DevOps Engineer – National Security Domain
September/October is the time of year when the market shifts.
Contracts have been awarded, budgets are being reviewed, and teams are scaling — creating new opportunities for those with the right clearance.
The clients we’re supporting are investing heavily in their National Security divisions, offering the chance to work on projects of the utmost importance in environments designed to keep you supported and fulfilled.
Demand continues to overmatch supply, so it’s never been a better time to assess your career options.
The Role & Locations
We’re hiring DevOps Engineers across multiple mandates in the National Security ecosystem. Roles cover everything from building secure CI/CD pipelines in classified environments to deploying containerised applications in air-gapped domains. Locations include London, Cheltenham, Bristol, Manchester, and Defence hubs across the South West and North West.
Tech Stack & Role Guidance
We’re supporting opportunities from SFIA Level 3 (mid-level) through to SFIA Level 6 (Principal) — all hands-on roles with exposure to:
-
Containerisation (Kubernetes, Helm, Docker)
-
Pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab)
-
Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible)
-
Coding background is a massive bonus (Python, Java/Spring Boot; Go or Rust are a bonus)
Our Clients’ Value Proposition to You
We’ve deliberately chosen to partner with a range of employers in National Security — from larger organisations with strong reputations and growth trajectories, to smaller specialist outfits offering a close-knit, family feel.
Whatever environment you thrive in, we can align you with the right opportunity.
What unites them all:
-
Incremental uplift on your base salary (plus cleared-engineer bonus)
-
One-stage interview pathways for clarity and pace
-
Relocation support if needed for roles in another Defence hubs
-
The chance to learn fast across multiple domains with rapid progression opportunities
-
Great working environments with testimonials from the engineers themselves
What They’re Looking For
-
Active clearance to work in the National Security domain with 'the client'
-
Pragmatic problem-solvers able to pick up new tech/projects
-
Collaborative team players used to secure, multi-domain environments
What They’re Not Looking For
-
Narrow Ops-only backgrounds without automation/DevOps experience
-
Contractors chasing short-term gains
-
Remote-only candidates — these are on-site, mission-first roles
Next Steps
If you’re cleared and ready to explore your options, submit your CV here.
Or, connect with us on LinkedIn for a confidential discussion about your situation — we’ll share intel on the wider market and help you map out your next step in the National Security domain.
As an industry leading, nationwide Marketing, Digital, Analytics, IT and Design recruitment agency, we are continually receiving new assignments to work on, so keep a close eye on our website, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter pages for a full list of current permanent and interim opportunities as well as marketplace news and fun stuff.
Forward Role is operating as an employment agency.
APPLY HERE.
