Principal Infrastructure Engineer

Ready to shape the future of a major regulatory body's tech landscape? As our Principal Infrastructure Engineer, you will drive the delivery of cutting-edge cloud and on-premise platforms like Azure and AWS. From designing modern system architecture to leading high-impact tech roadmaps, your expertise will keep our vital services secure, scalable, and flying high.

About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We promote competition and protect consumers with a clear end goal in mind: to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity. The CMA has a range of powers, which it uses to undertake a wide variety of cutting-edge, high profile and complex work, spanning merger and market inquiries, competition and consumer law enforcement, our role in the digital markets competition regime, subsidy advice, and internal market advice.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

What you will do

As an Infrastructure Engineer, here is what you will do:

• Ensure services are integrated, delivered and operated as required
• Work with and support third parties in providing infrastructure services
• Work with the Head of IT Infrastructure to create/review architectural designs and implement into operations
• Provide input into technology roadmaps, projects and tasks
• Work with Service Desk to ensure timely resolution of tickets associated with these services and provide guidance and support.

You can read the full job description on the attached role profile.

What you will need

• Proven Experience: At least 3 years of practical work experience working as a Principal Infrastructure Engineer.
• Core Infrastructure Expertise: Solid background designing and implementing technologies like Microsoft Azure, AWS, Entra ID, Active Directory, Always On VPN, and Azure Virtual Desktop.
• System Integration Skills: Hands-on experience connecting complex services across Azure and AWS, enabling single sign-on, and managing Windows Server 2022, Nutanix, and SQL Server.
• Secure Systems Design: Ability to design secure systems using "Secure by Design" frameworks, with experience in tools like Microsoft Sentinel, Defender, Darktrace, and the Cyber Assessment Framework.
• Deep Technical Knowledge: In-depth understanding of cloud capacity planning, Microsoft 365 (Teams, Intune, Purview, Autopilot), and disaster recovery solutions like Rubrik.
• Advanced Troubleshooting: Strong skills in finding and fixing root causes of complex technical issues using Azure Monitor, Windows event logs, and PowerShell scripting.
• Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication skills to explain technical issues clearly to both tech-savvy teams and non-technical staff, including managing updates during live incidents

What we can offer you

In return the CMA is a hugely diverse, rewarding and stimulating place to work – an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself in doing so. We offer generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme, at least 25 days leave (increasing to 30 over five years), and generous maternity/paternity leave provision. You can also take advantage of interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme, our employee assistance programme and flexible working options.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• At the sift stage, your application (CV & personal statement) will be reviewed and assessed against the essential criteria listed under the Person Specification of the role profile.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.
• You will first be sifted on the lead essential criteria.
• If you meet the lead essential criteria you will then be progressed to the full sift. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be conducted in-person at the CMA's office.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the advert and attached role profile.
• The interview will consist of 2 rounds.
• 1st round will involve a 30 - 45 mins practical lab test followed by technical round of questions - in total 1.5 hrs in one of our CMA offices.
• Those passing the 1st round will be called for a 2nd round of interview which will be a 45-60 minute behavioural interview held on Teams.
• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is 07 September 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 08 -13 September 2026.
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 21 September.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. You can also email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.