DevOps Lead

lokainc; United States; Remote; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Every other Friday off

Remote-first culture

Relocation program (3 months abroad or

Paid sick days and local holidays

Learning & development support

Fitness and mental health subs

Job summary

Loka is a fully remote, globally distributed tech company seeking a DevOps Lead to design and maintain robust production applications in AWS. You will lead projects from architecture through implementation, mentor engineers, and drive cross-functional collaboration with high-priority clients.

Applicants should have 5+ years in DevOps with at least 3 years in leadership, strong AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, and GitOps experience, and a CS-related degree.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in DevOps with 3+ years leading a team.
• Hands-on with serverless compute, scripting, AWS, Docker and Kubernetes.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Build and design cloud infrastructure (AWS) and lead projects from architecture to implementation.
• Lead high-complexity projects with top-priority clients and resolve critical issues.
• Shape technical strategies and drive cross-team execution to meet business outcomes.

Skills

DevOps leadership

AWS

Docker

Kubernetes

GitOps

CI/CD

Infrastructure as Code

Node.js

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

AWS CDK

Terraform

CDKTF

Job description

At Loka we use a modern tech stack to support meaningful projects across a huge range of industries. In the last year our teams have helped clients advance the world's #1 AI reading tutor, eliminate $1B in food waste and develop novel drugs for fighting cancer, all while enjoying every other Friday off. Join us, feed your need to grow and ship projects you believe in with a team you're proud to be a part of.

We're seeking a DevOps Lead to deploy, secure and maintain robust applications in production environments, mainly AWS. The ideal candidate will not only apply their technical brilliance but also take a leadership role in contributing positively to Loka's unique culture.

What You'll Do

• Build and design cloud infrastructure (mainly AWS), leading projects from architecture through to implementation.
• Lead high-complexity projects with high-priority clients, independently resolve critical technical issues and introduce innovative solutions that ensure long-term maintainability.
• Shape technical strategies, anticipate future trends, align initiatives with key business outcomes and drive execution across teams.
• May be brought into existing projects to resolve technical challenges or manage difficult client situations.
• Recruit, onboard and develop talent - nurturing individual strengths, supporting career growth and creating the next generation of leaders.
• Establish psychological safety, proactively monitor team engagement and independently mediate conflicts.
• Lead regular one-on-ones, drive structured performance reviews and implement improvement plans where needed, including managing complex performance cases independently.
• Proactively mentor senior engineers and manage teams, establishing best practices.
• Assess change implementation options, evaluate benefits and risks, and recommend the most appropriate approach with minimal oversight.
• Track key KPIs and align team workflows with broader strategic objectives.
• Effectively lead high-pressure client engagements and ensure smooth cross-functional collaboration.

What You'll Bring

Experience & Technical Skills

• 5+ years of DevOps experience, including 3+ years leading a team.
• Hands-on experience with serverless compute, scripting, AWS, Docker and Kubernetes.
• Strong command of GitOps, CI/CD tooling and infrastructure-as-code (AWS CDK / Terraform / CDKTF).
• NodeJS, TypeScript, Python and database administration are a plus.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.

Leadership & Soft Skills

• A track record of building high-performing, inclusive teams and developing talent at all levels.
• Confidence managing budgets, KPIs and cross-functional stakeholder relationships.
• Strong client interaction skills and the ability to lead high-pressure engagements calmly and effectively.
• Autonomy, adaptability and a consistently positive presence on the teams you lead.

Additional Requirements

• Excellent English - we work entirely in English for meetings, client calls and business communications.
• CV written in English.

Personality Profile

• Curious: Ambition to learn and grow into different industries with a modern tech stack.
• Autonomous and positive: We're a fully remote, globally distributed team.
• Team player: Enjoy a collaborative approach.
• Adaptable: Operate with a startup mindset and move at a startup pace.
• Empathetic: Lead with compassion.

Benefits

• Every other Friday off (26 extra days off a year)
• Remote-first culture
• Explore and Relocation programs (three months work abroad or full international relo)
• Paid sick days and local holidays
• Business English classes program
• Continuous Learning Support
• Fitness and/or Mental Health Subscriptions
• Access to LokaLabs™, our internal research and development program
• Defined career path

Your achievements matter to us! Ensure your CV, LinkedIn and GitHub profiles are up to date and accurately reflect your experience.