DevOps Engineer in the United Kingdom
Build reliable delivery pipelines, automate cloud infrastructure, and turn incidents into measurable improvements. This page is designed for non-UK candidates applying to UK DevOps Engineer roles via MaViAl.
What you’ll do (real DevOps scope)
- Own CI/CD pipelines: build, harden, and keep deployments predictable (rollbacks, approvals, release notes).
- Automate infrastructure with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform or equivalent), with reviewable change control.
- Run container platforms (Kubernetes) and baseline platform services (ingress, secrets, autoscaling, storage).
- Make systems observable: metrics, logs, traces, SLOs, and alerting that does not wake people up for noise.
- Participate in on-call and incident response; lead post-incident reviews and prevention work.
Requirements (detailed)
- Cloud depth: production experience in AWS, Azure, or GCP (IAM, networking, compute, managed services).
- IaC discipline: Terraform modules, state strategy, review workflow, and safe rollout patterns.
- Containers: Docker fundamentals + Kubernetes troubleshooting (pods, networking, resource limits, deployment patterns).
- CI/CD: GitHub Actions / GitLab CI / Jenkins (pipelines, secrets, build caching, artifacts, environment promotion).
- Linux + scripting: Bash/Python/Go, debugging, performance basics, and clear runbooks.
- Observability: monitoring and logging stacks (Prometheus/Grafana/ELK/OpenTelemetry—tooling varies).
- Security mindset: least privilege, secrets management, patching, dependency scanning, secure defaults.
What MaViAl provides
- Role matching based on your CV, stack, and seniority (platform vs product-embedded DevOps).
- Guidance on presenting your experience for UK hiring expectations (impact, ownership, incident scope).
- Clear next steps and contact support through the process.
In many UK teams, DevOps is measured by outcomes: fewer risky releases, faster recovery, and infrastructure changes that can be reviewed like code.
Tech stack coverage (keywords that matter)
Employers rarely require every tool. They do require repeatable delivery, infrastructure control, and reliable operations.
Salary benchmarks (all gross)
| Scenario | Typical gross range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent (UK, Mid) | £50,000–£70,000 / year | Depends on cloud depth, ownership, and on-call scope |
| Permanent (UK, Senior) | £70,000–£90,000+ / year | Platform leadership, reliability ownership, security responsibility |
| London market | Often higher vs national average | Hybrid/on-site requirements may apply |
| Contract | £450–£650/day (benchmark) | Varies by IR35 status, sector, and delivery urgency |
Benchmarks are indicative and shown for orientation. Sponsored roles must also satisfy Skilled Worker salary rules (threshold and occupation “going rate” are employer-specific).
UK work conditions (practical overview)
- Rest breaks: if you work more than 6 hours in a day, you are entitled to an uninterrupted 20-minute break (paid/unpaid depends on contract).
- Daily rest: workers have the right to 11 hours rest between working days.
- Right-to-work checks: employers must verify work permission before employment (process differs by status).
Many DevOps roles include an on-call rotation. When present, clarify: frequency, compensation, incident expectations, and time-off policy.
What to include in your CV (to pass UK screening)
- Impact: reduced deployment time, improved availability, faster recovery, cost optimisation, fewer incidents.
- Scale: clusters, environments, traffic, team size, deployment frequency (approximate is fine).
- Ownership: what you owned end-to-end (pipelines, Kubernetes platform, observability, IaC).
- Incidents: your role in response, learning, and prevention (runbooks, alerts, SLOs).
- Security: IAM, secrets, vulnerability scanning, least privilege, secure supply chain.
Related roles in IT & Office
- IT Support Technician (Entry/Mid, Medium sponsorship)
- Software Engineer (Mid/Senior, High sponsorship)
- Data Analyst (Mid, High sponsorship)
- Cybersecurity Analyst (Mid, High sponsorship)
- Cloud Engineer (Mid, High sponsorship)
- Accountant (Mid, Medium sponsorship)
- HR Coordinator (Entry/Mid, Medium sponsorship)
- Customer Service Advisor (Entry, Low sponsorship)
FAQ (UK DevOps Engineer)
Can DevOps Engineer roles be sponsored in the UK?
Often yes. Eligibility depends on the employer, the exact occupation coding, and whether the salary meets the Skilled Worker rules (standard threshold and the occupation “going rate”).
Do I need Kubernetes to be considered?
Not always, but Kubernetes is common in UK platform teams. If you do not have it, emphasize transferable experience: containers, automation, IaC, and observability.
Is on-call mandatory for DevOps in the UK?
Many roles include on-call. Treat it as a scope question: frequency, alert quality, escalation, compensation, and expected response windows.
What is the difference between DevOps and Platform Engineering?
Platform Engineering usually means building internal “paved roads” (platform services, golden paths, self-service tooling). DevOps can be platform-based or embedded with product teams.
What CV format works best for UK DevOps screening?
Use a clear 1–2 page CV with a technical summary, core tools, and 3–5 projects described by outcomes (reliability, speed, automation, cost, security).
Are contracts common?
Yes—especially for migrations, cloud modernization, and urgent delivery. Contract terms can differ significantly (including IR35 status).
Which certifications help the most?
Cloud certifications can help for initial screening, but hiring decisions typically prioritize proven delivery: IaC repos, incident ownership, and production reliability work.