Senior DevOps Engineer

We're MI6, also known as the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS). Our mission is to protect the security and economic wellbeing of the UK from overseas threats such as regional instability, terrorism, and cyber‑attacks. Working across the globe and in close partnership with MI5 and GCHQ, we help the Government to counter these threats through the provision of secret intelligence.

A role in MI6 will see you providing vital support to this work, within a supportive and encouraging environment that puts the emphasis on teamwork.

Enhancing how we operate today will better prepare us for the challenges of tomorrow. That’s why we’re creating dedicated teams focused on bringing Artificial Intelligence (AI) into some of our most mission‑critical areas. As a Senior DevOps Engineer, you’ll play a key role in bridging development and operations by enabling teams to deliver software reliably, securely and at pace.

You’ll help design, build and run a bespoke internal Cloud platform, ensuring the smooth operation of systems and infrastructure that support AI, ML Ops and wider engineering teams. You’ll focus on embedding DevOps practices such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, infrastructure automation and monitoring, creating reliable pipelines and tooling that underpin modern engineering ways of working.

With a primary focus on delivery and operational excellence, you’ll support the creation of a scalable, reliable and secure Cloud‑based platform. You’ll build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, develop infrastructure as code, deliver DevOps automation, and ensure systems are observable, resilient and well monitored. In doing so, you’ll create shared tooling and services that teams across MI6 can use securely and effectively.

Working closely with software engineers, product managers and ML Ops teams, you’ll promote a strong DevOps culture by improving collaboration, reducing friction between teams and continuously improving how services are built, deployed and operated. Whether troubleshooting live issues, improving platform reliability or adopting industry best practice, you’ll deliver practical, high‑quality solutions that support the organisation’s mission.

Salary: £63,823, with an opportunity to qualify for additional allowances and a skills‑related payment under the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability (GDDPC) Framework - formerly known as DDaT.

Flexible working: we support full time (36 hours per week) and part-time (minimum three days a week) working patterns. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, this role is fully office‑based with no option for remote or home working.

About you: You’ll be an experienced DevOps or platform‑focused engineer, with demonstrable experience designing, automating and operating Cloud‑based systems in complex environments. You’ll bring strong experience of infrastructure as code, CI/CD, configuration management, containerisation and monitoring, alongside hands‑on experience with Cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure or Google Cloud.

You’ll be someone seeking to move into a senior role providing technical direction and mentoring to less experienced engineers. Adaptable, collaborative and knowledgeable, you’ll be a problem‑solver with a knack for troubleshooting. Importantly, you’ll be keen to learn, with an eye on emerging trends, and excited by the prospect of significant upskilling in AI and ML Ops. Please note, you don’t need any existing AI expertise beyond a foundational understanding. Instead, you’ll bring a genuine passion and some evidence of self‑study that supports your interest.

Training and development: We take professional development seriously, and you’ll be joining a community that invests in helping people grow their skills. You’ll have access to a broad mix of learning opportunities, including in‑house and online training, technical deep dives and development pathways shaped around your interests and the needs of the organisation. This includes support to strengthen your capability across modern AI techniques, Cloud technologies and wider analytical or engineering practices.

You’ll also have opportunities to work with external professional bodies and training providers who offer routes to specialist accreditation, advanced AI training or broader professional recognition. Whether you choose to deepen your expertise in a specific technical area or broaden your capability across new domains, you’ll have the guidance and support you need to progress.

Alongside formal training, you’ll benefit from mentoring, peer support and a collaborative community that shares knowledge openly. You’ll have opportunities to rotate across different teams, explore emerging technologies and contribute to shaping how MI6 evolves its AI and data science capability. As you develop, you’ll have the space to experiment, expand your expertise and play an active role in strengthening our AI practice across the organisation.

Rewards and benefits: You’ll receive a starting salary of £63,823, plus other benefits including:

• 25 Days Annual Leave automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years' service
• Additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays
• Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme
• Interest‑free season ticket loan (travel and parking)
• Cycle to work scheme
• Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on‑site coffee bars (at some locations)
• Paid parental and adoption leave

Equal opportunities: At MI6 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under‑represented in our workforce such as women, those from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio‑economic backgrounds.