At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and implement cutting-edge observability solutions using OpenTelemetry across diverse tech stacks.
- Company: Join Focused, a dynamic tech company that values collaboration and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by optimising observability infrastructure for various clients.
- Qualifications: 3-7 years in observability and strong Platform Engineering skills required.
- Other info: Work in a vibrant environment with a focus on learning and development.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 105000 £ per year.
At Focused, we move quickly to deliver quality software that achieves client outcomes and meets their customer's needs. We strategically partner with our clients to leverage our expertise in design and software, while our clients bring their own domain expertise. We work with a variety of clients from different industries, collaborating as we get new products to market, modernizing legacy systems, or helping teams learn the skills they need to be successful.
Our values
- Listen first • We are experts in product practices but life long learners in the domain of our customers. We research, collaborate, and understand.
- Learn why • We ask questions and talk to users to understand problem spaces, objectives, and goals, which allows us to deeply invest and drive towards the outcomes of our clients.
- Love your craft • We love diving into a variety of domains and solving problems. We take pride in delivering value, in communicating progress, and guiding our clients to success.
We are seeking an experienced Senior Observability Consultant with deep expertise in OpenTelemetry and strong Platform Engineering capabilities to help organizations implement, optimize, and scale their observability infrastructure. This role requires a seasoned consultant who can design comprehensive telemetry strategies, implement distributed tracing solutions, establish robust monitoring practices, and interface closely with clients on the observability journey.
Key Responsibilities
- OpenTelemetry & Observability
- Design and implement end-to-end OpenTelemetry solutions across diverse technology stacks
- Configure and deploy OpenTelemetry Collectors for efficient data collection, processing, sampling, and routing
- Establish telemetry pipelines for metrics, traces, and logs across microservices architectures
- Optimize collector configurations for performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness
- Augment existing infrastructure with integrated observability solutions
- Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform, Pulumi, CloudFormation, etc.
- Architect and manage Kubernetes clusters with comprehensive monitoring and logging
- Build CI/CD pipelines with embedded observability and automated testing
- Establish and maintain Service Level Indicators (SLIs), Objectives (SLOs), and Agreements (SLAs)
- Implement error budgets, toil reduction strategies, and capacity planning
- Support incident response procedures and post-mortem processes
- Deploy and manage observability infrastructure across AWS, GCP, and Azure
- Establish security, compliance, and governance frameworks for telemetry data
- Experience automating Agent Evaluations in CI/CD pipelines and observability backends
Required Qualifications
- 3-7 years of experience in observability, monitoring, and distributed systems
- Deep hands-on experience with OpenTelemetry ecosystem, including SDKs, APIs, and specifications
- Proficiency with OpenTelemetry Collector configuration, processors, exporters, and receivers
- Strong understanding of telemetry data models, semantic conventions, and instrumentation best practices
- 5+ years of Platform Engineering or DevOps experience with focus on site reliability, observability, and incident response
- Proficiency with Infrastructure as Code tools (Terraform, Pulumi, CloudFormation, CDK)
- Strong experience with CI/CD platforms (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, ArgoCD)
- Hands-on experience with major cloud providers (AWS, GCP, Azure) and their observability services
- Experience with container technologies (Docker, Podman) and container registries
- Knowledge of networking, security, load balancing, and distributed systems concepts
- Experience implementing SRE practices including error budgets and toil metrics
- Proficiency in incident management, on-call procedures, and post-mortem culture
- Experience with capacity planning, performance optimization, and scalability design
- Proficiency in multiple programming languages preferred (Go, Python, Java, Node.js, Rust)
- Strong scripting and automation skills (Bash, Python, PowerShell)
- Understanding of software engineering best practices and testing methodologies
Preferred Qualifications (Exceptional Candidates)
- Understanding of Large Language Models (LLMs) and their application in DevOps
- Knowledge of vector databases, embeddings, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
- Experience with AI/ML model deployment and monitoring in production environments
- Strong technical writing and documentation skills
- Ability to present complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders
- A passion for knowledge sharing
- Systems thinking and ability to design holistic observability solutions
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills for complex distributed systems
- Curiosity about emerging technologies, particularly AI applications in operations
- Adaptability to rapidly evolving cloud-native and observability technologies
- Collaborative mindset with focus on enabling developer productivity and system reliability
What Sets Exceptional Candidates Apart
- Experience with Honeycomb
- Contributions to open-source observability or AI framework projects
- Track record of implementing platform engineering solutions that significantly improved developer experience
- Experience scaling observability infrastructure to handle high event volume
You will be expected to work for up to four days a week in person, be it from our office in London or from client sites. The London base salary range for this role is £75,000 - £105,000 GBP.
Senior SRE - Observability in London employer: Focused Labs
Contact Detail:
Focused Labs Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior SRE - Observability in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in your industry on LinkedIn or at meetups. A friendly chat can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or GitHub repo showcasing your projects, especially those related to OpenTelemetry and observability. It’s a great way to demonstrate your expertise.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to SRE and observability. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior SRE - Observability in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Senior SRE role. Highlight your expertise in OpenTelemetry and any relevant Platform Engineering experience. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about observability and how your background makes you a perfect fit for us. Don’t forget to mention specific projects or achievements that showcase your skills.
Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills: In your application, share examples of how you've tackled complex problems in observability or platform engineering. We love candidates who can demonstrate their analytical thinking and troubleshooting abilities!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own channels!
How to prepare for a job interview at Focused Labs
✨Know Your OpenTelemetry Inside Out
Make sure you brush up on your OpenTelemetry knowledge before the interview. Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with the ecosystem, including SDKs and APIs. Prepare examples of how you've implemented telemetry solutions in past projects.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Since the role involves solving complex problems, think of specific challenges you've faced in observability or SRE practices. Be prepared to explain your thought process and the steps you took to overcome these challenges, especially in distributed systems.
✨Demonstrate Your Collaborative Spirit
Focus on your ability to work with clients and teams. Share experiences where you listened to client needs and collaborated effectively to achieve outcomes. Highlight your communication skills and how you present technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
✨Prepare for Technical Questions
Expect technical questions related to Infrastructure as Code, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud services. Brush up on your knowledge of tools like Terraform and GitHub Actions. Practise explaining your approach to capacity planning and performance optimisation in a clear and concise manner.