Network Operations Engineer

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details' DWP have been carrying out a large technology transition over the past few years and there is still a long way to go. Join the Network Service Operations team as Network Engineer in the next step to transform the DWPs datacentre and remote site network infrastructure into leading edge technologies. We have several projects underway in Wi-Fi, On-Prem Datacentre and Cloud solutions that require skilled, self-sufficient, and determined engineers to drive improvements and good practices, as well as ensuring current legacy infrastructure remains stable., You will:

• Provide support for incident and problem resolution, this could involve out of hours work.

• Implement BAU exercises, this could involve out of hours work., Ensure that all examples provided in your statement are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. If you choose to use gen-AI to support your statement, you must follow the guidelines outlined in the Artificial intelligence and recruitment guide. The sift panel will use the information in your employment history and personal statement to assess your experience, skills and knowledge against the essential criteria. You will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your CV and Personal Statement. For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital. Important Information

• You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.

• Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.

• If your employment history/personal statement contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn. Stage 2: Interview 1 As part of our recruitment process, candidates will participate in an initial interview featuring ten technical questions designed to evaluate their networking expertise. Responses will be assessed on a scale from 1 to 7, ensuring that the experience outlined in your CV is verified. Stage 3: Interview 2 If you're successful at the initial interview stage you will be invited to another video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in the essential criteria. Interviews will take place from the start of February 2026. Interview dates to be confirmed. Further information Find out more about Working for DWP If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards. A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location. For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed. The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action. Security Clearance Requirement You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check. Applicants for this post must have lived in the UK for 5 years or more during their lifetime for DWP to accept National Security Vetting applications at the Security Check (SC) level. Requests to apply for SC will always be supported where people have lived in the UK for the last 5 years but will be subject to a pre-assessment if they have lived outside the UK during this period. For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website. Reasonable Adjustment At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Complete the "Reasonable Adjustments" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional. For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page. Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window). See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively interact with employees at all levels of the organisation and 3rd-Parties suppliers.

• Understand ITSM process with a focus on Incident, Problem and Accept into Service Management.

• Conduct network monitoring and analysis tooling - e.g. BMC Entuity, Wireshark and NetScout

• Have a strong technical knowledge in Cloud (AWS/Azure/OCI) and On-Prem Network Infrastructure, Next Generation Firewall, Load-balancing, and PKI technologies as well as experience with either Aruba Wifi/Clearpass or Spine and Leaf topologies/DC-VXLAN (Preferably Arista) As well as this, if you have experience in the following it would be preferred but it is not essential as full training and development will be given;

• Infrastructure as Code and Network Automation in Terraform, Ansible and Python

• Formal qualifications for Aruba, Arista, AWS or Azure. There is a requirement for you to work as part of a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week rota. This is on a week-by-week basis covering early mornings, days, evenings and overnight shifts (On call cover 5-7 days per month currently)., When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line with essential criteria below:

• Experience of problem-solving, analytical skills, with the ability to think critically, creatively, and independently to solve issues.

• Excellent planning and implementation methodology.

• Experience of ITSM processes.

• Experience of and understanding of Network infra in Wifi, DC On-prem, Cloud (AWS/Azure/OCI), Next Generation Firewall, Load-balancing, and PKI technologies as well as experience with either Aruba Wifi/Clearpass or Spine and Leaf topologies/DC-VXLAN (Preferably Arista).

• Experience with network monitoring and analysis tooling.

Alongside your salary of £44,447, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £12,876 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave - at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro-rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year's continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women's Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more. Hybrid Working This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert. Salary Information Pay for this role is from £44,447 to £52,442. The maximum salary for the grade is £46,547, however a Digital Allowance of up to £5,895 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed. Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview. Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary. Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.