Systems Administrator

Requirements of the role

The Online Safety Technology team conducts research to build knowledge and understanding in subject areas fundamental to online safety. The team provides technical expertise to policy, supervision and enforcement colleagues in the wider Online Safety Group, and others in Ofcom, during policy development processes and industry engagement activities.

The Online Safety Technical Lab is based in Manchester and the cloud and plays a critical role in advancing Ofcom’s knowledge of technology through experimentation, testing and evaluation. We focus on technologies such as AI, machine learning, advanced network infrastructures, digital identity and privacy-enhancing technologies. Our lab supports both internal research projects and external collaborations, providing a space for hands-on technical exploration that feeds into policy, industry standards, and technological innovation.

Purpose of the Role

We are seeking a highly proficient Systems Admin to support the Online Safety Technology Lab (OSTech Lab) at our Manchester office. The OSTech Lab provides cloud and physical compute resources for research into safety technologies, mostly computer vision and machine learning. This is a new facility and we are looking for someone who is excited to help move the Lab into it’s next phase of life.

This role would suit a skilled sysadmin engineer with experience of managing high spec compute environments. As the OSTech Lab Systems Administrator, you will be responsible for configuring, securing, and maintaining Lab systems, managing access control, and ensuring researchers have the necessary physical and cloud computing resources to support ongoing projects.

This position offers an exciting opportunity for someone with a strong background in systems administration, IT infrastructure, or research computing, who is passionate about building and maintaining a hybrid lab environment with a focus on security, reliability, and efficiency.

Your key responsibilities

System management and performance optimisation

Ensure the Linux compute resources of the Lab are running optimally

Monitor, maintain and troubleshoot Lab systems, including cloud and physical compute

Define requirements for system upgrades and improvements

Security and compliance

Ensure data security, backups and compliance with relevant policies

Ensure the Lab operates in compliance with policies governing security, privacy, and responsible technology use

Manage access control and permissions for Lab users

Resource Scheduling and utilisation

Implement automated scheduling to maximize the efficiency of available compute resources

Track and maintain physical and digital inventory of Lab assets

Technical support and troubleshooting

Provide technical support for Lab users, troubleshooting access, permissions, and system issues

Respond to incidents, assess risks, and implement mitigations

Organize and maintain data records and Lab documentation

Planning and infrastructure development

Recommend and oversee hardware and system upgrades

Ensure efficient utilization of Azure resources, including automated cost-saving measures (e.g., auto-shutdown)

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