfaces, incident response workflows.

- Power and resilience: UPS, battery autonomy, dual feeds, segregation, surge protection, earthing/bonding.

- Networked security infrastructure: structured cabling, fibre, PoE, network segmentation, time sync, secure remote access patterns (as governed). Key responsibilities
1) Concept and requirements engineering
- Translate security risk assessments, threat models and operational requirements into clear engineering requirements and performance specs.

- Develop security design concepts (architecture options, resilience models, failure modes, coverage principles) aligned to the site's criticality.

- Define interface requirements with OT/IT, building systems, fire systems and operational processes.
2) Detailed design and engineering delivery
- Produce design packs: single line diagrams, schematics, panel designs, cable schedules, device layouts, containment requirements, integration interface documents, network topologies (as required).

- Select appropriate technologies and grades of equipment aligned with environment, threat, maintainability and lifecycle cost.

- Engineer power budgets, UPS autonomy, segregation, EMC considerations, and environmental suitability (IP ratings, temperature, corrosion).

- Ensure designs support safe installation and maintainability (access for servicing, spares strategy, configuration control).
3) Compliance, assurance and governance
- Design in accordance with relevant standards, client governance and site rules (including safety, electrical, security and information assurance requirements).

- Participate in design reviews, HAZID/HAZOP or equivalent safety/security assurance activities where applicable.

- Maintain traceability: requirements ? design ? test ? as-built manage design change control.
4) Cyber-physical security alignment
- Work with cybersecurity/architecture teams to ensure secure-by-design principles for networked security systems (segmentation, hardening assumptions, credential management, logging, patching constraints).

- Produce documentation to support risk acceptance and operational security processes (account management, secure maintenance, audit trails).
5) Testing, commissioning and handover
- Define test strategies: FAT/SAT, integrated testing, performance validation, resilience/failover tests, alarm response verification.

- Support commissioning, resolve defects, verify as-built compliance, and produce handover documentation and training inputs.

- Ensure operational readiness: SOPs input, maintenance…