DevOps Engineer- Kubernetes

All locations: London or Ipswich

Working Model: 3 days a week in office, 2 days from anywhere

Why this job matters

You will play a crucial role in managing and optimizing our on-premises infrastructure and ensuring the smooth operation of our software development and deployment processes. You will work closely with cross-functional teams to automate, monitor, and enhance our on-premises systems, ensuring they meet high availability, scalability, and security standards. Create standard set of tools and processes which enable our customers to rapidly manage services across their pipelines in an automated, secure and compliant way.

What you’ll be doing

• Infrastructure Automation: Design, implement, and maintain infrastructure as code (IAC) using tools like Ansible and Terraform to automate the provisioning and configuration of on-premises servers and resources.
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD): Set up and manage Jenkins/GitLab,argo CD, Flux, pipelines to automate the build, test, and deployment of software applications across various environments.
• Scripting and Development: Utilize Python and other scripting languages to develop custom automation scripts and tools.
• Kubernetes: Kubernetes administration-  Install, configure, and maintain Kubernetes clusters (on-prem or cloud), Troubleshoot cluster issues, node failures, and workload performance problems, Implement security best practices (image scanning, secrets management, container hardening), Handle backup/restore (Velero )
• Monitoring and Logging: Implement and maintain monitoring solutions (e.g., Splunk,Prometheus,Dynatrace) to proactively identify and resolve issues in the on-premises infrastructure. Create alerts and dashboards to ensure system health.
• Server and OS Management: Manage Linux and Windows servers, including OS patching, software installation, and configuration management.
• Security and Compliance: Collaborate with security teams to implement and maintain security measures, including compliance standards.
• Agile Collaboration: Work within Agile development methodologies, participating in sprint planning, stand-ups, and retrospectives to align DevOps efforts with the development and delivery pipeline.

What you'll bring

MANDATORY

• Hands‑on experience with Kubernetes in production clusters
• Strong understanding of Kubernetes core concepts including controllers, scheduling, storage, networking, RBAC, and security
• Install, configure, upgrade, and maintain Kubernetes clusters (on‑prem or cloud)
• Implement and manage Network Policies, Ingress controllers, Storage Classes, certificate management, and add‑ons (cert‑manager, metrics, logging, ingress)
• Troubleshoot cluster, node, and workload performance issues
• Experience with backup/restore tools (e.g., Velero)
• Proficiency with Helm, Kustomize, GitOps (ArgoCD/Flux), and Ingress controllers
• Strong CI/CD skills (GitLab, Jenkins, GitHub Actions)
• Solid experience with Terraform and Ansible
• Experience with monitoring and logging tools (Prometheus/Grafana, ELK, Dynatrace, Splunk)
• Strong Linux administration background
• Proficiency in Bash and one of: Python / Go
• Understanding of networking fundamentals (DNS, load balancers, routing, TLS)
• Knowledge of security best practices and container security techniques (image scanning, secrets management, container hardening)
• Strong problem‑solving, analytical, and troubleshooting skills
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced Agile environment and under pressure
• Self‑driven, able to learn new technologies independently, with strong planning and organisational skills

NICE TO HAVE

• CKA / CKAD / CKS certifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or equivalent experience
• Knowledge of TV and Broadcast systems
• Familiarity with security tools (Qualys, CrowdStrike, Trivy, etc.)
• Experience with VMware Kubernetes Services
• Knowledge of Vault (HashiCorp) or External Secrets
• Familiarity with configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef)
• Experience with CI/CD and IaC tooling (Jenkins, GitLab, Terraform, ArgoCD, Flux)
• Knowledge of VMware environment

What's in it for you

• 10% on target bonus
• BT Pension scheme, minimum 5% Employee contribution, BT contribution 10%
• Life Assurance Cover
• Exclusive colleague discounts on our latest and greatest BT broadband packages, BT TV with TNT Sports and NOW Entertainment
• Equal family leave: receive 18 weeks at full pay, 8 weeks at half pay and 26 weeks at the statutory rate. It’s for all parents, no matter how your family is made up.
• Enhanced women’s health support: including help with menopause symptoms, cancer screenings, period care and more.
• 25 days annual leave (not including bank holidays), increasing with service
• 24/7 private virtual GP appointments for UK colleagues
• 2 weeks carer’s leave
• World-class training and development opportunities
• Option to join BT Shares Saving schemes

About us

BT Group was the world’s first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled.  As home to several of the UK’s most recognised and cherished brands – BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business. 
 
Over the next two years, we will complete the UK’s largest and most successful digital infrastructure project – connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband.  Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other. 
 
While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come.  This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK’s best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country’s biggest infrastructure companies.  
 
Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented.  BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

A FEW POINTS TO NOTE:

Although these roles are listed as full-time, if you’re a job share partnership, work reduced hours, or any other way of working flexibly, please still get in touch.

We will also offer reasonable adjustments for the selection process if required, so please do not hesitate to inform us.

DON'T MEET EVERY SINGLE REQUIREMENT?

Studies have shown that women and people who are disabled, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse or from ethnic minority backgrounds are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification and criteria. We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace where everyone can be their best, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every requirement on the Job Description, please apply anyway - you may just be the right candidate for this or other roles in our wider team.