Senior DevOps Engineer

Sanderson Government & Defence; Andover; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A government and defence contractor in Andover is seeking an experienced Software Factory Administrator to build and operate the Defence Digital Software Factory. The role requires strong expertise in GitLab, CI/CD pipelines, and Kubernetes. Responsibilities include leading toolchain development, managing user access, and ensuring compliance with security standards. The position offers a rate of £500 per day for an initial 6-month contract with potential extension.

Qualifications

• Strong experience with GitLab and CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands-on administration of DevSecOps platforms and toolchains.
• Expertise in Kubernetes and containerised environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and administration of the Software Factory and its toolchain.
• Manage user onboarding, training, and ongoing operational support.
• Automate routine tasks and ensure smooth operation of software pipelines.

Skills

GitLab

CI/CD pipelines

Kubernetes

DevSecOps platforms

Prometheus

Grafana

ELK stack

Job description

Location: Andover/Bristol 2 days per week
Rate: £500 per day (Outside IR35)
Contract: Initial 6 months with possible extension

We are looking for an experienced Software Factory Administrator to help build, mature, and operate the Defence Digital Software Factory - a secure, scalable platform enabling continuous integration, testing, and deployment of digital capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and administration of the Software Factory and its toolchain (GitLab, CI/CD environments).
• Manage user onboarding, training, and ongoing operational support.
• Maintain and monitor environments for security, performance, and availability.
• Oversee configuration, access control, and repository management across GitLab, Nexus, Jenkins, or similar systems.
• Automate routine tasks and ensure smooth operation of software pipelines.
• Integrate monitoring and logging tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack) for full pipeline visibility.
• Administer containerised environments using Kubernetes (e.g., OpenShift).
• Drive innovation workstreams, exploring emerging technologies and automation methods.
• Ensure compliance with Defence security, accreditation, and governance standards.
• Act as the primary technical contact for Software Factory issues and support development teams.
• Maintain documentation, audit trails, and configuration management processes.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong experience with GitLab and CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands‑on administration of DevSecOps platforms and toolchains.
• Expertise in Kubernetes and containerised environments (OpenShift preferred).
• Familiarity with monitoring/logging tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK).
• Knowledge of configuration management, patching, and vulnerability remediation.
• Ability to work collaboratively with developers, architects, and security specialists.
• Understanding of governance, compliance, and secure software delivery principles.

Desirable

• Experience in Defence or highly regulated environments.
• Exposure to innovation projects and emerging technologies.

Reasonable Adjustments

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.