API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background) in London
API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background)

API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background) in London

London Full-Time 72000 - 108000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
I

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the architecture and evolution of our enterprise API Platform using Azure, Kubernetes, and Terraform.
  • Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company in London/Edinburgh with a hybrid work model.
  • Benefits: Competitive contract rate, flexible working hours, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Why this job: Be at the forefront of cloud technology and make a significant impact on our API platform.
  • Qualifications: 12+ years in cloud engineering, with strong expertise in Azure and Kubernetes.
  • Other info: Dynamic team environment with mentorship opportunities and a focus on innovation.

The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.

Location: London/ Edinburgh (Hybrid)

Job Type: Contract

Overview

We are seeking an experienced and highly technical API Platform Architect to lead the architecture, engineering, and continuous evolution of our enterprise API Platform. This role is fully hands-on, combining deep expertise in Azure cloud services, Kubernetes, Terraform, API security, and distributed systems with the ability to guide, review, and contribute to .NET Core API development practices. The architect will define and maintain the vision and standards for the platform while actively engaging in coding, troubleshooting, design reviews, and production support.

Key Responsibilities & Requirements

  • Own the architecture, design, standards, patterns, and roadmap of the enterprise API Platform across Azure, AKS, APIM, networking, security, observability, and DevOps layers.
  • Translate business, security, and domain requirements into scalable, secure, highly available platform architectures.
  • Provide authoritative architectural guidance while remaining hands-on with implementation, debugging, optimisation, and reviews.
  • Define and govern API standards, APIOps pipelines, lifecycle processes, platform SLAs/SLOs, and security enforcement.
  • Extensive expert-level, hands-on experience with Azure services, including: AKS, APIM, Application Gateway, Front Door, Load Balancers, Event Hub, Azure SQL, Storage Account, ACR, Key Vault, VNets, Private Endpoints, Application Insights, Azure Monitor, Notification Hub, DNS, VMSS, App Configuration, and more.
  • Architect multi-region active-active, blue/green, and zero-downtime deployments.
  • Deep understanding of Azure networking, identity, private connectivity, and cost optimisation.
  • Terraform & Infrastructure-as-Code
  • Design, implement, and govern complex Terraform modules for Azure and Kubernetes using providers such as azurerm, azapi, kubernetes, helm.
  • Ensure Terraform best practices, module versioning, automated validations, state management, and environment consistency.
  • Drive platform provisioning automation and self-service capabilities.
  • Kubernetes (AKS) Architecture & Operations
  • Expert-level knowledge and hands-on experience with: AKS cluster architecture, node pools, workload identity, pod security, network policies, Ingress controllers, API gateways, service mesh, and traffic policy enforcement.
  • Observability (Prometheus, Grafana), log pipelines, distributed tracing.
  • High availability, cluster upgrades, autoscaling strategy, performance tuning.
  • Lead advanced troubleshooting (pods, networking, DNS, controllers, storage, ingress).
  • Deep hands-on expertise in APIM features including advanced policy writing, transformations, caching, throttling, JWT validation, OAuth2/OIDC, mTLS, IP filtering, client certificate handling.
  • Design the end-to-end API lifecycle, including APIOps automation, environment promotion, deployment versioning, API backend health check frameworks, and rollback strategies.
  • Implement API analytics, distributed tracing, alerts, performance tuning, and troubleshooting.
  • Reliability Engineering & Platform Operations
  • Lead root-cause analysis, high-severity incident resolution, and resilience improvements.
  • Ensure uptime, performance, and reliability of APIs deployed in AKS and exposed via APIM.
  • Define SLOs, latency budgets, retry strategies, and resilience patterns (circuit breaker, timeout patterns, queue-based ingestion).
  • Implement auto-remediation, self-healing patterns, and fault-tolerant architecture.
  • DevOps & Automation
  • Own APIOps pipeline definition for APIM deployments, testing, API versioning, and documentation automation.
  • Establish CI/CD pipelines for Terraform, .NET API builds, image scanning, SAST/DAST, compliance enforcement.
  • Hands-On .NET Core API Integration & Code Reviews
  • Review .NET Core API implementations to ensure correct API design, platform alignment, and cloud-native best practices.
  • Provide architectural guidance for .NET API integrations with APIM, AKS, event-driven components, caching, and security layers.
  • Analyse and optimise API performance, scalability, dependency injection usage, resiliency patterns, and distributed system design.
  • Work with backend teams to ensure APIs are structured for observability, traceability, platform compatibility, and API governance.
  • Occasionally step into the codebase to triage issues, debug complex integration problems, and provide code-level recommendations.
  • Lead platform engineering discussions, architectural reviews, and technical deep dives.
  • Mentor engineers in cloud-native architecture, Kubernetes, Terraform, API design, DevOps, and .NET integration patterns.
  • Influence stakeholders across engineering, security, product, and operational teams.
  • Take full ownership of delivery outcomes with a high sense of urgency and quality.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, Engineering, or related field with 12+ years of industry experience.
  • Strongly preferred: Azure certifications (AZ-305/400), Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD/CKS), Terraform certifications.
  • 7+ years in cloud engineering/architecture roles, including platform ownership and hands-on development/troubleshooting.

