At a Glance
- Tasks: Transform business challenges into innovative cloud solutions and lead impactful projects.
- Company: Join Kyndryl, a leader in mission-critical technology systems.
- Benefits: Enjoy a flexible work environment, competitive salary, and wellness programmes.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive culture that values growth and belonging.
- Why this job: Make a real difference with cutting-edge tech and grow your skills.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in platform architecture and hands-on cloud experience required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
At Kyndryl, we run and reimagine the mission-critical technology systems that drive advantage for the world’s leading businesses. We are at the heart of progress; with proven expertise and a continuous flow of AI-powered insight, enabling smarter decisions, faster innovation, and a lasting competitive edge. For our people—Kyndryls—that means doing purposeful work that powers human progress. Join us and experience a flexible, supportive environment where your well-being is prioritized and your potential can thrive.
Your Role As a Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) with a Platform Engineering focus, you own end-to-end delivery for cloud platform and infrastructure modernisations, including the platform foundations that generative AI and agentic systems run on. You translate business challenges into target-state cloud solutions, lead solution design and deployment, and work closely with the AI engineers on the team to keep platform and agentic AI workstreams properly integrated. You operate with significant autonomy, bring deep technical expertise in solution and platform architecture, and use Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and modern automation across the full delivery lifecycle to accelerate deployment, improve reliability, and deliver measurable impact.
What You Will Do Depending on the engagement, you’ll draw on some of the below more than others — not every bullet applies to every project:
- Translate business challenges into target-state cloud platforms across Azure, GCP, and AWS
- Build enterprise container platforms (Kubernetes) and GitOps-based delivery (ArgoCD)
- Build self-service developer environments and secure landing zones
- Support platforms that host and serve generative AI systems (LLM hosting, LLM gateways, agentic workflows)
- Own delivery end-to-end: build CI/CD pipelines and implement Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Helm)
- Guide legacy application modernisation, microservices migrations, and API integrations
- Implement security end-to-end across the platform: security tooling built into CI/CD pipelines, namespace segmentation and managed identities in Kubernetes, and secure access controls in landing zones and the hyperscaler
- Own connectivity and network-level security: SSL/TLS certificate lifecycle management, DNS zone management, and secure network access to endpoints
- Define architectural standards and guardrails, with security as a first-class concern (policy-as-code / OPA, access controls, secrets management, compliance-driven engineering)
- Instrument platforms for observability (Grafana, Prometheus, OpenTelemetry)
- Capture deployment learnings and share best practices to inform core platform frameworks
- Contribute code, automated blueprints, and feedback to core platform teams
Who You Are You don’t need to tick every box below to apply — this reflects the breadth of the role, not a strict checklist.
Required Skills and Experience:
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in solution and platform architecture, delivering client-facing infrastructure modernisations
- Hands-on expertise with Azure, GCP, and/or AWS (landing zones, networking, IAM, cost controls)
- Production experience with Kubernetes, GitOps delivery (ArgoCD), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Helm)
- Hands-on experience implementing security end-to-end: CI/CD security tooling, Kubernetes namespace segmentation and managed identities, and secure access in landing zones and the hyperscaler
- Hands-on experience with SSL/TLS certificate management, DNS zone administration, and secure network access to endpoints
- Solid grasp of CI/CD pipelines, version control (Git & GitHub), and microservices/API architectures
- Practical experience with observability tooling (Grafana, Prometheus, OpenTelemetry)
- Working knowledge of generative AI platforms: LLM hosting, LLM gateways (e.g. LiteLLM, Portkey, Kong AI Gateway), and MLOps/LLMOps practices for deploying and monitoring AI systems in production
Preferred Skills and Experience:
- Familiarity with agentic AI frameworks (LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen, Semantic Kernel) and their production deployment
- Understanding of LLM governance: data privacy, guardrails, and responsible-use controls
- Experience guiding clients through legacy application modernisations, containerisation, and microservices re-platforming
- Experience defining platform architectural guardrails and risk frameworks that balance delivery velocity with governance
- T-shaped profile: solid technical expertise in platform engineering and cloud architecture, broad understanding across enterprise IT and technical consulting
- Ability to serve as a trusted advisor, translating business requirements into technical roadmaps for diverse stakeholders
- Willingness to travel and work on customer premises as required
- Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related discipline — or equivalent professional experience
The “Kyn” in Kyndryl means kinship, which represents the strong bonds we have with each other, our customers and our communities. We focus on ensuring all Kyndryls feel included and we welcome people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We believe in growth, and we’re excited to see what you can bring.
Your career with us isn’t just a job—it’s an adventure with purpose. We offer a dynamic, hybrid-friendly culture that supports your well-being and empowers you to grow. Our Be Well programs are thoughtfully designed to support your financial, mental, physical, and social health—because we know that when you feel your best, you do your best.
Summary Location: London, United Kingdom Type: Full time
Forward Deployed Engineer - Platform Engineer in London employer: Kyndryl
At Kyndryl, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a flexible and supportive work environment that prioritises your well-being and professional growth. As a Director in Cyber Defense, you will lead a globally diverse team, engaging in meaningful work that not only enhances your skills but also contributes to the security of critical technology systems worldwide. Our commitment to continuous learning, inclusive culture, and employee engagement ensures that every Kyndryl feels valued and empowered to make a difference.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Forward Deployed Engineer - Platform Engineer in London
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Kyndryl or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Kyndryl.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Kyndryl.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Kyndryl that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Forward Deployed Engineer - Platform Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Kyndryl.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Kyndryl and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Kyndryl
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Kyndryl uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
