IT Automation Specialist (6 Months Contract)

Headspin; United States; Remote; USD 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Headspin seeks an experienced IT Automation Specialist to lead infrastructure automation initiatives across our enterprise environment. You will design, implement, and maintain scalable IaC solutions using Terraform, OpenTofu, Ansible, AWX/Tower, and advanced DevOps platforms.

The role blends hands-on technical work with strategic thinking to drive modernization, improve efficiency, and embed automation across IT operations, collaborating with Cloud, Infrastructure, and Security teams.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of IT infrastructure and systems administration experience.
• Expert-level proficiency with Terraform and/or OpenTofu; demonstrated ability to manage complex infrastructure states.
• Advanced expertise in Ansible; proven experience in designing and maintaining Ansible Tower or AWX in production environments.
• Strong Python programming skills; ability to write custom modules, plugins, and automation scripts.
• Deep understanding of DevOps principles, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code best practices.
• Experience with public cloud platforms (Azure, GCP) and hybrid/on-premises infrastructure.
• Knowledge of version control systems (Git) and collaborative development workflows.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities with demonstrated experience resolving production incidents.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to translate complex technical concepts for non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform and OpenTofu for cloud and on-premises infrastructure provisioning.
• Develop and maintain Ansible playbooks and roles for configuration management, deployment, and patching across heterogeneous environments.
• Architect and optimize Ansible Tower/AWX implementations for enterprise-scale automation, including RBAC, credential management, and workflow orchestration.
• Lead adoption of agentic AI capabilities to automate decision-making processes and reduce manual operational overhead.
• Establish automation best practices, standards, and frameworks; conduct code reviews for infrastructure automation projects.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex automation issues; provide technical documentation for knowledge transfer to other teams.
• Integrate automation solutions with CI/CD pipelines, monitoring systems, and ticketing platforms.
• Document technical architecture, runbooks, and operational procedures for all automation systems.
• Evaluate and recommend new automation tools and technologies that improve efficiency and reduce operational risk.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Cloud, Infrastructure, Security) to embed automation across IT operations.

Skills

Problem solving

Effective communication

Team collaboration

DevOps principles

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Terraform

OpenTofu

Ansible

AWX/Tower

Python

Git

Job description

Position Summary

We seek an experienced IT Automation Specialist to lead infrastructure automation initiatives across our enterprise environment. As a subject matter expert, you will design, implement, and maintain scalable automation solutions using industry-leading tools including Terraform, OpenTofu, Ansible, AWX/Tower, and advanced DevOps platforms. This role combines hands‑on technical expertise with strategic thinking to drive infrastructure modernization and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) solutions using Terraform and OpenTofu for cloud and on‑premises infrastructure provisioning
• Develop and maintain Ansible playbooks and roles for configuration management, application deployment, and system patching across heterogeneous environments
• Architect and optimize Ansible Tower/AWX implementations for enterprise-scale automation, including RBAC, credential management, and workflow orchestration
• Lead adoption of agentic AI capabilities to automate decision‑making processes and reduce manual operational overhead
• Establish automation best practices, standards, and frameworks; conduct code reviews for infrastructure automation projects
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex automation issues; provide technical documentation for knowledge transfer to other teams
• Integrate automation solutions with CI/CD pipelines, monitoring systems, and ticketing platforms
• Document technical architecture, runbooks, and operational procedures for all automation systems
• Evaluate and recommend new automation tools and technologies that improve efficiency and reduce operational risk
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams (Cloud, Infrastructure, Security) to embed automation across IT operations

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of IT infrastructure and systems administration experience
• Expert-level proficiency with Terraform and/or OpenTofu; demonstrated ability to manage complex infrastructure states
• Advanced expertise in Ansible; proven experience in designing and maintaining Ansible Tower or AWX in production environments
• Strong Python programming skills; ability to write custom modules, plugins, and automation scripts
• Deep understanding of DevOps principles, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code best practices
• Experience with public cloud platforms (Azure, GCP) and hybrid/on‑premises infrastructure
• Knowledge of version control systems (Git) and collaborative development workflows
• Strong troubleshooting and problem‑solving abilities with demonstrated experience resolving production incidents
• Excellent communication skills; ability to translate complex technical concepts for non‑technical stakeholders
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent professional experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands‑on experience implementing and managing agentic AI solutions for IT operations automation
• Experience with advanced Ansible Tower features (workflows, dynamic inventory, LDAP/SAML integration)
• Familiarity with configuration management databases (CMDB) and ServiceNow integrations
• Knowledge of GitOps methodologies and tools (ArgoCD, Flux)
• Certifications such as HashiCorp Certified Terraform Associate, Ansible Specialist, or equivalent cloud/infrastructure certifications
• Open‑source project contributions or demonstrated thought leadership in the infrastructure automation community

Technical Skills Matrix

Category

Tools & Technologies

Proficiency

IaC

Terraform, OpenTofu, CloudFormation

Expert

Config Management

Ansible, Ansible Tower, AWX

Expert

Agentic AI

LLM orchestration, AI‑driven automation, prompt engineering

Intermediate+

Languages

Python, Bash, Go, HCL

Advanced

Cloud

AWS, Azure, GCP, hybrid infrastructure

Advanced

Why This Role Matters

Automation is at the heart of our IT modernization strategy. In this role, you'll drive repeatability, reduce manual toil, and enable self‑service capabilities across our infrastructure. You'll work with cutting‑edge technologies including emerging agentic AI solutions, and your expertise will directly impact how efficiently we deliver infrastructure services to our clients.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, supportive workplace free from discrimination. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating an environment where all employees feel valued and respected.