CPRD Principal Infrastructure Operations Engineer

We are currently looking for a Principal Infrastructure Operations Engineer to join our Clinical Practice Research Datalink team in the Safety and Surveillance group.

This is a full-time opportunity, on a permanent basis. The role will be based in 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf London, E14 4PU. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas.

Government departments and agencies are working towards implementing a minimum 60% attendance in office sites.

We are currently implementing a flexible, hybrid way of working, with a minimum of 4 days per month working on site to enable the collaboration and contact with partners and stakeholders needed to deliver MHRA business. Attendance on site is driven by business needs so depending on the nature of the role, this can flex up to 8 days a month, with the remainder of time worked either remotely or in the office. Some roles will need to be on site more regularly.

Who are we?

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency enhance and improve the health of millions of people every day through the effective regulation of medicines and medical devices, underpinned by science and research.

The new Safety and Surveillance Group brings together into a single integrated structure devices and medicines safety expertise with enforcement capabilities. These functions will be supported by our data and evidence generating capabilities complementing our signal generating capabilities produced via the new Safety Connect System.

Part of the Safety and Surveillance group, The Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), jointly sponsored by the Agency and the National Institute for Health Care Research (NIHR), is the UK's preeminent research service providing access to anonymised NHS data for research. In addition to supporting high quality observational research, CPRD has developed world leading services based on using real world data to support clinical trials and interventional studies.

What's the role?

The Principal Infrastructure Operations Engineer role offers an exciting opportunity to help build on the CPRD's 30-years of providing data for drug safety and epidemiological studies, resulting in over 3,500 peer-reviewed publications investigating drug safety, use of medicines, effectiveness of health policy, health care delivery and disease risk factors. Join us to help support delivery of our real-world research services that inform clinical guidance and best practice. The post holder will possess leadership skills and Azure administration expertise to manage and maintain the core infrastructure that underpins CPRD's interventional and observational research services platforms.

The post holder is responsible for managing the operational support of CPRD's infrastructure; owning the relationships with suppliers, ensuring services and products are aligned to industry best practice and regulatory and contractual requirements; and ensuring that CPRD platforms are future-proofed so that CPRD derives maximum value from the investment in its technology stack.

Key responsibilities:

• Manage the effective operation of CPRD's research IT systems.
• Develop and implement IT Service improvements.
• Manage incidents and resolve problems.
• Liaise with service providers and partners as well as managing a team of people.

Who are we looking for?

Our successful candidate will:

· Be educated to degree level, or equivalent, in either a computer science-based, IT-based, or related discipline or industry qualifications at a professional level such as ITIL Foundation

· Have in-depth knowledge of configuration and asset management activities on Azure Cloud infrastructure ensuring that appropriate networking, processing power, storage capacity, and archiving are in place.

· Have hands on experience of leading and developing a team of experts to deliver service improvements, helping to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards.

· Have hands on experience of understanding the direction of future technologies and delivering a model to deploy, support, and maintain those future technologies within the current environment.

· Have hands on experience of dealing with high impact, complex change requests, ensuring that release policies, procedures and processes are applied.

· Online application form, including questions based on the Behaviour, Experience and Technical Success Profiles. Please ensure all application questions are completed in full; your application may not be considered if any responses are left blank. Our applications are CV blind, and our Hiring Managers will not be able to access your CV when reviewing your application.

· Presentation, to be prepared as part of your interview, with further information being supplied when you reach this stage.

· Interview, which can include questions based on the Behaviour, Experience, Technical and Strengths Success Profiles.

Applicants are assessed on whether they meet any mandatory requirements as well as the necessary skills and experience for the role.

Use of AI in Job Applications:

Applicants must ensure that anything submitted must be factually accurate and truthful. Plagiarism 'can include presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

If you require any disability related adjustments at any point during the process, please contact as soon as possible.

Closing date: Monday 3rd June 2024

Shortlisting Date: Wednesday 5 th June 2024

Interview date: Thursday 14 th June 2024

Candidates will be contacted within a week of the sift and the interviews completed to inform them of the outcome.

If you need assistance applying for this role or have any other questions, please contact

Candidates will be subject to UK immigration requirements as well as Civil Service nationality rules. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here .

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check as well as animal rights and pro-life activism checks. People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks .

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment. A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Any move to the MHRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility here .

Successful candidates may be subject to annual Occupational Health reviews dependent on role requirements. If you have any queries, please contact .

In accordance with the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Principles our recruitment and selection processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment on the basis of merit by a fair and open competition. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should firstly contact Mira Mepa, Head of Recruitment and Operations, .

Create and manage profiles for future opportunities.