Automation Architecture Lead at Network Rail, London Waterloo, 6 Months, £Contract Rate

Network Rail is at the heart of revitalising Britain's railway. From Crossrail - Europe's largest civil engineering project - to investment in world-class stations and major programmes of electrification, we are involved in some of the most ambitious and diverse ventures that this country has ever seen. We at Network Rail are dedicated to becoming one of Britain 's best employers and believe this starts with placing the candidate at the heart of everything we do!

Job Purpose

The purpose of the Automation Architecture Lead is to provide hands-on technical, architectural and solution engineering leadership for the GBRX industry automation function. The role is responsible for defining the automation architecture, leading the design of automation solutions, establishing technical standards, and ensuring secure, scalable and reusable automation products by design.

Working closely with other technical leads and delivery pods, the postholder will ensure that solution architecture and engineering excellence enable successful delivery of automation solutions while creating strategic technology assets that strengthen industry capability through the design and development of technically robust and operationally sustainable solutions capable of being reused across the rail industry.

As Automation Architecture Lead, your main responsibilities will be:

1. Define and maintain scalable industry-wide automation architecture
2. Crate and maintain the long-term industry automation architectural roadmap
3. Develop architectural principles, standards and reference architectures. Encourage innovation supported by sound architectural discipline
4. Provide technical leadership across the industry automation function, including developing architectural and technical capability within delivery pods
5. Ensure architectural consistency across the industry automation portfolio. Develop an architecture and engineering culture focused on quality, reuse, maintainability and continuous improvement
6. Support federating organisations across the rail industry by sharing architectural standards, providing reusable reference architectures, promoting common design approaches and supporting collaborative solution design
7. Advise and guide delivery partners where appropriate and encourage automation architectural reuse across the industry

Essential: 

1. Significant experience in automation, solution or enterprise architecture
2. Proven experience designing and supporting delivery of complex automation solutions
3. Strong experience and expert understanding of integration, security and solution design
4. Experience establishing architectural standards and governance
5. Experience working across multidisciplinary delivery environments
6. Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical delivery
7. Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills
8. Professional architecture and/or advanced automation engineering certifications
9. Excellent problem-solving abilities, innovative thinking and a collaborative mindset

Desirable:

1. A degree (or equivalent qualification) in a STEM or relevant discipline
2. Experience within rail, transport or major infrastructure sectors
3. Experience designing and developing intelligent automation solutions
4. Experience developing reusable products and platforms
5. Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks
6. Experience leading technical delivery teams
7. Passion for operational excellence and continuous improvement

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Network Rail is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. They welcome applications from everyone.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, Network Rail guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

Network Rail guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different.