Backhaul Engineer | UK

IP Network/Backhaul Engineer

6-month contract - Inside IR35 - Rate TBC

Clearance: Must hold or be eligible for SC security clearance

You will design and maintain the Tactical Wide Area Network (WAN). You will transform a collection of disparate commercial technologies'specifically Starlink/Starshield, MANET radios, and IP LAN technologies into a single, unified, and encrypted pipe. Responsible for the IP logic that ensures mission-critical voice traffic always takes priority over bulk data, even when the backhaul is degraded or under attack.

Focus: Tactical WAN, Multi-Bearer Integration, Network Security, and SATCOM

Key Responsibilities

Multi-Transport Backhaul EngineeringBearer Management: Design the logic for Load Balancing and Auto-Failover across multiple bearers (Starlink, 4G/5G, and MANET).

SATCOM Optimisation: Configure Starlink/Starshield terminals and integrate them

MANET Integration: Architect the Layer 2/3 mesh integration

Classified Architecture (CSfC): Implement the NCSC (and NSA) frameworks.

Network Segmentation: Utilise VRFs (Virtual Routing and Forwarding)

Hardened Security: Configure and maintain Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW)

Technical Documentation Build LeadershipConfiguration Generation: Produce standardised, repeatable configuration files for all

The Build Book: Author detailed build instructions

Design Artifacts: Maintain the High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD)

Operational Readiness Support

Monitoring Integration: Define the SNMP, Syslog, and NetFlow parameters

Tier-3 Troubleshooting: Act as the final point of escalation for complex network faults.

Technical Proficiency Profile

Protocols: Mastery of BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, and advanced Multicast (PIM/IGMP) for TETRA voice.

Tunneling: Expert knowledge of IPSec, GRE, DMVPN, and MACsec.

Optimisation: Proficiency in Quality of Service (QoS), Differentiated Services (DiffServ), and Traffic Shaping to manage bandwidth-constrained links.

Standardisation: Familiarity with 3GPP network interfaces (S1, X2) and how they behave over high-latency WANs.

Preferred Qualifications

Demonstrable experience is acceptable (and preferred) in the absence of formal qualifications/Experience: IP Networking, with specific experience in Disconnected, Intermittent, and Limited (DIL) bandwidth environments.

Certifications: CCNP/CCIE (Enterprise or Security) or Juniper equivalent (JNCIP/JNCIE).

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