Test Environment Manager

Arcus Search; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Arcus Search is seeking an experienced expert to lead the design and operation of robust test environments for OpenShift and Kafka within a Financial Services context. The role focuses on transforming environments for on-demand agile delivery and integrating them with CI/CD pipelines.

You will collaborate with architects, developers and QA to ensure environments meet microservices requirements, monitor performance, and implement IaC-driven provisioning. London-based with hybrid arrangements.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in managing test environments and strategies in a complex enterprise setting with hands-on OpenShift/Linux experience.
• Extensive experience with microservices architecture and related technologies (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, Kafka) including hands-on implementation.
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (Azure) and IaC tools (Ansible).
• Experience in Infrastructure projects over HP Non-Stop, Linux and Infrastructure Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive a comprehensive test environment strategy aligned with the transformation program goals.
• Collaborate with architects, developers, and squads to ensure test environments support microservices-based applications.
• Transform environments from Permanent Waterfall to On-Demand Agile to meet squad demand.
• Support provisioning, design, configuration, maintenance, costing and decommissioning of test and prod environments for OpenShift/Kafka.
• Manage and document environment configurations, dependencies, and integration points.
• Plan and schedule test environments for project work.
• Provide hands-on support for OpenShift/Kafka and legacy systems.
• Provide ongoing support to squads and troubleshooting.
• Act as liaison between development, QA, and support teams to address environment issues.
• Implement and maintain automated environment provisioning using IaC tools.
• Integrate test environments with CI/CD pipelines to enable automated testing and CD.
• Monitor environment performance and usage; develop metrics and dashboards.

Skills

Java

Shell scripting

CI/CD practices

Problem-solving

Communication

QA collaboration

Tools

OpenShift

Kafka

Docker

Kubernetes

Azure

Ansible

GitLab

Jenkins

Job description

Location: London (Hybrid - 8 days per month onsite)

IR35: INSIDE IR35

I am specifically looking to speak with candidates with experience in defining and building out test environments in Openshift or Kafka that have strong experience working in the Financial Services sector.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and drive a comprehensive test environment strategy aligned with the goals of the transformation program
• Collaborate with architects, developers, and squads to ensure the test environment meets the needs of microservices-based applications
• Transformation of Environments from Permanent Waterfall to On-Demand Agile to meet the demand from Squads
• Support the provisioning, design, configuration, maintenance, costing and decommissioning of test and prod environments for OpenShift/Kafka
• Manage and document environment configurations, dependencies, and integration points.
• Support the planning and scheduling of test environments for project work
• Providing this for OpenShift/Kafka based environments (inclduign hands on) and legacy systems

Support and Troubleshooting:

• Provide ongoing support to squads & troubleshooting problems
• Act as a liaison between development, QA, and support teams to address and resolve environment-related issues

Automation and CI/CD Integration:

• Implement and maintain automated environment provisioning using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools.
• Integrate test environments with CI/CD pipelines to facilitate automated testing and continuous delivery.

Monitoring and Reporting:

• Monitor environment performance and usage, ensuring optimal operation and resource utilization.
• Develop and maintain metrics and dashboards to track environment health, usage, and issues.

Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Work closely with developers, QA, and operations teams to understand environment requirements and constraints.
• Communicate environment status, changes, and issues to stakeholders effectively.
• Identify and implement opportunities for improving environment setup, management, and support processes.
• Stay updated with industry trends and best practices related to test environment management and microservices.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

Experience:

• Proven experience (5+ years) in managing test environments & strategies in a complex, enterprise-level setting, including hands-on work with OpenShift/Linux platforms
• Extensive experience with microservices architecture and related technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, Kafka) including hands on technical implementation
• Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (Azure) and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (e.g., Ansible).
• Experience in Infrastructure projects over HP Non-Stop, Linux and Infrastructure Engineering

Technical Skills:

• Hands on in OpenShift environment set up and Kafka environments
• Understanding in scripting languages and automation tools e.g Java, Cucumber, UFT, Linux shell scripting
• Strong understanding of CI/CD pipelines and tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab. ADS).
• Familiarity with monitoring and logging tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana. Splunk)
• Knowledge of UFT, Selenium, Azure Dev Ops

Soft Skills:

• Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting abilities.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.