Field Network Engineer

BT Group; Southampton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job description

Posting Date: 3 Apr 2025

Function: Infrastructure

Unit: Networks

Location: Bishops Waltham, Southampton, United Kingdom

Salary: Competitive with Excellent Benefits

External Closing Date: 17/04/25

(This is a field based role so a driving licence is essential)

With over 175 years of heritage, BT is now the flagship business brand of BT Group. We’ve brought together our best people and capabilities into a B2B powerhouse serving 1.2 million business customers internationally.

We’re a global leader for secure connectivity and collaboration platforms for businesses of all shapes and sizes, from big household names and government departments, right through to sole traders and new start-ups. But it’s not just the technology that matters, it’s what it can do to help them build stronger, smarter, more secure businesses.

We value diversity and inclusion and believe in making a positive impact. We connect for good by championing digital inclusion and equipping people, businesses, and communities with digital skills to thrive.

As a member of our team, you will be part of an organisation that celebrates difference, fosters innovation and provides you with opportunities to be your best. With millions of businesses relying on us daily, joining BT means you can be part of a diverse and multi-skilled team that makes a significant impact to society.

Our technician role is an entry level traineeship, aimed at inexperienced candidates or people interested in a career change. The role will involve either one, or a mixture of both, electronics engineering and/or radio engineering.

Electronics engineering consists of build, maintenance and repair activity in any one of our c5.5k exchanges, data centres or switch sites – one day you might be installing new fibre cabling to enable additional bandwidth for local businesses, the next might find you carrying out repairs on key network equipment serving thousands of residential customers.

Radio engineering involves the maintenance and repair of 2/3/4/5g radio equipment, and can involve working at height, in some of the most challenging/rural site locations we maintain. Whether it’s working on the roof of a commercial building in your local city centre or hitching a helicopter ride to a remote Scottish island, our radio engineers visit a wide variety of locations to ensure everyone has access to mobile and broadband services.

The exact type of work you’ll be doing and skills you’ll gain will vary depending on where you live – the hiring manager will discuss this with you at interview. The variation of your attendance is at your first/second line manager’s discretion to support service and could include any five days from six excluding Sunday and may require the need to work 12 Saturdays across a 12-month period.

Key purpose of role

• Prioritise H&S: To have regard for health and safety, his/her job license and skills as agreed with line manager. Delivers work with full regard of H&S aspects. Carries out on-site risk assessments giving careful consideration to any hazards before starting work and as the work progresses. Inform manager and record near misses/incidents. Is comfortable challenging and asking others to display their ID passes when on BT premises. Complies with all ISO Audit Requirements.
• Execute Work with Autonomy: Execute all required work (allocated and self-identified), considering H&S, despite the challenges and environment. Works proactively with Patch Managers and the wider team to work effectively and understand the priorities of the wider team / unit. Supported by more senior Engineers where required to prioritise and complete work, entering accurate codes and quality notes on appropriate systems (e.g. Eng.com, inventory systems), that are meaningful and which can be used onward by colleagues and customers.
• Learning Progress: Ensure all Learning progress against Technician Development Portfolio is completed as per agreed milestones with manager. The level of ownership required is primarily to follow guidance outlined, in relation to the order and priority of work. To complete priority tasks – seeking support and guidance when required. To demonstrate strong support to the successful delivery of programmes, projects and complex testing; led by more senior roles.
• Performance and Development: Drives own performance ensuring they are effectively contributing to wider team measures, supporting in taking ownership of these measures for given area. Required to ensure that mandatory compliance, regulatory, data and informational requirements are maintained and recorded (including required training). Works in partnership with line manager to drive personal upskilling and development to meet training needs and aspiration. Additionally completes any training required and as set out by the business needs in that work area.
• Standards of Work: Ensures all work on equipment is in accordance with documented procedures and practices as provided by BT and its suppliers, agreeing any changes with appropriate source. Works with Patch and Regional Managers alongside customers and colleagues to ensure delivery is appropriate and aligns to objectives. Takes ownership of and effectively maintains tools, equipment and PPE ensuring quality and calibration.

What you'll be doing

An important part of Field Engineering is leading by example, be that coaching and supporting new individuals, through to truly living by the Field Engineering values. As a member of the Field Engineering team you are expected to uphold the Field Engineering and BT values, leading by example throughout your career with us whilst being an integral part of your wider team.

Key Decisions:

• Support in ownership of designated Patch and sites to contribute towards Area, regional and unit objectives.
• Execution of prioritised work items ensuring that this is aligned with the wider team and unit’s priorities through co-ordination with patch managers and senior colleagues.
• Risk assessment for health and safety.
• Raising of issues / risks to more senior individuals to facilitate change.
• Conducts work efficiently with support of senior Engineering colleagues.
• Understanding of what is expected and proactively take opportunities to increase own skills to support the team's work.
• Speaks up when observing opportunities to improve the process in work area.

Individuals hold responsibility for monitoring, actioning and meeting all required compliance (including health surveillance, such as rigging medical) if required. In addition to this they are expected to be fully presentable at all times wearing provided corporate clothing for the role.

What skills you'll need

Must be able to fulfil the physical requirements of the role i.e. able to bend, stretch, kneel and crouch. Also must be able to climb, work at floor and ceiling level inside buildings, tower structures and roadside infrastructure, lift heavy drums/cables and recognise coloured wiring.

Individuals will be required to hold a Full UK Driving Licence.

Skills:

• Self-Starting: Using their own initiative to drive the actions required from both themselves and wider team.
• Ownership: Ability to support in owning and delivering tasks, activities and resources. Works with the wider team to understand priorities across the unit.
• Communication: Able to communicate clearly and precisely through a variety of methods in any given circumstance or location.
• Problem Solving: The ability to deal with a variety of issues and effectively implement solutions as required.
• ICT Literacy: Confident user of MS Office suite, especially MS Word, Excel and Outlook (e-mail).
• Teamwork: Works well with and effectively supports wider team to understand patch and wider regional requirements and supports these effectively to meet wider CFU objectives.

We'll drive business success by promoting a healthy, safe and supportive environment that’s based on integrity, mutual respect and ethical behaviour.

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.

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.