DevOps / Platform Engineer (SC / DV Eligible)
Location: Manchester / Northwest (hybrid + high-side work)
Salary: £55,000 – £80,000 + bonus + DV incentives + benefits
If you’re currently in a DevOps or Platform role and feel like you’re stuck maintaining rather than building, this is the kind of move that changes that.
We’re working with a number of Defence and National Security organisations across the Northwest who are actively hiring engineers into delivery-focused teams. These range from growing SMEs to established consultancies, all supporting high-impact programmes across the UK.
What’s different about these roles?
You’ll be closer to the work.
These teams are typically embedded directly into mission-critical programmes, working alongside end clients rather than being layered behind multiple levels of delivery. For most engineers, that means:
- More ownership of what you build
- More visibility of the impact
- Less red tape than traditional prime environments
There’s also a strong push across the Northwest right now to grow these teams, so relocation support is available where needed.
What you’ll be doing
This will vary slightly depending on the environment, but typically includes:
- Building and improving cloud-based platforms (primarily AWS)
- Designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines for secure environments
- Supporting infrastructure as code and automation best practices
- Working closely with software and data teams to enable delivery
- Contributing to platform reliability, scalability, and security
Most roles will involve some level of high-side working and direct client interaction.
Typical tech environment
You won’t need everything here, but most teams are working with:
- AWS (core cloud environment)
- Terraform or CloudFormation
- CI/CD tooling (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions)
- Containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes)
- Scripting (Python, Bash)
What they’re looking for
- Experience in a DevOps, Platform or SRE-type role
- Strong fundamentals across cloud and automation
- Comfortable working in delivery-focused environments
- Willingness to work in secure / high-side settings
Security clearance is required, but DV can typically be sponsored.
Experience within Defence or National Security is a strong advantage.
Why it’s worth considering
- Clear progression into senior / lead roles as teams scale
- Exposure to meaningful, real-world programmes
- Opportunity to move into more agile, engineering-led environments
- Base salaries from £55,000 – £80,000 depending on experience
- Additional bonuses, DV incentives, and full benefits packages
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