Platform Engineer - Secure Digital Platform (SDP)

Location: Reading (Hybrid Working Available)

Security Clearance: Active SC Clearance Required

Sector: Defence / Aerospace

Engagement: Contract

Rate: £65 per hour (Inside)

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Platform Engineer to join a Secure Digital Platform (SDP) programme supporting critical UK Defence and Aerospace initiatives.

Working within a highly secure environment, you will help deliver and maintain modern cloud and infrastructure platforms that support mission-critical applications and services. This role offers the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies across Microsoft Azure, Kubernetes, OpenShift, virtualisation, automation, and enterprise infrastructure.

The successful candidate will have a strong background within Defence, MOD, Defence Digital, or Aerospace environments and hold active SC Clearance.

Key Responsibilities

As a Platform Engineer, you will:

• Support and maintain secure cloud and on-premise infrastructure environments.
• Administer and optimise Microsoft Azure services and workloads.
• Manage Windows Server and Linux operating systems.
• Support Kubernetes and OpenShift container platforms.
• Maintain virtualisation and enterprise hosting solutions.
• Monitor platform performance, availability, capacity, and security.
• Troubleshoot and resolve infrastructure and platform incidents.
• Support infrastructure changes and deployments through established change processes.
• Contribute to disaster recovery, backup, and business continuity activities.
• Develop and implement automation solutions to improve operational efficiency.
• Support Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices and platform modernisation initiatives.
• Maintain technical documentation, operational procedures, and service records.
• Work closely with architects, engineers, and project teams to deliver resilient technology services.

Defence & Security

• Active SC Clearance.
• Proven experience working within MOD, Defence Digital, Defence suppliers, or Aerospace organisations.
• Understanding of secure and regulated environments.
• Microsoft Azure administration and support.
• Windows Server administration.
• Enterprise infrastructure operations.

Platform Technologies

• Kubernetes administration and support.
• OpenShift platform experience.
• Virtualisation technologies (VMware, Hyper-V, or similar).
• Infrastructure monitoring and performance management.

Automation & DevOps

• Infrastructure as Code exposure (Terraform, Bicep, ARM Templates, or similar).
• Automation and scripting experience (PowerShell, Bash, Python, etc.).
• CI/CD and platform automation experience beneficial.
• Red Hat/OpenShift certifications.
• Experience supporting hybrid cloud environments.
• Knowledge of Zero Trust or secure cloud architectures.
• ITIL awareness or service management experience.

What You’ll Deliver

• Reliable and secure platform services.
• Stable cloud and infrastructure operations.
• Improved automation and operational efficiency.
• Enhanced platform resilience and availability.
• Successful support of Defence and Aerospace digital programmes.

Why Apply?

This is an opportunity to work on high-profile Defence programmes, supporting the delivery of secure digital capabilities that are critical to national security. You’ll be part of a collaborative technical team using modern cloud, container, and automation technologies to build and operate next-generation platforms.

Active SC Clearance and Defence/Aerospace experience are essential requirements for this role.

• Proven experience working within MOD, Defence Digital, Defence suppliers, or Aerospace organisations.
• Understanding of secure and regulated environments.
• Microsoft Azure administration and support.
• Windows Server administration.
• Enterprise infrastructure operations., * Kubernetes administration and support.
• OpenShift platform experience.
• Virtualisation technologies (VMware, Hyper-V, or similar).
• Infrastructure monitoring and performance management.

Automation & DevOps

• Infrastructure as Code exposure (Terraform, Bicep, ARM Templates, or similar).
• Automation and scripting experience (PowerShell, Bash, Python, etc.).
• CI/CD and platform automation experience beneficial.
• Red Hat/OpenShift certifications.
• Experience supporting hybrid cloud environments.
• Knowledge of Zero Trust or secure cloud architectures.
• ITIL awareness or service management experience., * Reliable and secure platform services.
• Stable cloud and infrastructure operations.
• Improved automation and operational efficiency.
• Enhanced platform resilience and availability.
• Successful support of Defence and Aerospace digital programmes.