Infrastructure Engineer – Production Network Engineering reference: 0000052618

This review provides an in-depth look at the Infrastructure Engineer - Production Network Engineering role at Barclays, designed to help potential candidates understand the unique advantages and critical considerations for advancing their careers.

Opportunity Overview

Barclays is embarking on a significant transformation within its newly established Network Product Design & Engineering domain. This role is central to the "Production Network Engineering" mission, a critical operational model focused on the design, build, and ongoing management of strategic network infrastructure platforms and connectivity services. These services are the bedrock for Barclays' digital offerings, ensuring seamless experiences for customers, colleagues, and partners alike. If you're looking to make a tangible impact on a global financial institution's digital future, this is a compelling opportunity.

Key Advantages for Candidates

• Pioneering Role: You'll be at the forefront of a new operational model, offering the chance to shape processes and contribute to the foundational architecture of Barclays' network infrastructure.
• Cutting-Edge Technology: The role demands expertise in modern, Telco-hardened virtual infrastructure, including Openstack, Kubernetes, and various cloud platforms (Public, Edge, Private). It also delves deeply into advanced open-source networking technologies like eBPF, OVS, OVN, and data path acceleration protocols such as RDMA and DPDK.
• Comprehensive Skill Development: This position offers a holistic development path, encompassing not only infrastructure engineering but also deep dives into network programming, automation (IaC, Ansible, Terraform), and modern DevOps/Agile methodologies.
• Strategic Impact: You'll be instrumental in driving innovation and excellence, directly contributing to the reliability, scalability, and security of systems that power unparalleled customer experiences.
• Career Growth & Leadership: Whether you thrive as an individual contributor or aspire to leadership, Barclays provides a clear path. For individual contributors, you'll be a subject matter expert guiding technical direction and mentoring others. For those with leadership aspirations, opportunities exist to set strategy, manage resources, and develop teams.
• Emphasis on Continuous Improvement: The role champions automation, learning, and the adoption of industry best practices, fostering a culture of technical excellence and growth.

Key Considerations for Candidates

• Deep Technical Expertise Required: Success in this role necessitates extensive, hands-on experience in designing, building, and operating complex virtual infrastructure ecosystems and open-source networking technologies. Familiarity with a broad spectrum of tools and protocols is essential.
• Agile & DevOps Acumen: A strong understanding and demonstrable experience with Agile methodologies, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps principles are crucial for efficient delivery and collaboration.
• Security & Performance Focus: Candidates should possess experience in performance and security engineering, including an understanding of zero-trust networking and application layer protocols.
• Lifecycle Management Skills: Proficiency in managing the entire lifecycle of network products and services, from requirements analysis to deployment and ongoing maintenance, is highly valued.
• Risk & Controls Awareness: Barclays places a strong emphasis on risk management and adherence to controls. Candidates will be assessed on their ability to understand and apply these principles within their technical work.
• Strategic and Business Acumen: Beyond technical skills, the ability to think strategically, understand business objectives, and contribute to digital transformation initiatives will be a key differentiator.
• Colleague Values Alignment: A commitment to Barclays' core values (Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence, Stewardship) and mindset (Empower, Challenge, Drive) is fundamental.

This Infrastructure Engineer - Production Network Engineering position at Barclays represents a significant opportunity for experienced professionals seeking to contribute to a dynamic and evolving digital landscape. It demands a high level of technical proficiency coupled with a strategic mindset and a commitment to collaboration and continuous improvement.