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Development operations (DevOps) engineer

Find out what a development operations (DevOps) engineer in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.

Last updated 31 May 2024 — See all updates

What a development operations (DevOps) engineer does

Commonly referred to as ‘DevOps engineers’, development operations engineers support the development and operation of software through tools, environments and practices.

In this role, you will be responsible for underpinning good development processes including managing tools and testing environments, central code control, maintaining development standards and writing software that automates systems.

Development operations (DevOps) engineer role levels

There are 9 development operations (devops) engineer role levels, from apprentice devops engineer to principal devops engineer - management.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Apprentice DevOps engineer

An apprentice DevOps engineer attends certified training and develops skills on the job.

At this role level, you will:

  • spend a significant proportion of your time shadowing others
  • be involved in implementation but not planning
  • build on your knowledge

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • AO (Administrative Officer)
  • EO (Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of availability and capacity management processes

Information security

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • discuss information security and the security controls that can be used to mitigate security threats within solutions and services

Modern standards approach

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the importance of adopting a modern standards approach

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand the process of software development and have a basic knowledge of how services are built

Prototyping

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • explain what prototyping is, and why and when to use it
  • understand how to work in an open and collaborative environment (by pair working, for example)

Service support

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • help with the investigation and resolution of infrastructure problems, undertaking specific activities under direction

2. Junior DevOps engineer

A junior DevOps engineer learns on the job by building software components.

At this role level, you will:

  • assist in the building of a complex story
  • work under supervision
  • be involved in implementation but not planning

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • EO (Executive Officer)
  • HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness of availability and capacity management processes

Information security

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate an understanding of information security and the types of security controls that can be used to mitigate security threats within solutions and services

Modern standards approach

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • explain the most important principles of a modern standards approach and how they apply to the work you are undertaking
  • apply these principles under guidance

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design, code, test, correct and document simple programs or scripts under the direction of others

Prototyping

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand when to use a specific prototyping technique or method
  • show the value of prototyping to your team

Service support

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • help fix faults following agreed procedures
  • carry out agreed maintenance tasks on infrastructure

Systems design

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • assist as part of a team in the design of components of larger systems

Systems integration

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • talk about the process of integrating systems and the challenges of designing, building and testing interfaces between systems

User focus

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • show an awareness or understanding of user experience analysis and its principles
  • explain the purpose of user stories and the focus on user needs

3. DevOps engineer

A DevOps engineer delivers automated software components that form part of a development operations toolchain.

At this role level, you will:

  • transform technical requirements into DevOps processes
  • build complex stories without additional support
  • manage live test environments
  • identify and resolve issues that are preventing delivery

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
  • SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets

Development process optimisation

Level: awareness

Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • explain the importance of developing process efficiency and the common ways in which processes are optimised
  • support specific activities to improve development processes
  • spot or identify obvious deficiencies

Information security

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand information security
  • design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • explain the most important principles of a modern standards approach and how they apply to the work you are undertaking
  • apply these principles under guidance

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
  • establish design patterns and iterate them
  • use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate

Service support

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify, locate and fix faults

Systems design

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • translate logical designs into physical designs
  • produce detailed designs
  • effectively document all work using required standards, methods and tools, including prototyping tools where appropriate
  • design systems characterised by managed levels of risk, manageable business and technical complexity, and meaningful impact
  • work with well understood technology and identify appropriate patterns

Systems integration

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • build and test simple interfaces between systems
  • work on more complex integration as part of a wider team

User focus

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify and engage with users or stakeholders to collate user needs evidence
  • understand and define research that fits user needs
  • use quantitative and qualitative data about users to turn user focus into outcomes

4. Senior DevOps engineer

A senior DevOps engineer delivers and integrates software to form a complete DevOps toolchain. They are responsible for planning and designing large groups of stories.