API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background) in London employer: Insight International (UK) Ltd

Join a forward-thinking company that values innovation and technical excellence, offering a dynamic work environment in London or Edinburgh. As an API Platform Architect, you'll benefit from a hybrid work model, competitive compensation, and opportunities for professional growth through mentorship and collaboration with industry experts. Our inclusive culture fosters creativity and encourages continuous learning, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and rewarding employment.
I

Contact Detail:

Insight International (UK) Ltd Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background) in London

✨Tip Number 1

Network, network, network! Get out there and connect with folks in the industry. Attend meetups, webinars, or even just grab a coffee with someone who’s already in the role you want. You never know where a casual chat might lead!

✨Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! If you’ve got a GitHub or portfolio showcasing your work with Azure, Kubernetes, or Terraform, make sure to share it. It’s a great way to demonstrate your hands-on experience and technical prowess.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for those interviews by brushing up on your technical knowledge and soft skills. Be ready to discuss your past projects and how you tackled challenges. Practice makes perfect, so consider mock interviews with friends or mentors.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’re always looking for talented individuals like you. Plus, it’s a straightforward way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people.

We think you need these skills to ace API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background) in London

Azure Cloud Services
Kubernetes (AKS)
Terraform
API Security
Distributed Systems
API Development Practices (.NET Core)
Architectural Design
Networking
Observability
DevOps
APIM Features
CI/CD Pipelines
Root-Cause Analysis
Performance Tuning
Cloud-Native Architecture

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your experience with Azure, Kubernetes, and Terraform. We want to see how your skills align with the role, so don’t be shy about showcasing relevant projects or achievements!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you’re passionate about API architecture and how your hands-on experience makes you the perfect fit for our team. Keep it engaging and personal!

Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, be specific about your technical expertise. Mention any relevant certifications and your experience with .NET Core API development, as well as your approach to troubleshooting and optimisation. We love details!

Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining the StudySmarter family!

How to prepare for a job interview at Insight International (UK) Ltd

✨Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in Azure services, Kubernetes, and Terraform. Brush up on the specific tools mentioned in the job description, like APIM and Application Gateway. Being able to discuss your hands-on experience with these technologies will show that you’re not just familiar with them but can actually implement and troubleshoot them.

✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions

Expect questions that ask you to solve real-world problems related to API architecture and deployment strategies. Think about past experiences where you’ve had to design or optimise an API platform. Be ready to explain your thought process and the decisions you made, especially around scalability and security.

✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills

As an API Platform Architect, you’ll need to guide teams and influence stakeholders. Prepare examples of how you’ve led architectural discussions or mentored engineers in the past. Highlight your ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and how you’ve driven projects to successful outcomes.

✨Demonstrate a Continuous Learning Mindset

The tech landscape is always evolving, so be prepared to discuss how you stay updated with the latest trends and best practices in cloud architecture and DevOps. Mention any relevant certifications you hold or are pursuing, and share how you apply new knowledge to your work.

API Platform Architect (Azure, Kubernetes, Terraform, APIM, Infra background) in London
Insight International (UK) Ltd
Location: London

Land your dream job quicker with Premium

You’re marked as a top applicant with our partner companies
Individual CV and cover letter feedback including tailoring to specific job roles
Be among the first applications for new jobs with our AI application
1:1 support and career advice from our career coaches
Go Premium

Money-back if you don't land a job in 6-months

I
Similar positions in other companies
UK’s top job board for Gen Z
discover-jobs-cta
Discover now
>