Data Centre Engineer in Portsmouth, Hampshire

Data Centre Engineer

Full Time

Inside IR35 contract

3 Months initially, potentially up to 18 months

Portsmouth, Hants (travel to end client sites as required, van provided)

£275-325 per day pay via umbrella company

Are you an experienced Data Centre Engineer looking for a new challenge?

Do you have a background in datacentre + IT hardware including storage, commodity compute, RAMS and structured cabling along with a thorough understanding of troubleshooting, repairing, replacing, installing and configuring datacentre hardware and components, as well as a full UK driving licence?

Here at ARM we are recruiting for a full time Inside IR35 contract Data Centre Engineer for a global IT services and consultancy client of ours.

Our client:

They?re a leading business with a global reach that empowers local teams, and they undertake hugely exciting work that is genuinely changing the world. Their advanced portfolio of consulting, applications, business process, cloud, and infrastructure services will allow you to achieve great things by working with brilliant colleagues, and clients, on exciting projects.

Overview:

We are seeking an experienced Data Centre (DC) Engineer to support site surveys, design validation, and installation activities in line with industry standards and best practice.

The role is hands-on and delivery-focused, covering pre-installation surveys, physical infrastructure deployment, structured cabling, fibre and copper connectivity, testing, documentation, and health & safety compliance.

The successful candidate will be capable of working independently on-site across our client UK locations, accurately surveying environments, installing network and infrastructure equipment, and producing high-quality as-built documentation.

Responsibilities:

Pre-Installation Site Surveys-

The DC Engineer will be responsible for conducting detailed site surveys to validate design assumptions and capture accurate build information, including:

Confirm Locations-

Identify and confirm room and rack locations for all equipment.

Validate access routes and working areas.

Measure Cable Routes-

Measure copper and fibre cable lengths from each device to DCN, CIN, and BCH racks.

Measure power cable lengths from devices to PDUs.

Check Device Interconnects-

Identify and measure direct links between devices (copper, fibre, DAC, hydra).

Record Survey Outputs-

Produce a list of required cable lengths by type.

Confirm final rack positions and room mappings.

Provide clear survey documentation to support design and installation.

Installation & Build Activities

The DC Engineer will perform all physical installation activities on-site, including:

Hardware Installation-

Rack and stack all new network and infrastructure devices.

Cabling Between Racks-

Install structured cabling to BCH racks and UHD shelves/cassettes.

Fibre Patching-

Patch fibre connections to CIN, Transmission platforms, ODFs, and BCH racks as required.

Copper Connections-

Connect copper links to DCN racks and customer handoff/demarcation points.

Patch Panel Installation-

Install ODF panels and hydra cassettes within WWT buildings.

Testing & Validation-

Inspect and clean fibre.

Complete power meter and light source testing.

Record and evidence pass results.

Labelling-

Label all cabling and hardware in accordance with WWT standards using the Brady BMP61 workflow.

Build Documentation-

• Produce as-built documentation including:
• Photographs
• Rack layouts
• Test results
• Labels
• Diagrams

Health & Safety Compliance-

• Complete site inductions, RAMS, permits, and adhere to PPE requirements.
• Maintain controlled workspaces and good housekeeping.
• Issue Management
• Log any non-conformances.
• Remediate issues, re-test, and provide evidence of closure.

Design Support

The DC Engineer will support the design phase by validating survey data and producing accurate layout documentation, including:

Survey Review-

Review and validate all survey information prior to design commencement.

Rack & Space Planning-

Calculate rack space requirements, equipment footprint, and clearance needs.

Equipment Validation-

Confirm device dimensions, power draw, and suitability for available rack space.

Layout Documentation-

Produce detailed rack layouts showing device positions.

Connectivity Definition-

Document cabling routes, fibre paths, and power connections.

Design Drawings-

Produce final design drawings showing equipment placement and connectivity.

Qualifications:

• Proven experience working in data centre environments.
• Strong knowledge of structured cabling standards (copper & fibre).
• Experience with rack & stack, patching, ODFs, and hydra cassettes.
• Comfortable producing as-built documentation and design drawings.
• Strong understanding of data centre H&S procedures and compliance.
• Ability to work independently and accurately in live environments.

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