Principal Technical Support Engineer
Principal Technical Support Engineer
Contract: PermanentLocation: London – Hybrid
Salary: £39,888 - £60,260
Annual Leave: 30 Days + Excellent Benefits
Closing Date: 30th May 2025
Be Part of the Future of Rail
The railway in Britain is undergoing its most significant transformation in a generation – and Rail Delivery Group (RDG) is at the centre of it. Our purpose is to create a simpler, better railway for everyone by working collaboratively across the industry to transform both the passenger experience and how the industry operates behind the scenes.
We’re a place where industry experts come together to make a real difference – and we do it with openness, inclusion, and a passion for improvement. RDG is a collaborative, forward-thinking organisation where your technical expertise will help shape the future of smart ticketing across the country.
About the Role
This is a hands-on leadership role that’s central to supporting smart ticketing technologies across the UK rail network. As Principal Technical Support Engineer, you’ll lead day-to-day technical support for our national ticketing infrastructure, while also managing a small team and driving operational improvement.
Whether resolving a live issue that’s affecting smartcard users or leading the implementation of a new technical initiative, this role is varied, high-impact, and rewarding. You'll be the technical authority on issues that matter to customers and suppliers – and work closely with analysts, engineers, project managers, and service teams to ensure continuous improvement across our platforms.
Key responsibilities- Leading and mentoring a small team of Technical Support Engineers, setting priorities and providing second-line support to the DTS Service Desk
- Managing support for smart ticketing systems, including troubleshooting, certificate management, and change control
- Overseeing system health, asset management, and technical integrations across national rail systems
- Acting as Subject Matter Expert on key infrastructure issues, liaising with internal teams and third-party suppliers
- Driving service improvement initiatives and shaping processes to deliver consistent, measurable results
- Representing technical support at governance forums and design authorities, helping guide operational change
- Supporting project and BAU delivery through technical input, estimates, and peer reviews
- Leading configuration management and documentation for system changes and integrations
Requirements
What We’re Looking For
We’re looking for a strong technical leader who thrives in a collaborative environment and brings an analytical mindset to problem-solving. You’ll need to be as comfortable leading others as you are working hands-on with critical support systems.
Essential Skills & Experience
Advanced level of experience in application, data, or infrastructure support – ideally in Rail, Public Transport, or similar sectors
Proven experience in a technical support role, with practical knowledge of ITIL-based service operations
Substantial line management experience with a focus on mentoring and team development
Strong problem-solving and analytical thinking, with the ability to triage complex issues
Excellent communication skills – able to explain technical issues to non-technical stakeholders
Familiarity with service management tools, monitoring software, incident/change processes, and documentation standards
Benefits
Why Work for RDG?
This role offers the chance to work in a fast-paced, nationally significant environment. You’ll gain valuable exposure to large-scale ticketing infrastructure, play a key part in how customers experience the railway, and be part of a team that values knowledge sharing and process improvement.
We offer a highly competitive package, including:
- 75% off rail travel for personal and family use, plus international rail discounts.
- 30 days annual leave (plus buy/sell options and additional leave for key life events)
- Season ticket loan for commuting costs.
- Enhanced family leave – 30 weeks full pay for maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and shared parental leave.
- Pension scheme – up to 11.58% employer contribution.
- Private medical insurance (AXA PPP) including mental health and specialist care.
- Discounted gym membership and access to wellbeing programmes.
Apply Now & Help Shape the Future of UK Rail
If you’re passionate about solving real-world problems and want to lead a technical support team for a national platform, we’d love to hear from you.
Click Apply now to start your journey with RDG.
Please note: we are unable to consider applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship to work in the UK.