Senior Platform Engineer

SoCode Recruitment; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 129,000 - 146,000; Full time

Job summary

SoCode Recruitment in Cambridge is seeking a hands-on Contract Platform Engineer to design and automate a complex cloud infrastructure. The role focuses on AWS, Terraform, Ansible, GitLab CI, Vault, and developing self-service workflows.

The position is hybrid in Cambridge, non-negotiable, for an initial 6-month term. Key duties include building reusable modules, improving CI/CD pipelines, and enhancing platform services with Python or Go.

Qualifications

• Strong production experience with AWS and Terraform, including brownfield environments and safe infrastructure changes.
• Hands-on with GitLab CI, Ansible and Vault for secrets management.
• Scripting or development skills in Python, Go, TypeScript or similar.
• Ability to own complex platform challenges across multiple engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop reusable Terraform modules and AWS environment repositories.
• Improve CI/CD pipelines for infrastructure validation, testing, security checks and controlled deployments.
• Build self-service infrastructure workflows with automated approvals and audit trails.
• Develop lightweight platform services using Python, Go or similar languages.
• Review infrastructure changes for security, reliability and safe production deployment.
• Collaborate across cloud and hybrid infrastructure with engineering, security and operations teams.

Skills

AWS platform

Terraform

CI/CD

Security controls

Scripting (Python/Go/TS)

Cross-team ownership

Tools

GitLab CI

Ansible

HashiCorp Vault

Job description

Contract Platform Engineer | AWS / Terraform / GitLab CI | £700–£790 per day

Cambridge Hybrid (Non-Negotiable)

I'm working on a contract opportunity for a hands-on Platform Engineer to help improve and automate a complex cloud infrastructure environment. The role spans AWS, Terraform, Ansible, GitLab CI, HashiCorp Vault and internal developer platforms, with a focus on building reliable, secure and increasingly self-service infrastructure workflows.

Contract details

• Rate: £700–£790 per day
• IR35: Inside IR35
• Duration: 6 months

What you'll be doing

• Developing reusable Terraform modules, AWS environment repositories and Ansible automation.
• Improving CI/CD pipelines covering infrastructure validation, automated testing, security checks and controlled deployments.
• Building self-service infrastructure workflows with automated approvals, audit trails and operational actions.
• Developing lightweight platform services and automation using Python, Go or similar languages.
• Reviewing infrastructure changes for security, reliability, least privilege and safe production deployment.
• Working across cloud and hybrid infrastructure, collaborating with engineering, security and operations teams.

What we're looking for

• Strong production experience with AWS and Terraform, including brownfield environments, reusable modules, remote state and safe infrastructure changes.
• Solid AWS knowledge across IAM, networking, EC2, ECS, RDS/Aurora, S3, Route 53, Secrets Manager and CloudWatch.
• Hands-on experience with GitLab CI, Ansible, HashiCorp Vault and secure secrets management.
• Practical scripting or software development skills in Python, Go, TypeScript or similar.
• A strong understanding of infrastructure automation, CI/CD, security controls and production change management.
• The ability to take ownership of complex platform challenges and work effectively across multiple engineering teams.

Particularly useful

Experience with internal developer portals such as Backstage, self-service infrastructure, Terraform orchestration tools, Kubernetes policy and authentication, or hybrid/on-prem infrastructure. Exposure to AI-assisted automation, MCP/tool-calling integrations or agent-based workflows would also be beneficial. This is a great opportunity for an engineer who enjoys getting hands-on with infrastructure, improving developer experience and building automation that makes platform operations safer and more efficient.