At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead DevOps solutions, shape technical direction, and mentor fellow engineers.
- Company: Join Leonardo, a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a comprehensive benefits package.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on critical missions while advancing your career.
- Qualifications: Expertise in CI/CD, automation, and cloud environments required.
The predicted salary is between 59400 - 84955 £ per year.
Salary Range: 59,400 - 84,955
Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.
Your impact
Do you want to shape the future of DevOps across the UK’s most critical missions? At Leonardo, our Senior DevOps Engineers (Technical Specialists) are recognised authorities in automation and secure software delivery. They set technical direction, act as subject matter experts across programmes, and ensure our DevOps solutions remain robust, secure, and innovative.
Your work at Leonardo UK will see you take the lead in solving customer problems in an agile, innovative and team-centric manner. The role will involve working full time at the customers site, and requires an active DV clearance.
What you will do as a Senior DevOps Engineer:
- Act as the technical authority for DevOps across programmes, shaping architectures and guiding technical delivery.
- Define and influence DevOps roadmaps, innovation, and future strategies for automation and secure delivery.
- Lead feasibility studies, technology assessments, and solution recommendations for complex engineering challenges.
- Provide advanced guidance in CI/CD, infrastructure as code, and container orchestration across environments.
- Mentor Principal, Senior, and Early-career Engineers to raise capability across the DevOps community.
- Represent Leonardo at customer reviews, technical boards, and industry events, presenting and defending solutions.
- Contribute expert input to bids, proposals, and technical strategy.
- Champion secure-by-design principles, accreditation alignment, and engineering governance.
What you’ll bring:
- Recognised expertise as a technical authority in DevOps and automation.
- Ability to influence technical strategy and represent Leonardo externally as a subject matter expert.
- Strong communication skills to engage with stakeholders from engineers to senior leaders.
Core areas (must have):
- Expert knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, automation, and orchestration (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Terraform, Ansible, Helm).
- Strong expertise in containerisation and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift/Tanzu).
- Deep knowledge of cloud environments (AWS, Azure) and hybrid deployments.
- Experience embedding cyber security controls and DevSecOps practices into pipelines and infrastructure.
- Proficiency in scripting and automation (Python, Bash, PowerShell).
- Familiarity with accreditation, assurance, and governance requirements in secure environments.
Desirable:
- Recognised expert certifications (e.g. Kubernetes CKA/CKAD, AWS/Azure Architect, HashiCorp Terraform/ Vault).
- Experience influencing organisational DevOps standards and best practices.
- Contributions to research, publications, or professional forums in DevOps/automation.
- Knowledge of service mesh, GitOps, and policy-as-code approaches.
- Experience with monitoring/logging and observability platforms (ELK, Prometheus, Splunk).
This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.
Security Clearance
This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).
Why join us
At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.
- Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
- Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
- Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
- Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
- Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
- Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
- Tailored Perks: Spend up to 500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
- Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.
For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.
Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.
At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.
Be part of something bigger - apply now!
Primary Location: GB - Bristol - Coldharbour Lane
Contract Type: Permanent
Hybrid Working: Onsite
Job Summary
Job number: R0023086
Date posted: 2026-06-04
Profession: Digital & IT
Employment type: Full time
Senior DevOps Engineer employer: Leonardo DRS
Leonardo DRS is an excellent employer for students seeking practical experience in a supportive and dynamic environment. Located in Bedford, the company fosters a collaborative work culture that encourages personal growth and skill development, making it an ideal place for young individuals to kickstart their careers in inventory management and logistics. With hands-on training and mentorship opportunities, students can gain valuable insights while contributing to meaningful projects over their temporary tenure.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior DevOps Engineer
✨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 Leonardo DRS 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 Leonardo DRS.
✨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 Leonardo DRS.
✨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 Leonardo DRS 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 Senior DevOps Engineer
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 Leonardo DRS.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Leonardo DRS 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 Leonardo DRS
✨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 Leonardo DRS 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.
