Platform Engineer - DevOps Specialist
Rate: £558 per day (Inside IR35)
Location: Portsmouth (Hybrid - 2 days every other week on site, remainder remote)
Contract: 6 months+
Clearance: Active SC Security Clearance required
Overview
We are seeking a Platform Engineer / DevOps Specialist to join a highly secure and complex engineering environment, supporting the modernisation and maturity uplift of critical platforms operating across both AWS and Azure. This role sits at the intersection of hands-on DevOps engineering and technical leadership (approx. 60/40 split) - where you will guide direction, lead on platform evolution, and still actively contribute to delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Design, build and maintain CI/CD pipelines in a DevSecOps environment
Drive automation across infrastructure, deployment, and platform operations
Work hands-on with Kubernetes, Docker, and containerised workloads
Support and evolve platforms across AWS and Azure environments
Implement secure development practices, including security scanning and compliance controls
Contribute to platform modernisation and maturity uplift across two environments at different stages
Operate within air-gapped and restricted access environments (including ITAR and special access considerations)
Integrate and support AI/ML models within platform architecture (core requirement)
Provide technical leadership while remaining hands-on with delivery
Essential Skills & Experience
Strong experience in DevOps / Platform Engineering roles within enterprise or secure environments
Proven expertise in:
CI/CD pipeline development and automation
Kubernetes and Docker
Bash / Linux / Python scripting
Infrastructure automation and containerisation
Experience working within DevSecOps practices including security scanning and compliance tooling
Experience with AWS and/or Azure cloud platforms
Strong understanding of DevOps culture and modern engineering practices
Experience supporting platform modernisation or legacy-to-modern migrations
Desirable Experience
Apache Kafka
AI/ML model integration within platform environments
Exposure to ITAR / defence / highly regulated systems
Experience operating in environments with multiple maturity levels across platforms
Role Focus
This is a hybrid engineering/leadership position (SFIA level ~6) where you will:
Lead technical direction and platform evolution
Support and guide engineering teams
Remain actively involved in hands-on engineering delivery