Cloud Automation Engineer

Apache Associates; North East; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Apache Associates is seeking a Cloud Automation Engineer to design, develop, and deliver automation across Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). You will advance IaC, CI/CD, and AI-powered solutions, focusing on automation-first delivery and resilient, secure cloud platforms.

The role emphasizes reducing manual toil, standardising processes, and mentoring teams while applying FinOps and security best practices to production environments.

Qualifications

• Proficiency in Python, PowerShell and Bash for automation scripting.
• Deep experience with IaC across Azure and OCI using Terraform and Azure Bicep.
• Proven track record delivering complex automation frameworks and CI/CD solutions.
• Experience building or integrating AI- and LLM-assisted tooling for operations.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deliver cloud automation across Azure and OCI.
• Develop reusable automation frameworks and engineering standards.
• Promote automation-first and AI-enabled workflows within the team.
• Identify opportunities to automate provisioning and reduce manual toil.
• Design, implement, and maintain IaC solutions for secure, repeatable deployments.
• Build, maintain, and optimise CI/CD pipelines for compliant deployments.
• Develop AI- and LLM-assisted tooling to improve operational processes.
• Embed security, identity management, and secrets management into automation.
• Improve resilience, disaster recovery, and operational performance via automation.
• Apply FinOps principles to cloud provisioning and costs.

Skills

Python

PowerShell

Bash

Infrastructure as Code

Cloud automation

CI/CD

Communication

Tools

Terraform

Azure Bicep

Job description

We are looking for a Cloud Automation Engineer to help drive the design, development, and delivery of cloud automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and AI-powered solutions across Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).

The role focuses on improving the way cloud infrastructure and operations are delivered through automation, standardisation, and emerging technologies. You will identify opportunities to eliminate repetitive manual tasks, streamline provisioning, strengthen operational resilience, and improve recovery times across online products and services.

You will design and implement complex automation solutions, develop reusable engineering frameworks, and contribute to the evolution of cloud engineering practices. This includes leveraging AI and large language models (LLMs) to enhance operational efficiency, support decision-making, and improve service delivery, while maintaining strong human insight, collaboration, and communication.

Working closely with Cloud Operations and associated technology teams, you will promote an automation-first approach, share knowledge, and help build engineering capabilities across the organisation. You will champion security, quality, and continuous improvement, ensuring solutions are scalable, reliable, compliant, and secure by design.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and deliver complex automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC), and AI-powered solutions across Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
• Develop and maintain reusable automation frameworks, engineering standards, and technical patterns that improve consistency, scalability, and operational efficiency.
• Promote automation-first and AI-enabled ways of working by introducing innovative capabilities that enhance cloud operations and service delivery.
• Identify and lead opportunities to automate infrastructure provisioning, reduce manual effort, minimise operational toil, and improve resilience.
• Design, implement, and maintain Infrastructure as Code solutions using industry-standard tools and practices to enable secure, reliable, and repeatable deployments.
• Build, maintain, and optimise CI/CD pipelines to support efficient, automated, and compliant deployment processes.
• Develop and integrate AI- and LLM-assisted tooling, agents, and workflows to improve operational processes and support engineering teams.
• Embed security, identity management, access controls, and secrets management into automation solutions, applying secure-by-design principles.
• Improve system resilience, disaster recovery, recovery capabilities, and operational performance through robust automation and engineering practices.
• Apply cost-optimisation and FinOps principles to cloud provisioning and automation processes, improving resource utilisation and reducing unnecessary expenditure.
• Provide technical guidance and act as a subject matter expert across cloud engineering, automation, Infrastructure as Code, and AI initiatives.
• Support the development of engineering capabilities through mentoring, coaching, technical guidance, and knowledge sharing.
• Conduct code reviews, deliver technical workshops, and share best practices to promote high-quality, maintainable, and secure engineering solutions.
• Collaborate with Cloud Operations, security, development, and other technology teams to evaluate, implement, and optimise cloud platforms, automation frameworks, and AI tooling.
• Champion engineering standards that strengthen security, compliance reliability, and the protection of customer data and services.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and the development of cloud automation strategies, standards, and capabilities across the organisation.
• Encourage a collaborative, innovative, and learning-focused culture that embraces modern cloud technologies, automation, and AI.
• Support technical decision-making and provide guidance on complex engineering challenges when required.
• Ensure all automation and cloud solutions align with organisational security, compliance, governance, and operational requirements.

Required Skills & Experience

• Minimum of 10 years' relevant experience in cloud engineering, automation, infrastructure engineering, DevOps, or a related technical discipline.
• Extensive hands-on experience in automation and scripting across multiple programming and scripting languages, such as Python, PowerShell, and Bash.
• Advanced experience with Infrastructure as Code across Microsoft Azure and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), including tools such as Terraform and Azure Bicep.
• Proven experience designing, developing, and delivering complex automation frameworks and CI/CD solutions.
• Practical experience building, integrating, or operating AI- and LLM-assisted tooling, agents, or automation workflows.
• Strong understanding of cloud security, identity and access management, Microsoft Entra ID, OCI IAM, and secrets management.
• Solid understanding of operational resilience, disaster recovery, failover strategies, and recovery objectives, including RTO and RPO.
• Experience designing secure, scalable, reliable, and maintainable cloud solutions in production environments.
• Strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify opportunities to simplify processes and improve operational efficiency through automation.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts and work effectively with cross-functional teams.

We recognise the growing role of AI and emerging technologies in improving productivity, decision-making, and customer outcomes. We are looking for people who are curious about the potential of AI, willing to experiment responsibly, and committed to continuously learning and adapting as technologies evolve.

The successful candidate will help identify practical opportunities to apply AI and automation, ensuring these capabilities deliver measurable benefits while maintaining appropriate security, governance, reliability, and human oversight.