IT Infrastructure Network Engineer

Summary:

Are you a hands-on Network Engineer who thrives on the open road rather than being chained to a desk? Do you love the satisfaction of physical deployments, complex problem-solving, and seeing the direct impact of your work?

We are launching a major, high-priority infrastructure overhaul across our remote sites, and we need a skilled engineer to grab their tools, partner up, and lead the charge from the front lines.

• Duration: 12 months fixed term, with potential for extension.

• Hours: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday.

• This is a field-based role, covering our entire South East geographical area.

• You will be part of dynamic, collaborative teams of two.

You won’t just be maintaining the network; you will be actively transforming it. Working in a team of two, you will hit our various geographical sites to run two critical projects simultaneously:

• The NIS Project (Network Security): Install and deploy critical "box" network security hardware to safeguard our infrastructure against modern threats.

• The WAN Upgrade: Rip out and upgrade legacy systems to modern Wide Area Network (WAN) infrastructure, preventing critical telephone connectivity drops and ensuring our remote treatment and process sites stay online 24/7.

This is a highly active, 37-hour-a-week field role where no two days are the same. Your main focus will be out on-site doing the heavy lifting of network engineering:

• On-Site Project Execution: Traveling across our regional estate to install, maintain, and decommission physical equipment at data centers and remote processing sites.

• Hardware & Cabling: Mounting network cabinets, switches, and routers (yes, you'll be using power tools!), and implementing new structured cabling solutions (Ethernet, Cat5e, Cat6a, and single/multimode fiber).

• Power & Protocol Management: Working hands-on with a mix of 230v AC, as well as 24v and 48v DC power systems used by low-voltage routers, switches, and sensors.

• High-Level Support: Backing up the IT Helpdesk by providing expert 2nd and 3rd line support to troubleshoot complex routing, switching, and security issues while on or off-site.

• The Technical Foundations: CCNA, CompTIA, or equivalent certification/formal training.

• Field
  
  Experience:
  
  Proven experience with physical network installations, patching, and enclosure mounting.

• Protocol Expertise: Solid knowledge of routing, switching, and network security protocols.

• Versatility: Comfort working with low-voltage DC power systems and a "security-first" mentality.

• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  The ability to collaborate closely with your site partner and explain technical solutions clearly to non-technical end-users.

• IT Savvy: Experience with Google Workspace/M365, cloud infrastructure (GCP/Azure/AWS), ITIL frameworks, or a background working within the water/utilities sector.

Note:

A full driving license and a willingness to travel across our regional sites are absolute essentials for this role.

We know the communities we serve are diverse. We recognise creativity comes from diversity not similarity. That's why we are enthusiastic about creating inclusion across age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion and identity. You will experience our dedication to equal opportunities and fair treatment for all: through your recruitment, employment and career progression with South East Water.

• Excellent Stakeholder pension scheme, up to 10% employer contribution.

• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays per annum, increasing to 6 weeks with length of service.

• Flexible annual leave policy to buy or sell holiday leave.

• Paid volunteering days.

• Cycle to work scheme.

• Health cash plan.

• Life assurance.

• Wellbeing related benefits.

• It is necessary for you to have the legal right to work in the UK when you begin employment with South East Water.

• Additionally, as part of the employment offer, you will need to pass background, identity, and employment referencing checks.

• South East Water kindly asks that recruitment agencies refrain from submitting CVs to our employees or associates without explicit invitation from our HR Resourcing team. CVs sent on a speculative basis will not be acknowledged and will not assume any responsibility for fees or commissions in the event that we hire a candidate who applied directly or subsequently introduced by an instructed agency.