Senior DevOps Engineer Ref. 3728

Salary and Working Hours

Salary: £63,823, with an opportunity to qualify for additional allowances and a skills‑related payment under the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability (GDDPC) Framework – formerly known as DDaT. Flexible working: we support full‑time (36 hours per week) and part‑time (minimum three days a week) working patterns. Due to the sensitive nature of our work, this role is fully office‑based with no option for remote or home working.

About the Role

As a Senior DevOps Engineer, you’ll play a key role in bridging development and operations by enabling teams to deliver software reliably, securely and at pace. You’ll help design, build and run a bespoke internal Cloud platform, ensuring the smooth operation of systems and infrastructure that support AI, ML Ops and wider engineering teams. Your focus will be on embedding DevOps practices such as continuous integration, continuous delivery, infrastructure automation and monitoring, creating reliable pipelines and tooling that underpin modern engineering ways of working. With a primary focus on delivery and operational excellence, you’ll support the creation of a scalable, reliable and secure Cloud‑based platform. You’ll build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, develop infrastructure as code, deliver DevOps automation, and ensure systems are observable, resilient and well‑monitored. In doing so, you’ll create shared tooling and services that teams across MI6 can use securely and effectively. Working closely with software engineers, product managers and ML Ops teams, you’ll promote a strong DevOps culture by improving collaboration, reducing friction between teams and continuously improving how services are built, deployed and operated. Whether troubleshooting live issues, improving platform reliability or adopting industry best practice, you’ll deliver practical, high‑quality solutions that support the organisation’s mission.

About You

You’re an experienced DevOps or platform‑focused engineer, with demonstrable experience designing, automating and operating Cloud‑based systems in complex environments. You have strong experience of infrastructure as code, CI/CD, configuration management, containerisation and monitoring, alongside hands‑on experience with Cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure or Google Cloud. You are someone seeking to move into a senior role providing technical direction and mentoring to less experienced engineers. You’re adaptable, collaborative and knowledgeable, a problem‑solver with a knack for troubleshooting, and keen to learn, keeping up with emerging trends and excited by the prospect of significant upskilling in AI and ML Ops. You do not need any existing AI expertise beyond a foundational understanding; a genuine passion and some evidence of self‑study will support your interest.

Training and Development

We invest in professional development and you’ll have access to a range of learning opportunities, including in‑house and online training, technical deep dives and development pathways tailored to your interests and the organisation’s needs. This includes support to strengthen your capability across modern AI techniques, Cloud technologies and wider analytical or engineering practices. You’ll also have opportunities to work with external professional bodies and training providers who offer routes to specialist accreditation, advanced AI training or broader professional recognition. Alongside formal training, you’ll benefit from mentoring, peer support and a collaborative community that shares knowledge openly. You’ll have opportunities to rotate across different teams, explore emerging technologies and contribute to shaping how MI6 evolves its AI and data science capability.

Rewards and Benefits

25 days annual leave, automatically rising to 30 days after 5 years of service, plus an additional 10.5 days public and privilege holidays. Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme. Interest‑free season ticket loan (travel and parking). Excellent pension scheme. Cycle to work scheme. Facilities such as a gym, restaurant, and on‑site coffee bars (at some locations). Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities

At MI6 diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a truly diverse workforce that reflects the society we serve. This includes diversity in every sense of the word: those with different backgrounds, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, ways of thinking, and those with disabilities or neurodivergent conditions. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including those from groups that are under‑represented in our workforce such as women, people from an ethnic minority background, people with disabilities and those from low socio‑economic backgrounds.

Eligibility and Security Clearance

Applicant must be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. Role requires the highest security clearance, Developed Vetting (DV). Applicants must successfully pass all vetting stages; a strict drugs policy is in place.