Apply now »

Network Engineering Specialist -Senior Test and Design Engineer

Job Req ID:  55480
Posting Date:  3 Feb 2026
Function:  Engineering
Unit:  Networks
Location: 

Orion Building B62-MH, Ipswich, United Kingdom

Salary:  Competitive with great benefits

Recruiter: Luke Byrne

Career Grade: D

Internal Closing Date: 17th Feb 2026

Why this job matters

This role will be a critical part fo the team which delivers the Internet Peering Platform (IPP), and the BTnet Business Internet service. These platform and services connect our fixed and mobile customers to content providers and the rest of the world. Your role will be a combination of test and design functions which evolve this critical network to meet the demand for growth and interconnectivity to BT’s consumer and business networks.

What you’ll be doing

As a Senior Test and Design Engineer you will be the technical lead for build, configuration, and management of the IPP and BTnet test models. Responsible for the risk assessment, testing and deployment approval for design, configuration and code changes on the platform. This role will also incorporate design elements working with the Design Authority in this area to evolve the platform to meet future needs. 

Specifically, this role is accountable for:

•    Model design and deployment for IPP and BTnet working with UK Fabric and IP Connect.
•    Network Testing of designs using traffic generators and analysers.
•    Model management including inventory, code versions and connectivity.
•    Network automation in the test execution and deployment of network designs. 
•    Network Design using a wide range of, Ethernet, IP, IPVPN and Internet protocols.
•    Overall technical accountability for E2E testing, including test execution, test automaton and development of test frameworks.
•    Driving efficiency and scalability through the re-use of test cases.
•    Defining the necessary test framework, testing scope and ensuring the successful execution of the indentified test cases. 
•    Build Proof of Concept models  and rapid prototyping in reponse to business needs.
•    Acting as a technical ambassador for the company and providing expert technical consulting to customers/stakeholders at a platform and overall test solution level.

Skills and Experience

 Mandatory
•    Engineering leadership and excellence
•    Hands on experience in the design and deployment of test models and connectivity.
•    Hands-on experience of established routing and switching protocols (i.e BGP and MPLS-VPNs)
•    Systematic problem-solving approach, coupled with effective verbal and written communication skills
•    Ability to debug, optimize test cases, optimise test pipelines and to automate routine tasks.
•    Ability to manage test defects through the full life-cycle.
•    Demonstratable understanding of the different types of testing (Unit, Integration, Functional, End-2-End, User Acceptance etc.)
•    Ability to translate test requirements into test environment topologies.

Expected
•    Stakeholder reporting to a senior management level and above.
•    Proven ability to work with network equipment vendors to create, develop and assure technical solutions.
•    Experience of NFV deployments and connectivity.
•    Experience with data modelling with YANG (vendor neutral).
•    Hands on experience with test tools and throughput generators (i.e Ixia IxNetwork and Spirent Test Center).
•    Experience with CICD methodologies (Robot, Gitlab, BDD).

Desirable
•    Experience of full the development lifecycle from requirement capture through to deployment and in life support. 
•    Experience with agile delivery.
•    Experience with gNMI, gRPC, JSON.
•    Understanding / experience of Segment Routing, Mobile Backhaul and Internet technologies
•    Understanding of telemetry and certificate management.
•    Member of a professional body e.g. Institution of Engineering and Technology
•    Cisco and/or Juniper Cerification or vendor equivalent experience.
•    Demonstrable experience with Python (or similar) programming language. 
•    Demonstrable experience with Jinja2 templating

Benefits

•    10% on target bonus
•    BT Pension scheme, minimum 5% Employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
•    From January 2025, equal family leave:  receive 18 weeks at full pay, 8 weeks at half pay and 26 weeks at the statutory rate. It’s for all parents, no matter how your family is made up.
•    Enhanced women’s health support: including help with menopause symptoms, cancer screenings, period care and more.
•    25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
•    24/7 private virtual GP appointments for UK colleagues
•    2 weeks carer’s leave 
•    World-class training and development opportunities
•    Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes

About us

BT Group was the world’s first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled.  As home to several of the UK’s most recognised and cherished brands – BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business. 
 
Over the next two years, we will complete the UK’s largest and most successful digital infrastructure project – connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband.  Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other. 
 
While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come.  This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK’s best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country’s biggest infrastructure companies.  
 
Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented.  BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

A FEW POINTS TO NOTE:

Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch.

We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.

DON'T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT?

Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway - you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.

Apply now »