Platform Engineering Leader

SmartRecruiters, Inc.; Malmö kommun; On-site; SEK 1,000,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

IKEA in Malmö, Sweden is seeking a Platform Engineering Leader to shape how engineering work comes together across teams, aligning architectures with cloud, AI and automation. You will guide multi‑team delivery, promote best practices, and champion scalable platforms that support performance and business goals.

You will onboard new engineers, advocate for a collaborative culture, and lead with IKEA values. The role focuses on cloud, on-prem, and hybrid environments with automation at scale.

Qualifications

• Solid foundation in network architecture, base infrastructure, platform engineering and service management.
• Navigate cloud, hybrid and on-prem environments.
• Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, etc.) and high automation.
• ZTNA, identity-based access, micro-segmentation and SASE concepts.
• Experience with SD-WAN, wireless, and data centre networking.
• Automation of base infra like DNS/DHCP/IPAM.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical teams and onboard new engineers.
• Champion shared technology platforms and modern cloud‑ and AI‑driven approaches.
• Represent IKEA internally and externally to shape engineering.
• Promote collaboration to avoid duplicated effort and improve performance.
• Drive adoption of design patterns and measurable improvements via OKRs.

Skills

Platform engineering

Cloud technologies

Automation

Infrastructure as Code

Terraform

Zero-Trust

Networking

Leadership

Communication

Tools

Terraform

Job description

Do you want to go to work and help create a better life at home?

With us, you can feel at home at work while sharing that feeling with millions of people around the world. We encourage you to stand up for yourself and others, creating an environment where everyone feels welcome. We invite you to open new doors, embrace mistakes, and grow from them. As a Platform Engineer, you'll have many opportunities to try things you've never done before.

Inter IKEA Group is organised in three core businesses - Range, Supply and Retail Concept - and five enabling functions.Together we contribute to the success of IKEA andshare responsibility for the franchise offer.

The enabling functions lead key common activities in networks across Inter IKEA Group, as well as cover specific needs for the core businesses. The five Enabling functions are Operations Management, Business Performance & Support, Communication, Sustainability and People & Culture.

Job Description

As a Platform Engineering Leader, you'll help shape how engineering work comes together across multiple teams by creating alignment, spotting opportunities to reuse great ideas, and championing best practices that make our platforms stronger. You'll work closely with Architecture to ensure our technical solutions- including those leveraging cloud technologies, AI capabilities and automation- connect seamlessly across products and platforms, supporting performance, reusability and broader business goals. With your understanding of the IKEA business model and its technology landscape, you'll guide teams to improve information flow and ensure engineering work is both effective and meaningful.

You'll also play a key role in building a collaborative and inclusive engineering culture—driving adoption of smart design patterns, promoting shared technology platforms and modern cloud-and AI-driven approaches, and avoiding duplicated effort through thoughtful automation. As an ambassador for platform engineering, you'll onboard new engineers, explore emerging technologies, and recommend improvements that enhance performance, reliability and efficiency. As a senior voice in the wider technology community, you'll represent IKEA both internally and externally, helping shape the future of engineering across the organisation.

Qualifications

We're looking for someone who is passionate about delivering high-quality platforms and technology within complex ecosystems, and who loves exploring new ideas and innovations.

With a solid foundation in network architecture, base infrastructure, platform engineering and service management, you navigate cloud, hybrid and on-prem environments with ease.

You treat physical and network deployments with a software engineering mindset at scale. This includes Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform, etc.), network virtualization, and high levels of automation.

You easily understand and navigate with terms as ZTNA, identity-based access, micro-segmentation and SASE, to protect our global value chain. You are experienced with modern technologies like SD-WAN, wireless, and data centre networking. On top of that you understand the need of highly automated base infra such as DNS/DHCP/IPAM is highly available and automated

You thrive in a fast-changing environment and bring a growth mindset, exploring, learning, and sharing better ways forward. Above all, you lead with IKEA values and use technology to enable "a better everyday life for the many."

You'll thrive in an environment where agility, curiosity, and adaptability are valued—whether you're working independently or as part of a cross‑functional team. With a mindset focused on simplicity, efficiency, and accountability, you'll actively seek out new skills, champion fresh methods, and help shape new digital ways of working that improve performance and inspire others.

You'll bring strong interpersonal and communication skills, enabling you to build trusted relationships and explain technical concepts clearly to a wide range of audiences, from team members to suppliers. Motivated by helping others grow, you'll contribute to developing technical competence across teams while leading with confidence through change and new strategic directions. Most importantly, you'll embrace and share the IKEA culture and values, understanding how technology plays an essential role in our unique business and helping create an inclusive environment where people support one another and succeed together.

This role requires strong knowledge and hands-on experience in cloud technologies, AI solutions and automation to drive smarter, more efficient ways of working.

To be successful in this role, the following knowledge, skills and experiences would be valuable:

Extensive knowledge of Modern networking & connectivity: Strong understanding of cloud/hybrid ecosystems, including SD-WAN, SASE, and high-availability global connectivity for fast-scaling retail and distribution environments.

Zero-Trust & secure edge: Deep experience in identity-aware access models, micro-segmentation and secure infra to build a secure perimeter by design.

Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC): Using tools like Terraform to automate physical and network deployments, ensuring our foundation is version-controlled and repeatable.

Foundational Compute & Core Services: Solid understanding of data centre operations and core services like DNS/DHCP/IPAM and load balancing managed as mission-critical products.

Experience working with agile frameworks, scaled delivery models and IT service operations.

Use of metrics and OKRs to measure impact and drive continuous improvement.

Proven track record of leading technical teams, formal or informal

Experience with risk, compliance, and regulatory requirements for global infrastructure.

And last but not least a natural and genuine easy going way of communication and meeting with all IKEA stakeholders in a humble but straightforward way.

Additional Information

This is a full-time role (40-hours per week) based in Malmö, Sweden and reports to the Platform Manager for Connectivity & base infrastructure.