View Vacancy -- IT Systems Support Engineer - MLC 1188

Open Date
01/10/2019, 12:00
Close Date
31/12/2019, 23:55
MRC Mary Lyon Centre
MRC Harwell Institute is an international biological research centre at the forefront of the use of mammalian models to study genetics and human diseases. Located on the Harwell Campus, just south of Oxford, it is nestled amongst a vibrant community of leading science organisations. We aim to advance medicine through cutting-edge research into the genetic basis of disease. Our research programmes span an entire lifetime, from embryonic development to diseases of ageing. There are over 300 staff at the Institute made up of research scientists, technicians, animal carers, and business support personnel.
UK Research and Innovation is a new entity that brings together nine partners to create an independent organisation with a strong voice for research and innovation, more information can be found at www.ukri.org

MRC - 4
Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire
£29,181 - 33,755
Permanent
Technical & Scientific Professionals
Full Time

Overall purpose:

We are seeking a highly motivated Systems Support Engineer to join the Informatics group at the MRC Harwell Institute, working within our IT Services division.

This is an exciting opportunity to learn about a broad range of technical skills and IT domains within a supportive and collaborative Informatics department.

We are responsible for managing and maintaining a modern and robust IT Infrastructure, across a wide range of platforms and devices. We provide support to over 700 computers serving 350 staff within a secure, resilient high-performance network.  We maintain and support over 130 physical and virtual servers (Windows, Linux, VMWare), with an onsite purpose-built data centre at the heart of our infrastructure. We have over 900 TB of disk storage, plus a secondary server room with replication, disaster recovery and back-up.

The successful candidate will have experience in server administration, alongside competency in network administration and large-scale storage solutions. We require an excellent team player who is self-motivated and willing to learn with training opportunities.

Main duties / key responsibilities:

  • Daily management and monitoring of our IT infrastructure, ensuring maximum system availability
  • Server administration, scheduled patching, support and monitoring; in both physical and virtual (VMware) environments - Windows and Linux
  • Support and management of our Compellent data storage infrastructure
  • Network management and troubleshooting, ensuring efficient and resilient data transfer and routing
  • Management of the Microsoft Office 365 and Exchange hybrid infrastructure
  • Manage and support the site’s Microsoft Active Directory Domain.
  • Ensure data security, continuity and integrity with various strategies and technologies (Snapshots, replication, disk backup, tape backup, archiving)
  • Audit and maintain security in line with our Cyber Essentials Plus accreditation
  • Ensure our adherence to MRC IT policies

Working relationships:

  • Work alongside the IT Services Support Technicians team, communicating change management and direction as required
  • Report to the Head of Infrastructural I.T and in turn the Informatics Programme Leader to convey progress and pro-actively contribute strategic ideas for continual improvement
  • Collaborate with bio-informaticians and software developers, providing infrastructural support
  • Work closely with end users and those responsible for generating substantial data; assisting with good data management practices

Education / Qualifications / Training required:

Essential:

  • University degree or HND (or equivalent) in Engineering, IT or any other technical discipline

Desirable:

  • CCNA qualification

Previous work experience required:

Essential:

  • Significant experience in a similar IT support environment.

Knowledge and experience:

Essential:

  • Networking administration and troubleshooting.
  • Microsoft Exchange Server.
  • VMware hosts, virtual servers and associated infrastructure.
  • Administration and management of Linux server environments.
  • Managing a Windows Active Directory Domain.
  • Administration and management of Windows server and desktop environments.

Desirable:

  • IT Security knowledge
  • Experienced in the administration and back up of a large storage solution

Personal skills/behaviours/qualities:

Essential:

  • Effective communication skills are essential, both written and verbal.
  • A pro-active, self-motivating attitude to project delivery.
  • An ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
  • An excellent team player with the ability to prioritise effectively.
  • Willingness to take ownership of a task through to a successful delivery.
  • Ability to create concise and effective documentation.
  • Ability to liaise with both 3rd party solution providers
  • Proven troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

Additional information:

We are committed to the personal development, training and wellbeing of our staff.

We have a large Informatics Group which includes a number of teams covering infrastructure and research.

The Infrastructural IT team supports all IT Infrastructure and internal systems development and is currently comprised of six posts within the IT Services team and six posts within the Software Development team.

Further Information:

MRC Harwell Institute specialises in mouse genetics research, from the earliest stages of development to diseases of ageing. We are very keen to push our research towards translational studies in humans, and collaborate with clinical and medical professionals for many of our research programmes.

More information about MRC Harwell can be found at http://www.har.mrc.ac.uk/

Other benefits also include a flexible pay and reward policy, excellent holiday entitlement, MRC Defined Pension scheme.

The closing date for applications is 21st October 2019

Interviews will be held towards the end of w/c 28th October 2019


The MRC is a great place to work and progress your career, be it in scientific research or the support functions.The MRC is a unique working environment where our researchers are rewarded by world class innovation and collaboration opportunities that the MRC name brings. The MRC is an excellent place to develop yourself further and a range of training & development opportunities will be available to you, including professional registration with the Science Council.

Choosing to come to work at the MRC (part of UKRI) means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme and excellent holiday entitlement to access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme, as well as the chance to put the MRC and UKRI on your CV in the future.

Our success is dependent upon our ability to embrace diversity and draw on the skills, understanding and experience of all our people. We welcome applications from all sections of the community irrespective of gender, race, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, disability or age. As "Disability Confident" employers, we guarantee to interview all applicants with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

UKRI supports research in areas that include animal health, agriculture and food security, and bioscience for health which includes research on animals, genetic modification and stem cell research. Whilst you may not have direct involvement in this type of research, you should consider whether this conflicts with your personal values or beliefs.

We will conduct a full and comprehensive pre-employment check as an essential part of the recruitment process on all individuals that are offered a position with UKRI. This will include a security check and an extreme organisations affiliation check.  The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role.  UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

This opportunity is closed to applications.