At this role level, you will:

  • transform technical requirements into an effective DevOps toolchain to enable product delivery
  • provide coaching and mentoring to more junior colleagues
  • ensure that deployment strategies for products are repeatable, scalable and highly available
  • have deep technical knowledge, providing support to delivery teams and solving complex problems

There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
  • G7 (Grade 7)
Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets

Development process optimisation

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions

Information security

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand information security
  • design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • competently apply a modern standards approach and guide others to do so

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
  • establish design patterns and iterate them
  • use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate

Service support

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a breadth of understanding of service support

Systems design

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity
  • select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively
  • review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology

Systems integration

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • define the integration build
  • co-ordinate build activities across systems
  • understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

5. Senior DevOps engineer - management

A senior DevOps engineer delivers and integrates software to form a complete DevOps toolchain. They are responsible for planning and designing large groups of stories.

At this role level, you will:

  • transform technical requirements into an effective DevOps toolchain to enable product delivery
  • provide coaching and mentoring to more junior colleagues
  • ensure that deployment strategies for products are repeatable, scalable and highly available
  • have deep technical knowledge, providing support to delivery teams and solving complex problems

There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.

Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • ensure the correct implementation of standards and procedures
  • identify capacity issues, and stipulate and instigate the required changes
  • initiate remedial action

Development process optimisation (management)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • analyse current processes
  • identify and implement opportunities to optimise processes
  • lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements
  • help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards

Information security

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand information security
  • design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • competently apply a modern standards approach and guide others to do so

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
  • establish design patterns and iterate them
  • use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate

Service support

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify, locate and fix faults

Systems design

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity
  • select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively
  • review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology

Systems integration

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • define the integration build
  • co-ordinate build activities across systems
  • understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

6. Lead DevOps engineer

A lead DevOps engineer leads one or a small number of related project teams and contributes to the development of the strategic direction.

At this role level, you will:

  • act as a technical product owner, developing medium to long term strategies for product lines
  • provide technical leadership and guidance through coaching and mentoring
  • lead the sharing of knowledge and good practice

There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • G7 (Grade 7)
  • G6 (Grade 6)
Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • manage service components to ensure they meet business needs and performance targets

Development process optimisation

Level: working

Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify process optimisation opportunities with guidance and contribute to the implementation of proposed solutions

Information security

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand information security
  • design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a strong understanding of the most appropriate modern standards and practices, and how they are applied
  • coach and guide others in these standards

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
  • establish design patterns and iterate them
  • use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate

Service support

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a breadth of understanding of service support

Systems design

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity
  • select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively
  • review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology

Systems integration

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • establish standards and procedures across a service product life cycle, including the development product life cycle, and can ensure that practitioners adhere to these
  • manage resources to ensure that the systems integration function works effectively

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

7. Lead DevOps engineer - management

A lead DevOps engineer leads one or a small number of related project teams and contributes to the development of the strategic direction.

At this role level, you will:

  • act as a technical product owner, developing medium to long term strategies for product lines
  • provide technical leadership and guidance through coaching and mentoring
  • lead the sharing of knowledge and good practice

There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.

Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • ensure the correct implementation of standards and procedures
  • identify capacity issues, and stipulate and instigate the required changes
  • initiate remedial action

Development process optimisation (management)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • analyse current processes
  • identify and implement opportunities to optimise processes
  • lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements
  • help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards

Information security

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • understand information security
  • design solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a strong understanding of the most appropriate modern standards and practices, and how they are applied
  • coach and guide others in these standards

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • approach prototyping as a team activity, actively soliciting prototypes and testing with others
  • establish design patterns and iterate them
  • use a variety of prototyping methods and choose the most appropriate

Service support

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify, locate and fix faults

Systems design

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity
  • select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively
  • review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology

Systems integration

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • define the integration build
  • co-ordinate build activities across systems
  • understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

8. Principal DevOps engineer

A principal DevOps engineer leads and plans development across large or multiple teams, defining the strategic vision for delivery.

