Forward Deployed Engineer - Lead Platform Engineer

Kyndryl Inc.; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kyndryl in London seeks a Forward Deployed Lead/Principal Engineer (Band 9) to own architectural direction for major digital transformations, including generative AI platforms. You’ll align target-state cloud architectures across Azure, AWS, and GCP and guide teams while partnering with AI engineers.

Hands-on expertise in Kubernetes, GitOps (ArgoCD), Terraform, and security-in-pipelines is essential as you shape landing zones, governance, and open standards.

Qualifications

• 8–10+ years in enterprise or platform architecture, leading client-facing platform transformations.
• Deep, hands-on expertise across Azure, GCP, and AWS (landing zones, networking, IAM, cost and governance).
• Strong Kubernetes, GitOps (ArgoCD), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Helm).
• Hands-on security across CI/CD, Kubernetes, and hyperscaler environments.
• Experience with LLM hosting and AI platform deployments is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design and build target-state cloud platforms across Azure, GCP, and AWS.
• Establish enterprise container platforms (Kubernetes) and GitOps delivery (ArgoCD).
• Create self-service development frameworks and landing zones with Terraform/Helm.
• Architect platforms for generative AI systems (LLM hosting, gates, workflows).
• Guide legacy app modernization, microservices migrations, and API integrations.
• Ensure end-to-end security in CI/CD pipelines and secure access controls.
• Define architectural standards, guardrails, and policy-as-code practices.
• Provide architectural oversight across multi-disciplinary streams and mentor engineers.

Skills

Platform architecture

Azure

GCP

AWS

Kubernetes

GitOps

ArgoCD

Terraform

Helm

Security

CI/CD

Observability

LLMOps

Stakeholder comms

Tools

Grafana

Prometheus

OpenTelemetry

Job description

## Forward Deployed Engineer - Lead Platform EngineerApply: Partially Remote: London, United Kingdom: Full time: Posted Today: R-68375**Who We Are**At Kyndryl, we run and reimagine the mission-critical technology systems that drive advantage for the world’s leading businesses. We are at the heart of progress; with proven expertise and a continuous flow of AI-powered insight, enabling smarter decisions, faster innovation, and a lasting competitive edge. For our people—Kyndryls—that means doing purposeful work that powers human progress. Join us and experience a flexible, supportive environment where your well-being is prioritized and your potential can thrive.**The Role****Your Role**As a Forward Deployed Lead / Principal Engineer (FDE) with a Platform Engineering focus (Band 9), you own architectural direction and delivery for major digital transformation programmes, including the platforms that power generative AI and agentic systems. You align enterprise goals with target-state cloud architectures, guide the team’s technical direction while staying close to the work, and partner closely with the AI engineers on the team.You combine deep expertise in cloud platforms and enterprise architecture with strong consulting acumen. You establish architectural governance, champion Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and automation, and act as a go-to technical reference on complex engagements.**What You Will Do***Depending on the engagement, you’ll draw on some of the below more than others — not every bullet applies to every project.** Design and build target-state cloud platforms across Azure, GCP, and AWS* Establish enterprise container platforms (Kubernetes) and GitOps-based delivery (ArgoCD)* Build self-service developer frameworks and landing zones, hands-on with Terraform and Helm* Architect platforms that host and serve generative AI systems (LLM hosting, LLM gateways, agentic workflows)* Guide legacy application modernisation, microservices migrations, and API integrations* Implement security end-to-end across the platform: security tooling built into CI/CD pipelines, namespace segmentation and managed identities in Kubernetes, and secure access controls in landing zones and the hyperscaler* Own connectivity and network-level security: SSL/TLS certificate lifecycle management, DNS zone management, and secure network access to endpoints* Define architectural standards and guardrails, with security as a first-class concern (policy-as-code / OPA, access controls, secrets management, compliance-driven engineering)* Instrument platforms for observability (Grafana, Prometheus, OpenTelemetry)* Provide architectural oversight across multi-disciplinary workstreams, staying close enough to unblock the team directly* Capture field learnings, codify reusable patterns and blueprints, and mentor engineers hands-on* Translate enterprise requirements into technical roadmaps for senior stakeholders**Who You Are****Job Qualifications***You don’t need to tick every box below to apply — this reflects the breadth of the role, not a strict checklist.***Required Skills and Experience*** 8–10+ years in enterprise or platform architecture, leading client-facing platform transformations* Deep, hands-on expertise across Azure, GCP, and AWS (landing zones, networking, IAM, cost and governance controls)* Strong command of Kubernetes, GitOps delivery (ArgoCD), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Helm)* Hands-on experience implementing security end-to-end: CI/CD security tooling, Kubernetes namespace segmentation and managed identities, and secure access in landing zones and the hyperscaler* Hands-on experience with SSL/TLS certificate management, DNS zone administration, and secure network access to endpoints* Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, Git-based workflows, and microservices/API architectures* Practical experience with observability stacks (Grafana, Prometheus, OpenTelemetry)* Experience with generative AI platforms: LLM hosting, LLM gateways (e.g. LiteLLM, Portkey, Kong AI Gateway), and MLOps/LLMOps practices for deploying and monitoring AI systems in production* Strong stakeholder communication, translating architecture into business outcomes for senior stakeholders**Preferred Skills and Experience*** Familiarity with agentic AI frameworks (LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen, Semantic Kernel) and their production deployment* Understanding of LLM governance: data privacy, guardrails, and responsible-use controls* Track record defining and enforcing architectural governance, security standards, and risk frameworks* T-shaped profile: deep expertise in platform engineering and cloud architecture, broad understanding across software engineering, security, and consulting* Willingness to travel and work on customer premises as required* Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related discipline — or equivalent professional experience**Being You**The “Kyn” in Kyndryl means kinship, which represents the strong bonds we have with each other, our customers and our communities. We focus on ensuring all Kyndryls feel included and we welcome people of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. We believe in growth, and we’re excited to see what you can bring. At Kyndryl, employee feedback has told us that our number one driver of employee engagement is belonging. That sense of belonging — being a valued, respected, trusted member of the team — is fundamental to our culture and fueling great experiences for our customers. This dedication to welcoming everyone into our company means that Kyndryl gives you the ability to thrive and contribute to our culture of empathy and shared success. That’s The Kyndryl Way.**What You Can Expect**Your career with us isn’t just a job—it’s an adventure with purpose. We offer a dynamic, hybrid-friendly culture that supports your well-being and empowers you to grow. Our Be Well programs are thoughtfully designed to support your financial, mental, physical, and social health—because we know that when you feel your best, you do your best. From your very first day, you’ll dive into impactful work that powers the systems our customers rely on every day. You won’t just contribute—you’ll make a difference, tackling meaningful projects that sharpen your skills and fuel your growth. We’re here to champion your journey. With powerful tools to chart your career path, personalized development goals aligned with your ambitions, and continuous feedback to keep you inspired and on track, you’ll have everything you need to thrive and evolve. You’ll develop in-demand skills to grow your career and achieve your ambitions with access to cutting-edge learning opportunities—from certifications with Microsoft, Google, and Amazon to coaching and hands-on experiences. And through it all, you’ll be part of a culture that values empathy, restless learning, and a devotion to shared success. We want you to thrive here—and we’re committed to helping you do just that. Ready to make an impact? Join us and help shape what’s next.