DevOps Engineer (SC Cleared / DV Eligible) – South West

Forward Role; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Role is seeking a DevOps Engineer with strong AWS foundations to design and build secure, scalable infrastructure for projects in Bristol or Cheltenham. The role emphasizes automation, infrastructure as code, and involvement across the software engineering lifecycle.

Experience with Terraform, CloudFormation, Docker, Kubernetes, GitLab and Jenkins is preferred, along with Python/Bash scripting and a willingness to work in SC/ DV eligible environments. Salary £60,000–£80,000 plus benefits.

Qualifications

• Proven AWS engineering experience with infrastructure-as-code and automation.
• Experience delivering secure cloud infrastructure in regulated environments.
• Ability to design, implement and maintain CI/CD pipelines and tooling.
• Willingness to work in security-cleared environments (SC/DV eligibility).

Responsibilities

• Design and build secure, scalable cloud infrastructure (AWS).
• Implement IaC with Terraform, CloudFormation and automation tooling.
• Manage containers (Docker/Kubernetes/Helm) and CI/CD pipelines (GitLab/Jenkins).
• Automate delivery and contribute across the software engineering lifecycle.

Skills

AWS foundations

Automation

Security-minded infra

Delivery-focused engineering

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Docker

Kubernetes

Helm

GitLab

Jenkins

Python

Bash

Job description

DevOps Engineer (SC Cleared / DV Eligible) – South West

Location: Bristol / Cheltenham
Salary: £60,000–£80,000 + Benefits
Clearance: Active SC preferred | DV eligibility required
Focus: AWS / DevOps / Cloud Engineering

Already SC cleared, technically strong on AWS and automation, but finding that most National Security opportunities want you to arrive with a green badge?

Not every employer takes that approach.

I'm supporting an established technology consultancy that's continuing to expand its engineering teams across National Security and Central Government.

They're looking for DevOps Engineers with strong AWS foundations, who enjoy building secure infrastructure, automating delivery and getting involved in the wider software engineering lifecycle.

Importantly, there's an opportunity here for engineers who don't currently hold DV clearance, provided they meet the necessary eligibility requirements.

The technical focus

• AWS: Designing and building secure, scalable cloud infrastructure
• Infrastructure as Code: Terraform, CloudFormation and automation tooling
• Containers: Docker, Kubernetes and Helm
• CI/CD: GitLab, Jenkins and automated deployment pipelines
• Linux & Scripting: Python, Bash and infrastructure automation
• Reliability: Monitoring, performance, security and resilient system design

You don't need every tool on the list. Strong AWS engineering experience, a good understanding of automation and the ability to contribute to complex technical delivery are the priorities.

Why it's worth a look

The organisation combines the culture of a smaller specialist engineering business with the stability and resources of an established technology group.

You’ll have the opportunity to work on bespoke software programmes, collaborate closely with developers and architects, and take genuine ownership of the infrastructure you build.

There's also a strong emphasis on development, including external technical training, career coaching and opportunities to progress into Senior, Lead or Architecture responsibilities.

The work involves secure environments, so you'll need to be comfortable with on-site delivery requirements in Bristol or Cheltenham.

Existing DV clearance isn't essential, but eligibility for the required security vetting is.

If you've built your career in Defence, Central Government or another SC-cleared environment and want to explore the next step into National Security engineering, I'd be happy to talk you through it.