At this role level, you will:

  • identify, test and champion the adoption of emerging technologies
  • ensure that security, stability and capacity are embedded in the development and deployment of services
  • develop a team’s capability by rewarding high performers
  • shape career paths and recruit the right talent
  • identify skills gaps and important dependencies within technical teams

There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

  • G7 (Grade 7)
  • G6 (Grade 6)
Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • ensure the correct implementation of standards and procedures
  • identify capacity issues, and stipulate and instigate the required changes
  • initiate remedial action

Development process optimisation

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • analyse current processes
  • identify and implement opportunities to optimise processes
  • lead and develop a team of experts to deliver service improvements
  • help to evaluate and establish requirements for the implementation of changes by setting policy and standards

Information security

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge of information security
  • design, quality review and quality assure solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a strong understanding of the most appropriate modern standards and practices, and how they are applied
  • coach and guide others in these standards

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • use a variety of prototyping methods
  • share best practice and coach others
  • look at strategic service design end to end

Service support

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a breadth of understanding of service support

Systems design

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity
  • select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively
  • review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology

Systems integration

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • establish standards and procedures across a service product life cycle, including the development product life cycle, and can ensure that practitioners adhere to these
  • manage resources to ensure that the systems integration function works effectively

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use

9. Principal DevOps engineer - management

A principal DevOps engineer leads and plans development across large or multiple teams, defining the strategic vision for delivery.

At this role level, you will:

  • identify, test and champion the adoption of emerging technologies
  • ensure that security, stability and capacity are embedded in the development and deployment of services
  • develop a team’s capability by rewarding high performers
  • shape career paths and recruit the right talent
  • identify skills gaps and important dependencies within technical teams

There are 2 different roles at this level - a technical role and a management role.

Skill Description

Availability and capacity management

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • drive policy and strategy for service and capacity management, and the implementation of required changes

Development process optimisation (management)

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • set the strategy and manage resource allocation for solution development programmes
  • work with client functions to establish business requirements and identify, propose, initiate and lead these programmes

Information security

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate in-depth knowledge of information security
  • design, quality review and quality assure solutions and services with security controls embedded, specifically engineered with mitigation of security threats as a core feature

Modern standards approach

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • demonstrate a strong understanding of the most appropriate modern standards and practices, and how they are applied
  • coach and guide others in these standards

Programming and build (software engineering)

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with others when necessary to review specifications
  • use the agreed specifications to design, code, test and document programs or scripts of medium-to-high complexity, using the right standards and tools

Prototyping

Level: expert

Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • use a variety of prototyping methods
  • share best practice and coach others
  • look at strategic service design end to end

Service support

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • identify, locate and fix faults

Systems design

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • design systems characterised by medium levels of risk, impact, and business or technical complexity
  • select appropriate design standards, methods and tools, and ensure they are applied effectively
  • review the systems designs of others to ensure the selection of appropriate technology, efficient use of resources and integration of multiple systems and technology

Systems integration

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • define the integration build
  • co-ordinate build activities across systems
  • understand how to undertake and support integration testing activities

User focus

Level: practitioner

Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels

You can:

  • collaborate with user researchers and can represent users internally
  • explain the difference between user needs and the desires of the user
  • champion user research to focus on all users
  • prioritise and define approaches to understand the user story, guiding others in doing so
  • offer recommendations on the best tools and methods to use
Role Shared skills
Software developer

Availability and capacity management

Information security

Modern standards approach

Programming and build (software engineering)

Prototyping

Service support

Systems design

Systems integration

User focus

Development process optimisation

Development process optimisation (management)

Infrastructure engineer

Information security

Modern standards approach

Systems design

Systems integration

Application operations engineer

Availability and capacity management

User focus

Change and release manager

Availability and capacity management

User focus

Command and control centre manager

Availability and capacity management

User focus

Updates

Published 7 January 2020

Last updated 31 May 2024

31 May 2024

  • The indicative job grades for the 'principal DevOps engineer' role level have been updated from 'G6' to 'G7 and G6'. This change is based on the latest data on the most common grades for these role levels across government.

31 July 2023

  • Development operations (DevOps) engineer was moved to the new software development role group.

7 January 2020

  • First published.