DevOps Jobs

DevOps (short for “development operations,” making the full job title, “Development Operations Engineer,” and so forth) refers to the combination of software development and operations, the tools used to do so, and the work methodology used to properly balance both. DevOps specialists straddle the worlds of software engineering and IT operations, using their considerable technological aptitude to help automate and integrate key processes for the organization.

Modern DevOps teams are an exciting cohort of dedicated professionals with best-in-class technological skills, striving to bridge the gap between traditionally siloed departments. Lots of DevOps engineer work is done collaboratively as a result, so exceptional teamwork skills are also highly valued. Some of the most common roles you’ll meet on DevOps teams are as follows:

• Automation architects
• DevOps Engineers
• QA specialists
• Product owners
• Compliance engineers
• Security engineers

Since so many of the functions development operations engineers perform are mission critical in digital-forward industries and organizations, demand for DevOps jobs tends to remain fairly steady. According to recent research from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of DevOps jobs is projected to grow by 25% by the year 2031, making DevOps a great career to begin or transition into.

Lead DevOps engineers naturally have a lot on their plate, but even DevOps trainees need to multitask and keep track of many different job responsibilities. While each organization’s development pipeline has different operational concerns, necessitating unique approaches rather than one-size-fits-all tactics, common DevOps job duties will include:

• Scaling cloud programs and monitoring them for efficiency, uptime, and errors
• Creating internal documentation for new or newly updated workflows and processes
• Relaying information to team members, collaborating, and collectively working towards identified solutions
• Working closely with IT and security personnel so that future releases are stable and bug-free

DevOps is a blend of many different highly technological disciplines, which sets DevOps specialists apart from even fellow developers or software engineers. In most respects DevOps candidates are in a class all their own, with mastery over many different skills. Common job qualifications will reflect this multidisciplinary quality; the following generalized list is just one example:

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in a STEM field, like computer science or computer engineering.
• Professional certifications relevant to the needs of the organization and team, e.g., Microsoft Certified DevOps Engineer Expert or AWS Certified DevOps Engineer certificates.
• Technological skills, particularly with regard to coding and scripting — most DevOps specialists are proficient in several programming languages.
• Soft skills that support collaboration, like communication, problem solving, organization, and leadership skills.

DevOps data engineers are typically found in very large companies. They are tasked with constructing and servicing the infrastructure that software developers need to support quality releases. As you can imagine, these talented individuals find themselves in demand across many different industries, including:

• Banking and finance
• Healthcare
• Hospitality
• Retail & eCommerce
• Software development (of course!)