Senior DevOps Engineer

Senior Integrations Engineer, IT Services, University of Leeds

Role Description

Using a combination of different technologies, you will primarily be responsible for non development activities required to support software development work within the team. This will include writing Azure DevOps Pipelines, using YML and the Azure DevOps GUI to produce workflows for release management. You will have experience of developing these technologies from the ground up and be expected to take a lead role in implementing these across IT.

Using your experience of workflows and automation in Azure DevOps Pipelines you will provide best practice guidance on the configuration and implementation of this technology. You will work with other IT teams where required to support maintenance of pipelines, and develop the ability to carry out production deployments using this technology.

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Extensive knowledge of different components within application architecture and experience of how these interact with each other;
• Experience of working across a range of platforms, including deployments to Windows, Linux and cloud native platforms such as Azure App service;
• Experience with Configuration Management tools such as Ansible and Terraform;
• Experience of CI/CD automation tools for application deployment (e.g. Azure DevOps);
• Experience of using YML or other declarative languages for configuration management;
• A good working knowledge of;
• Source control systems such as Git;
• Containerisation technology such as Kubernetes and Docker.
• An extensive understanding of software development processes and the requirement for non-development environments to support a ‘route to live’;
• A logical approach and proven ability to install and configure software, gather test stage data, and perform de-bugging;
• Experience of working with release management, environment management and deployment processes with the passion and enthusiasm required to introduce new technologies into the team;
• Strong initiative, with excellent organisational, planning and self-management skills, including the ability to work accurately and carefully, manage and complete projects to deadlines and deliver high quality work both independently and as part of team;
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, including written and presentational, with the ability to work and engage with a diverse range of collaborators/stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience of software development or software testing;
• Experience of working in an Agile environment (e.g. Scrum or Kanban);
• Knowledge of ITIL principles or an ITIL Qualification.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Continuous Integration and Deployment

• Design, implement, and maintain automated build and deployment pipelines.
• Collaborate with development teams to integrate CI/CD tools and processes into the software development lifecycle.
• Ensure consistency of environments across the ‘route to live’. This includes working with other IT teams to ensure non-production environments are consistent with production environments.
• Overseeing routine maintenance procedures and performing diagnostic tests.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

• Implement and manage Infrastructure as Code using tools such as Terraform and Ansible.
• Orchestrate the provisioning and configuration of infrastructure components to ensure consistency and scalability.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

Monitoring and Logging

• Set up and maintain monitoring and logging solutions to ensure the availability and performance of applications and infrastructure.
• Respond to and troubleshoot incidents, working with relevant teams to implement solutions.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

Collaboration and Communication

• Work closely with development, operations, and security teams to facilitate collaboration and improve communication.
• Participate in cross-functional teams to address complex issues and drive improvements.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

Security and Compliance

• Conforming to best practices in network administration and cybersecurity.
• Implement and enforce security best practices in the DevOps processes.
• Collaborate with the security team to ensure compliance with university policies and industry regulations.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

Tooling and Automation

• Evaluate, implement, and manage DevOps tools to improve efficiency and productivity.
• Automate routine tasks to streamline operations and reduce manual intervention.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

Training and Documentation

• Provide documentation for development and operations teams on DevOps practices and tools.
• Maintain up-to-date documentation for all DevOps processes and configurations including code and script detail
• Documenting processes and monitoring performance metrics.

These duties provide a framework for the role and should not be regarded as a definitive list. Other reasonable duties may be required consistent with the grade of the post.

What we offer in return

• 26 days holiday plus approx.16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme plus life assurance– the University contributes 14.5%
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state-of-the-art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on-site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.