Network Engineer
Manchester, UK
KrakenFlex 💪 – Engineering /
Full-time /
Hybrid
The energy industry is undergoing the largest transformation since industrialisation at an unprecedented rate of change and we are positioning ourselves to be at the heart of that change.
Our aim is to be the leading global provider of solutions that enable customers to release £30bn of value per annum from distributed energy resources (DERs). We are building a Software as a Service (SaaS) subscription business with a global addressable market of £2.4 billion per annum, by digitally connecting hundreds of thousands of DERs with energy markets.
We have already attained a market leading position and KrakenFlex is a recognised thought leader and innovator in the industry. Our efforts have not gone unnoticed and we are pleased to announce that we now have the full support and backing of Octopus Energy, an award-winning UK energy supplier who share our passion and values.
We are looking for a network engineer who is experienced with remote hardware installations (not corporate infrastructure).You’ll join our small but growing Manchester team of passionate technology engineers, working alongside many electrical engineers and 100s of software engineers, in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial technology environment. We provide Kraken’s control Gateway - ‘think’ advanced IOT / edge computing running Kraken’s software - designed by us, manufactured by 3rd parties, installed by customers at their industrial energy sites throughout the UK / internationally and cloud connected by fibre or 4G telecoms.
What you'll do
- Own the design, implementation and maintenance of the remote wired / wireless network connectivity for Kraken’s Gateways, including identifying international operating variants.
- Inherit the existing network estate and standardise configurations, hardware firmware updates, monitoring strategies, failover / failback testing etc..
- Support Kraken Cloud infrastructure teams with troubleshooting Gateway connectivity issues, identify root causes and implement solutions. This may require participation in a shared 1st and 2nd level remote on-call support (within business hours).
- Ensure the Gateway’s network security and compliance meets industry best practices, associated international regulations and is aligned with any related Kraken policies.
- Document and maintain network architecture designs, IP address schemas, VLANs details etc..
- Monitor network performance, data usage and proactively identify potential issues.
- Recommend and implement network upgrades, enhancements and procurement of new technologies.
- Collaborate with the Kraken Electrical Engineering team on networking strategies and attend customer meetings to support sites’ specific requirements.
- Support Gateway telecoms and networking procurement / manufacture.
- Adhere to Kraken’s ‘safe working culture’ and contribute to evolving relevant policies, risk assessments and work procedures.
What you'll need
- Commercial experience working with remote IOT / edge network hardware, architecture design, implementation and troubleshooting.
- Strong understanding of network protocols and technologies, including TCP/IP, VLANs, routing, switching, and VPNs.
- Experience with network security technologies and best practices, including firewalls, intrusion detection / prevention, and access control.
- Flexible, problem solving mindset. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- A full driving licence and willingness to travel throughout the UK to customer’s energy sites in urban and rural locations.
- The role is mainly office based during regular business hours, and most connectivity issues can be resolved remotely or with basic on-site help from the customer’s team. The nature of the work will create exceptions to this.
- European or international travel may be available at your choice.
- You’ll never be asked to work solo on a customer’s site but independent, well organised working is necessary.
It would be great if you had
- Worked in the energy industry or industrial control, possibly as a ‘field engineer’ so familiar with risk assessment / method statements / out of office work practices.
- Familiarity with network monitoring and management tools, such as Wireshark, SNMP, and Cisco Prime.
- Relevant certifications, such as CCNP, CCIE, or CISSP, are a plus.
- Worked in the IoT (Internet of Things) domain
Why else you'll love it here
- Wondering what the salary for this role is? Just ask us! On a call with one of our recruiters it's something we always cover as we genuinely want to match your experience with the correct salary. The reason why we don't advertise is because we honestly have a degree of flexibility and would never want salary to be a reason why someone doesn't apply to Octopus - what's more important to us is finding the right octofit!
- Octopus Energy is a unique culture. An organisation where people learn, decide, and build quicker. Where people work with autonomy, alongside a wide range of amazing co-owners, on projects that break new ground. We want your hard work to be rewarded with perks you actually care about! We won best company to work for in 2022, on Glassdoor we were voted 50 best places to work in 2022 and our Group CEO, Greg has recorded a podcast about our culture and how we empower our people
- Visit our perks hub - Octopus Employee Benefits
Ideally you will be based in the Greater Manchester and happy to come into the office a couple of days per week! But we appreciate that things have changed and flexibility is at the top of everyone's agenda, so if you would rather be remote please let us know.
If this sounds like you then we'd love to hear from you.
Studies have shown that some groups of people, like women, are less likely to apply to a role unless they meet 100% of the job requirements. Whoever you are, if you like one of our jobs, we encourage you to apply as you might just be the candidate we hire. Across Octopus, we're looking for genuinely decent people who are honest and empathetic. Our people are our strongest asset and the unique skills and perspectives people bring to the team are the driving force of our success. As an equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute. Our commitment is to provide equal opportunities, an inclusive work environment, and fairness for everyone.
