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Data centre jobs UK: what the new Data Centre Covenant means for you
The UK needs 6 GW of AI data centre capacity by 2030. Here's what the new Data Centre Covenant means for data centre jobs, pay and how to get in.
By Julie Fixter, Client Partnership Consultant, Future Tech Jobs
Ever wondered where "the cloud" actually lives?
Spoiler: it's a very big building, kept very cold, full of very busy machines. And the UK wants a lot more of them.
Data centre jobs in the UK are growing fast. On 28 October 2026, HM Treasury published the Data Centre Covenant, which asks developers to create good, well-paid jobs that last beyond construction, recruit locally where possible and invest in apprenticeships, colleges and universities. At the same time, permanent data centre engineer adverts have more than quadrupled in a year, and the median salary has climbed to £60,000.
So if you work in networks, infrastructure, cloud, or even electrical and facilities, keep reading. This one's for you.
What is the Data Centre Covenant?
Short version: the government wants data centres built faster. And it wants them to give something back.
The Covenant came out alongside Budget 2026. It sets voluntary standards for developers, with extra requirements for strategically important projects. In return, qualifying sites get help with grid connections and planning.
Here's what it asks for, in plain English:
Good, well-paid jobs that last beyond the construction phase
Local recruitment where possible
Investment in apprenticeships, colleges and universities, and in training where local skills are missing
Efficient use of energy and water, with new sites aiming for a Power Usage Effectiveness of 1.3 or better
Secure, resilient UK compute
And the scale behind it? The government estimates the UK will need 6 GW of AI data centre capacity by 2030.
That's a lot of buildings. Every one of them needs people.
How many data centre jobs are there in the UK?
More than there were a year ago. By some distance.
IT Jobs Watch tracked 151 permanent data centre engineer adverts in the six months to 26 October 2026, against 35 in the same period of 2025. Here's the pay spread, for anyone who likes their numbers neat:
Median salary: £60,000 (up from £46,250 a year earlier)
10th percentile: £40,000
90th percentile: £100,000
Now zoom out. The government's AI Opportunities Action Plan progress update says five AI Growth Zones have been set up, and the first cohort is set to bring £28.2 billion of investment and over 15,000 jobs. That includes over 5,000 jobs in the North East, over 8,000 across North and South Wales, and over 3,400 in Lanarkshire.
Notice something? Most of that isn't London.
If you've ever been told you'd need to move south for a serious tech career, the data centres may have other ideas.
Why data centres need new people now
Two things are happening at once.
New sites are being planned and built. And many of the people running the existing ones are heading towards retirement.
A survey of 300 senior data centre decision-makers by Onnec, reported by TechRadar Pro on 29 October 2026, puts the share of the UK data centre workforce expected to retire at around 18.7%. Onnec's advice to operators? Invest in apprenticeships, mentoring and clear career paths.
Translation for you: employers need to train the next generation. That's your door.
Which data centre roles are hiring?
"Data centre jobs" covers far more than racks and cables. Here are a few live on Cloud Computing Jobs right now.
Network engineers
Senior Network Engineer, Deployment at NScale (London, with travel to sites across Europe). NScale builds data centres and GPU cloud infrastructure for AI. The role asks for 5+ years in large-scale data centre, cloud or HPC networks, hands-on routing and switching (BGP, OSPF, EVPN/VXLAN) and automation with Python or Ansible. GPU cluster experience is a nice-to-have.
Sr. Network Engineer, Data Center and Cloud at CrowdStrike (London, hybrid). It wants 7+ years of network design and hands-on work, 5+ years of multi-cloud networking, and automation with tools such as Ansible and Terraform. UK Government or sovereign cloud experience is listed as a bonus.
Platform and support engineers
Foundry Support Desk Engineer at NScale (remote, London) sits closer to the software side: Foundry and Spark, pipelines, and the monitoring that keeps support running smoothly.
