Network Management Engineer

Network Management Engineer

Location

Stoke-on-Trent, GB

Department Name

TA Network Operations (Telecoms) (570660) G1About Network Rail

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Are you ready to make a difference in people’s lives? At Network Rail, we connect passengers and freight customers, ensuring safe and efficient transportation across the country. We’re an organisation where people truly matter, and when you join us, you matter to us and millions of others. Click here to watch our inspiring video to learn more about us!

We’re dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that reflects the passengers we serve. To achieve this, we’re committed to becoming an open, diverse, and inclusive workplace, leveraging the skills and expertise of our talented workforce. Together, we strive to create a safe and accessible railway for everyone. Discover more about the importance of Diversity and Inclusion at Network Rail by clicking here.

Investing in our people is key to enhancing the safety, reliability, and efficiency of our railway system. If you’re passionate about making a meaningful impact, then this opportunity is for you! 

About our people and the recruitment process – We’re an inclusive employer of choice and we welcome applications from everyone! We encourage our colleagues to work flexibly, as we know traditional working patterns don’t always fit. If you want to consider working flexibly, just let us know and we’ll do our best to help and invest in your career with us, whilst you have a healthy work life balance. 

We’re also a Disability Confident Leader employer and we’ll try our best to adapt the process and offer a reasonable alternative to help support people with disabilities access, apply and interview for roles.

Brief Description

The railway has seen nearly 200 years of technology and innovation that has transformed how we provide services to passengers and freight customers. Technology is continuing to transform the railway industry. Imagine an exciting environment where Digital, Data, and Technology (DDaT) are not just buzzwords but the driving force behind every operation, every decision, and every solution. As part of the DDaT directorate, you have a unique opportunity to enable our customers and industry partners with modern and transformative technology. From the day-to-day IT operations that keeps a national railway running, to the extensive delivery programmes that are helping to reshape the railway – we are at the forefront of all of it. We operate with a talented and passionate workforce, fostering empowered individuals and teams who understand that technology is not just a tool – it’s the catalyst for progress, especially in an ever-demanding industry where change is a constant. 

Get ready to embark on a journey where your skills will not just be utilised; they’ll be honed and expanded. You’re not just joining a team; you’re becoming part of a collective force helping to build and operate a railway fit for the next 200 years!

‘I joined Network Rail back in January 2007 within the IT Helpdesk as a Helpdesk Operator. By October 2010 I gained a promotion as a Technical Service Analyst within the IT Helpdesk. Towards the end of 2017 I was ready to move into a position where I was more involved in the Railway itself. That was when I decided to take the chance and apply for the role of Network Management Engineer in Telecoms (FTN). I had many years’ experience in IT so it was to be a complete change in career. I was successful in my application and that is where I would see the impact of the Telecoms Network on the smooth running of both passenger and freight trains and the effects it has on ‘Putting Passengers First’. Network Rail holds a huge telecoms network that carries everything from Signal Post Telephones to Solid State Interlocking. We manage and maintain over 21000 devices and 50000 services using various Management Platforms. You will get to speak to field technicians all over the country and build some fantastic relationships. Reacting to events, diagnosing faults and getting them fixed still gets me excited. It has exposed me to lots of different areas within the railway including the GSM-R and IP Networks and how they all interlink with the Fixed Telecom Network (FTN) and it is truly fascinating. I have now secured a role as an Optimisation Engineer and the knowledge and experience I have gained as a NME will be a great asset to my new role. I am very much looking forward to this new challenge and the opportunities that it will bring. – Becci Thursfield-Smith’

About the role (External)

Working a 24/7 shift pattern, you shall conduct administrative and complex technical activities to progress complaints and network alarms, working directly with remote management platforms and field-based maintainers to restore service and resolve technical failures within agreed operational service agreements, in line with the ITIL Framework and mandated Network Rail standards, highlighting safety related failures for further processing. You shall conduct administrative and technical activities to support the successful delivery of planned work for both operational failures and Investment Project activities. You shall coach and mentor technicians to conduct event management of complaints and alarms presented on remote management platforms and provide technical support to field-based maintainers. 

What will you be doing?

• To undertake day-to-day surveillance and management of the FTN, including observation, notification & direction of staff, and clearance of faults on the network. These responsibilities will also include SCADA and security monitoring.
• To receive and validate the work information, which will enable effective capture and management of network elements.
• To co-ordinate with Network Rail Project commissioning engineers, in bringing elements under management. 
• To interface with Project staff, Alcatel, and maintenance contractors, according to the need, to resolve issues affecting the networks.
• To process faults on the FTN (Core, Access, P-Mux, HDSL), involving localisation, tasking, access permission, assistance/ co-operation, escalation, clearance, and feedback.
• To document all activities associated with the work, including alarms, test results, DCN details, and connectivity confirmation.
• To co-ordinate with equipment suppliers and Network Rail groups as required, to resolve issues arising during integration activities.

What essential skills and experiences are required? 

• Experience in one or both of transmission & GSM network management.
• Working knowledge & understanding of SDH, PDH and DWDM networks
• Practical experience of fault finding and fault resolution of transmission networks including synchronisation and protection.
• Practical experience of managing planned maintenance & network interruptions.
• Telecoms qualifications through degree or experience.

How to apply (External)

Salary: Band 5 £34,000 – £36,000 Depending on experience + 15% shift allowance

Working Hours: This role is shift based. You will work 18, 12-hour shifts over a 6-week cycle which is currently favoured by existing team members.

Closing date: We have 3 positions to fill, so this advert will remain open on a rolling basis, we will close the advert once we have enough applications 

Click apply now to apply.

Drugs and Alcohol Standard:

Our Drugs and Alcohol Standard is changing as of 16.01.2023. All prospective candidates who have not been offered a conditional role by 16.01.2023 will be required to undergo and pass a drugs and alcohol test. Your application will be rescinded if you record a positive test. All positive drugs and alcohol test results for prospective candidates will be securely held on Sentinel database and a 5 year suspension from applying for a safety critical role, a role which requires PTS certification or a Key Safety role on Network Rail Managed Infrastructure will be enforced.

You can visit Evenbreaks Career Hive for advice on accessibility support if you’re unsure of the options available. Should you require any reasonable adjustments/modifications, please add a note to your application.

Network Rail Benefits – To find out about what benefits we offer, click here

All offers of employment are conditional upon satisfactory completion of pre-employment checks. Click here for more information

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