Principal Platform Engineer (Head of Service) - National Digital Platform

Flexible Location: NES is a remote friendly employer with staff based throughout Scotland. We support office based and hybrid working arrangements. We welcome conversations about alternative working patterns-please get in touch during the application process to discuss.

Work Pattern: Fixed Term, Full Time, 37 hours per week.

As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected.

Fixed term or Secondment until end of March 2028

For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non NHS applicants, a fixed term or secondment would be considered.

You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.

Who We Are

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.

Our Technology

NES Technology Service (NTS) has created a strategic programme for the transformation of digital based services to allow NES to become a leading digital organisation in Scottish Health, digital by default and fully aligned with the Scottish Government's technology strategies. We are in the business of providing safe, secure and innovative technology products and services that aim to improve outcomes across education, training, workforce, health and care in the public sector in Scotland. Using modern cloud based technology we deliver sustainable products and services for the future.

The National Digital Platform

The National Digital Platform (NDP) provides foundational infrastructure for health and social care in Scotland, including hosting, API management, clinical data storage, and integration services. Our data APIs surface patient demographics, care summary data, appointments, and letters. These services are live and being further developed to support the delivery of MyCare.scot - Scotland's health and social care app.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Principal Platform Engineer (Head of Service) to provide technical leadership for our cloud native platform infrastructure, shaping the architecture, standards, and technical direction of the National Digital Platform - the foundation powering MyCare.scot.

Do you enjoy translating complex technical concepts into accessible language for diverse stakeholders? Do you have deep expertise in cloud native infrastructure and container orchestration platforms? Do you want to establish technical standards and architectural patterns that enable engineering teams to deliver excellence? Do you have a passion for cloud security, observability, and platform resilience? Do you want to shape the technical strategy for infrastructure that powers MyCare.scot and Scotland's digital health and social care services?

Working within Engineering (NES Technology Service), as part of the National Digital Platform team, you will lead the development of critical national infrastructure supporting Scotland's health and social care services.

Does this sound like you?

What We Love to See

• Proven experience leading platform architecture and cloud native infrastructure in complex, multi stakeholder environments
• Deep technical expertise in container orchestration, major cloud platforms, Infrastructure as Code, and modern observability practices
• Strong communication skills with the ability to engage credibly with both technical teams and executive stakeholders
• Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary
• Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines

Benefits Which Matter

• Life work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
• Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday
• NHS discounts and more

Diversity and Inclusion

Developing a successful national service for Scotland means considering the diverse needs, perspectives, and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland. We are focused on hiring the very best talent and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. Our aim to ensure that everyone is treated fairly, with respect, and has a positive recruitment experience-regardless of the outcome.

We welcome applications from all under represented groups, including racially minoritised people and disabled people. It is not essential to be in a senior platform engineering or cloud architecture role right now-you may be returning from a career break (e.g., maternity, paternity, caring) or coming from another field. Your experiences can bring a fresh perspective to our work.

If you are considering applying and would like to discuss the opportunity, any adjustments or alternative work patterns, please contact Daniel McCafferty at .

Next Steps

NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.

All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e mail. In person interviews will take place between 11th and 16th March 2026 at NES Edinburgh or Glasgow offices. Interviews will consist of a presentation component, a whiteboard exercise, and values based questions. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.

For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.

Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

1. Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face to face pre employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
2. To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.

As part of the pre employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here.

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licensed Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or 'going rate'. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: .