And the rest of the build
NScale's company page lists 15 open roles, including Systems Integration Engineer, Design Manager and Principal Network Engineer. CrowdStrike is also advertising cloud, site reliability and incident response roles.
From cables to cloud to the people who design the building. Pick your layer.
What skills do data centre employers want?
Put the adverts above next to the IT Jobs Watch data and a pattern jumps out:
Networking: BGP, OSPF, EVPN/VXLAN and data centre fabric design
Automation: Python, Ansible and Terraform
Cloud: AWS appears in 25.2% of permanent data centre engineer adverts, and cloud computing in 20.5%
Operations: SLAs (22.5%) and preventative maintenance (20.5%)
For AI sites: GPU cluster networking, InfiniBand or RoCE fabrics
Certifications named in adverts: CCNP/CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE and NVIDIA networking
Don't panic. Nobody ticks every box. Solid fundamentals plus one AI-flavoured extra is a very good place to start.
How to get into data centre jobs
There isn't one front door. There are several.
From IT support or networking. Your fundamentals transfer. Add automation (Python, Ansible) and learn how data centre fabrics are designed.
From cloud or platform engineering. You already speak AWS, Azure and Terraform. Data centre employers want people who understand what sits underneath the console.
From electrical, mechanical or facilities work. SLAs and preventative maintenance each show up in more than a fifth of data centre engineer adverts. That's language you already speak.
Through an apprenticeship. The Level 3 Information communications technician apprenticeship lists Data Centre Support Technician among its typical job titles, and typically takes 18 months.
Then do the boring-but-brilliant bit: set up a job alert so the right role finds you first.
What to look for in a data centre move
Here's where I'd put my energy if I were you.
In niche tech, the best candidates aren't scrolling job ads. They're choosing between offers. Specialist skills put you in a stronger position than you might think.
So be choosy. Ask what the role looks like once the build is finished. Ask about training and progression. The Covenant is nudging employers towards lasting jobs and investment in skills, so it's a fair question to put on the table.
And get to know the companies before they need you. Candidates tend to pick the employers they already know, and the reverse is often true too.
Don't wait for the vacancy. Be on the radar before it exists.
Data centre jobs: frequently asked questions
What do data centre engineers earn in the UK?
The median advertised salary for permanent data centre engineer roles was £60,000 in the six months to 26 October 2026, according to IT Jobs Watch. The 10th percentile was £40,000 and the 90th percentile £100,000.
What is the UK Data Centre Covenant?
It's a set of voluntary standards published by HM Treasury on 28 October 2026. Developers commit to things like lasting local jobs, apprenticeships and efficient energy use, and qualifying strategic sites get faster grid connections and planning support.
Do you need a degree to work in a data centre?
Not always. A degree is mentioned in 25.8% of permanent data centre engineer adverts tracked by IT Jobs Watch, and the Level 3 Information communications technician apprenticeship lists Data Centre Support Technician as a typical role.
Where are the UK's new data centre jobs?
Across the country. The AI Growth Zones in the North East, North and South Wales and Lanarkshire are expected to bring over 15,000 jobs between them, alongside roles in London and the South East.
What skills do I need for data centre jobs?
Networking (BGP, OSPF, EVPN/VXLAN), automation (Python, Ansible, Terraform), cloud knowledge such as AWS, and operational skills like SLAs and preventative maintenance. AI-focused sites also value GPU cluster networking.
Find your next data centre role
If you've got questions about moving into data centres, I'd love to hear from you.
The cloud is a building. Go and help build it.
Set up a job alert for "data centre" or "network engineer"
Upload your CV so employers can find you
See who's hiring: NScale and CrowdStrike
About the author
Julie Fixter is a Client Partnership Consultant at Future Tech Jobs, helping employers and recruitment partners reach specialist talent across AI, quantum, robotics, semiconductors, space and the rest of the FTJ network. She spent seven years in sales at a UK software house before joining FTJ, and trained in psychodynamic counselling, which shapes how she thinks about what candidates actually want from a move. Based in Manchester. Connect with Julie on LinkedIn.
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