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Lead DevOps Engineer

Job Req ID:  55472
Posting Date:  29 Jan 2026
Function:  Engineering
Unit:  Networks
Location: 

1 Braham Street, London, United Kingdom

Salary:  Competitive + great benefits

Working locations: Bristol, London

Working Style: 3 days a week in office, 2 days from home

Why this job matters

Network-as-a service (NaaS) is a strategic enabler within BT’s mobile network architecture, designed to unlock and expose core network capabilities in reliable and commercially governed manner. NaaS provides centralized API exposure capabilities, allowing BT to publish and manage GSMA CAMARA aligned APIs in a secure, traceable, and programmatic manner.

As Lead DevOps Engineer, you will define, build and operate the CI/CD, runtime and observability foundations that power NaaS across multi‑site, active/active environments — ensuring high availability, change safety at scale and rapid incident recovery. This is a technical hands-on role so you are expected to lead by example. 

What you’ll be doing

  • Own the reference architecture and paved paths for services on Kubernetes (Helm Charts), infra as code (Terraform), Git‑based workflows, and artefact standards. Kubernetes + Helm and GitLab CI are in active use in NaaS delivery.
  • Design progressive delivery (Argo CD/Flux, canary/blue‑green) and automated database/network change patterns fit for telco‑grade reliability.
  • Standardise API platform pipelines for Apigee / API gateway(s) and NaaS service onboarding, including contract testing and gateway policy automation. [
  • Define service SLOs/error budgets; engineer robust alerting, runbooks, and incident response across multi‑region, GSLB‑fronted estates.
  • Lead operational readiness: wargaming, failover simulations, capacity management, and performance testing at API and network layers.
  • Embed security gates in CI/CD; manage vulnerability scanning (e.g., Qualys) and endpoint protection (EDR) posture; enforce secrets and key management.
  • Partner on identity & consent patterns for CAMARA APIs (OAuth2/OIDC), and ensure auditability for customer and developer actions.
  • Run engineering communities of practice; maintain standards, scorecards, and playbooks.
  • Performance and chaos engineering at scale; cost optimisation in multi‑cluster estates.
  • Operate with a product mindset; partner with Product, Architecture, and Security to deliver business outcomes.
  • Coach engineers; model BT’s Connected Leaders behaviours (Solution‑Focused Achiever, Change Agent, Team Coach).

What you'll bring

MANDATORY

 

  • Strong Linux fundamentals and troubleshooting (system performance, networking, storage).
  • Practical understanding of L7/L4 load balancing, service mesh, DNS/GSLB, certificate mgmt and API connectivity patterns into telco/core systems.
  • Hands-on Kubernetes experience in production (deployments, upgrades, debugging, cluster/ workload operations, managing secrets, network policies).
  • Automation mindset: scripting (Python/Bash) + one or more of Terraform/Ansible/Helm/Kustomize/GitOps.
  • GitOps and modern engineering practices (PRs, code review, release discipline).
  • Strong Knowledge of API gateway/service mesh patterns and secure ingress.
  • Experience designing observability for serverless systems (logs/metrics/traces) and implementing distributed tracing and dashboards using open standards and various tooling like Elastic, Grafana etc.
  • Access, use, and disclose information only as required for the job; ensure appropriate safeguards and adherence to Information Security policies.
  • Familiarity with ITIL/incident management and change practices (or equivalent experience).
  • AWS Cloud Practitioner Certification
  • Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.

 

NICE TO HAVE

  • CAMARA and TMF‑931 familiarity; API aggregator marketplace exposure (e.g., AWS/Vonage/NAC listings)
  • Kubernetes certification (e.g., CKA/CKAD) 
  • Technical leadership experience , including mentoring the junior devOps and infrastructure engineers.
  • Good understanding of foundational AWS services like EKS, IAM, VPC, S3, CloudWatch, and hybrid connectivity patterns (e.g., VPN/Direct Connect where applicable).
  • Sound understanding of authentication and authorisation patterns, including OpenID Connect (OIDC), OAuth 2.0 and LDAP/Active Directory and how these integrate with Kubernetes (e.g., OIDC-based SSO, RBAC mapping, identity federation) and AWS identity/access controls.
  • Experience with network automation (YANG/NETCONF/RESTCONF, Ansible) and telco workloads.

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
  • From January 2025, 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.

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