Platform Engineering Lead

Platform Engineering Lead

Freelance 70000 - 90000 £ / year (est.) Home office (partial)
The MRJ Group

At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead the evolution of cloud and application delivery, focusing on secure and automated platform services.
  • Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company dedicated to modernising deployment and operational capabilities.
  • Benefits: Competitive pay, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
  • Other info: Be part of a collaborative team driving innovation and best practices in platform engineering.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact by enhancing developer productivity and security in a dynamic environment.
  • Qualifications: Experience with Azure, CI/CD pipelines, and a passion for security and automation.

The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.

We are seeking an experienced Platform Engineering Lead (contract) to support the evolution of our cloud and application delivery strategy as we modernise our deployment, integration, and operational capabilities. This role will focus on building scalable, secure, and automated platform services that improve developer productivity, deployment consistency, operational resilience, and software delivery across engineering teams. The successful candidate will play a key role in transitioning from traditional infrastructure deployments toward modern cloud‑native and platform engineering practices.

Security will be a core component of the role, ensuring that platform services, deployment pipelines, and engineering standards are designed with secure‑by‑default principles. The role will help embed DevSecOps practices across the software delivery lifecycle, ensuring security controls are automated, repeatable, and integrated into engineering workflows rather than applied retrospectively. The role will also contribute to the development of platform security standards and recommendations, supporting secure application delivery, cloud governance, identity management, secrets handling, and compliance requirements across engineering environments. In addition, the role will support secure collaboration models for internal engineering teams, third‑party development partners, and external data providers, ensuring appropriate identity management, access controls, environment segregation, and secure integration practices are implemented across platform services and delivery pipelines.

Key Responsibilities

  • Design and maintain CI/CD pipelines using Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or similar tooling.
  • Implement automated multi‑stage deployment pipelines across development, test, UAT, and production environments.
  • Support blue/green and phased deployment strategies.
  • Develop Infrastructure‑as‑Code solutions using Terraform and/or Bicep.
  • Build reusable infrastructure templates and standardised deployment patterns.
  • Support cloud‑native services and event‑driven architectures using Azure technologies.
  • Implement security controls within CI/CD pipelines including code scanning, dependency validation, secrets detection, and policy enforcement.
  • Support secure identity, access control, and secrets management practices across cloud platforms and deployment pipelines.
  • Support secure collaboration and integration with internal teams, third‑party development partners, and external data providers.
  • Contribute to platform security recommendations, engineering governance, and secure deployment standards.
  • Support security testing and validation activities within pre‑production and UAT environments.
  • Contribute to platform architecture standards, engineering governance, and future technology strategy.
  • Implement monitoring, logging, alerting, and operational resilience practices aligned to SRE principles.
  • Support operational stability, incident management, and platform optimisation initiatives.

Technical Skills & Experience

Essential: Azure cloud platform experience, CI/CD pipeline engineering (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions), Infrastructure as Code (Terraform and/or Bicep), Automation and scripting (PowerShell, Bash, Python), Experience with Azure Service Bus and serverless technologies, Security and DevSecOps practices, Experience implementing security controls within CI/CD pipelines, Identity and access management experience, Monitoring, logging, and operational support experience, Experience working within cloud‑native or platform engineering environments.

Desirable: GitOps practices, SRE / reliability engineering experience, Experience defining platform standards and reference architectures, Knowledge of security tooling including SAST/DAST, vulnerability scanning, and policy‑as‑code frameworks.

Platform Engineering Lead employer: The MRJ Group

As a Platform Engineering Lead, you will join a forward-thinking company that prioritises innovation and security in its cloud and application delivery strategy. Our collaborative work culture fosters continuous learning and professional growth, offering opportunities to engage with cutting-edge technologies while embedding DevSecOps practices into our engineering workflows. Located in a vibrant tech hub, we provide a supportive environment where your contributions directly impact the evolution of our platform services, ensuring a meaningful and rewarding career path.

The MRJ Group

Contact Details:

The MRJ Group Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Platform Engineering Lead

Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Attend industry meetups, webinars, or tech conferences where you can connect with other professionals in platform engineering. Don't be shy—introduce yourself and share your passion for cloud-native practices!

Tip Number 2

Show off your skills! Create a personal project or contribute to open-source initiatives that showcase your expertise in CI/CD pipelines and Infrastructure-as-Code. This not only builds your portfolio but also gives you something tangible to discuss in interviews.

Tip Number 3

Prepare for those interviews! Research common questions related to Azure DevOps, security practices, and automation. Practise your answers, focusing on how you've implemented secure-by-default principles in past projects.

Tip Number 4

Apply through our website! We love seeing candidates who are genuinely interested in joining us. Tailor your application to highlight your experience with cloud technologies and DevSecOps practices, and let us know why you're excited about the role!

We think you need these skills to ace Platform Engineering Lead

Azure Cloud Platform Experience
CI/CD Pipeline Engineering
Infrastructure as Code (Terraform and/or Bicep)
Automation and Scripting (PowerShell, Bash, Python)
Azure Service Bus
Serverless Technologies
Security and DevSecOps Practices

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Platform Engineering Lead role. Highlight your Azure cloud platform experience and any CI/CD pipeline engineering you've done. We want to see how you can contribute to our cloud and application delivery strategy!

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about platform engineering and how your background aligns with our goals at StudySmarter. Don’t forget to mention your experience with security practices and automation!

Showcase Your Projects:If you've worked on relevant projects, make sure to include them in your application. Whether it's building Infrastructure-as-Code solutions or implementing security controls, we love seeing real-world examples of your work and how they relate to the role.

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’re considered for the role. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about what we do at StudySmarter!

How to prepare for a job interview at The MRJ Group

Know Your Tech Inside Out

Make sure you’re well-versed in Azure cloud services, CI/CD pipelines, and Infrastructure as Code tools like Terraform. Brush up on your scripting skills too! Being able to discuss specific projects where you've implemented these technologies will show your hands-on experience.

Showcase Your Security Savvy

Since security is a core component of the role, be prepared to discuss how you've integrated security practices into your previous projects. Talk about your experience with DevSecOps and how you've automated security controls within CI/CD pipelines.

Demonstrate Collaboration Skills

This role involves working with various teams and third-party partners, so highlight your experience in fostering secure collaboration. Share examples of how you've managed identity and access controls while ensuring smooth integration across different teams.

Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions

Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific challenges related to platform engineering and security. Think through scenarios involving deployment strategies or incident management, and be ready to explain your thought process and decision-making.