Senior DevOps Engineer – SFIA Level 4

Senior DevOps Engineer – SFIA Level 4

• Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, UK
• 2 days Hybrid in Office

Role Summary:

Senior DevOps Engineer operating at SFIA Level 4 (“Enable”), responsible for building, automating, deploying, and supporting secure cloud-native infrastructure and platforms across AWS and Azure environments. The role focuses on Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD automation, container orchestration, platform reliability, monitoring, and DevSecOps practices within Agile delivery teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, manage, and support cloud infrastructure primarily within AWS environments, including Fargate, with some Azure exposure.
• Develop and maintain Infrastructure as Code using Terraform.
• Implement configuration management and environment automation using Ansible and Chef.
• Design and maintain CI/CD pipelines using GitLab.
• Deploy and manage containerized applications using Docker and Kubernetes (EKS/AKS).
• Develop automation scripts and tooling using Python, Bash, and PowerShell.
• Support data and orchestration platforms using Apache Spark and Apache Airflow.
• Use Jupyter Notebooks for development, troubleshooting, and operational analysis.
• Implement monitoring, logging, and observability solutions using Prometheus, Grafana, and Splunk.
• Apply DevSecOps practices including vulnerability scanning and compliance tooling such as Trivy, Trend Micro, and Wiz.
• Support networking, cloud connectivity, and platform integration activities.
• Integrate solutions with DWP Integration Team products including Data Access Layer (DAL) and Secure File Transfer (SFT).
• Collaborate with engineering, security, and operations teams to improve platform reliability, resilience, and automation.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to DevOps standards and best practices.

Must-Have Skills

Cloud & Infrastructure

• AWS (including Fargate)
• Azure exposure
• Terraform
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Ansible / Chef

Containers & Orchestration

• Docker
• Kubernetes (EKS / AKS)

CI/CD & Automation

• GitLab CI/CD
• Python
• Bash
• PowerShell

Data & Platform Engineering

• Apache Spark
• Apache Airflow
• Jupyter Notebooks

Observability & Monitoring

• Prometheus
• Grafana
• Splunk

Security & DevSecOps

• Trivy
• Trend Micro
• Wiz
• Security scanning and compliance automation

Networking & Integration

• Networking fundamentals
• REST/API integrations
• Experience integrating enterprise platforms and secure data exchange services

SFIA Level 4 Expectations

Autonomy

• Works under general direction with responsibility for technical deliverables and operational support.

Influence

• Contributes to platform standards, automation practices, and mentoring of junior team members.

Complexity

• Delivers complex cloud, infrastructure, automation, and operational engineering tasks.

Business Skills

• Applies DevOps, Agile, and engineering best practices while collaborating effectively across technical teams.

Desirable Skills

• Experience within government or regulated enterprise environments
• Azure DevOps exposure
• Experience with enterprise integration products including DWP DAL and SFT
• Knowledge of cloud security and operational resilience frameworks
• Experience supporting high-availability production platforms

Qualifications

• Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• AWS, Kubernetes, Terraform, or DevOps certifications desirable.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are committed to diversity and inclusivity in our hiring practices.