Senior Software Engineer – CI/CD & Kubernetes Location: Bristol Clearance Level: DV Cleared Contract Type: Contract- Outside IR35 Start Date ASAP Duration: 6 Months / rolling Overview: We are supporting a key defence client in their search for a highly skilled Dev ops /Senior Software Engineer with hands-on experience across modern DevOps, platform engineering, and application delivery tooling. This role will involve designing, deploying, and maintaining secure and scalable infrastructure environments using CI/CD pipelines, Kubernetes, and IaC frameworks within a classified or secure environment. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working across both Linux (RedHat) and Windows operating systems, and will bring deep technical knowledge across CI/CD tooling, Kubernetes cluster build, and secure application deployment practices. Key Responsibilities: • Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines using tools such as GitLab CI, Terraform, Ansible, PowerShell, and Python. • Build, configure, and maintain Kubernetes clusters, ensuring high availability, scalability, and security. • Deploy and support key applications such as Apache NiFi, Elastic ECK, and JFrog Artifactory. • Develop and manage Helm Charts to standardise application deployment. • Integrate with and manage HashiCorp Vault for secure secrets management and token-based authentication within pipeline workflows. • Build and consume REST APIs to support automation and platform integration. • Apply Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles to enforce repeatability, consistency, and scalability across environments. • Ensure platform and infrastructure solutions adhere to security and compliance standards relevant to a defence environment. • Collaborate closely with software developers, platform engineers, security teams, and DevOps specialists in a multidisciplinary team. Key Skills and Experience: CI/CD & Automation: • Proven experience with GitLab CI, Terraform, Ansible, Python, PowerShell, and REST API development/integration. • Experience creating reusable automation scripts and maintaining configuration management best practices. Platform & Containerisation: • Strong understanding of Kubernetes design, configuration, and operations in production environments. • Experience managing applications with Helm Charts and supporting microservices-based architecture. Applications & Services: • Direct experience deploying and supporting Apache NiFi, Elastic ECK (ElasticSearch on Kubernetes), and Artifactory. • Familiarity with container image management and application lifecycle support. Security & Infrastructure: • Use of HashiCorp Vault for managing secrets, certificates, and access tokens. • Solid working knowledge of Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Windows Server environments. • Understanding of operating within secure, high-assurance environments. Desirable Qualifications: • Active SC or DV clearance highly desirable. • Experience working on defence or national security programmes. • Certifications such as CKA, CKAD, Terraform Associate, or HashiCorp Vault certification. Additional Information: • Due to the nature of the work, candidates must be UK nationals and eligible for security clearance. • Out-of-hours availability may occasionally be required to support deployment windows.