Platform Engineer

THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

PARTICULARS OF APPOINTMENT

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

DIRECTORATE OF IT SERVICES

DIVISION OF ENGINEERING

PLATFORM ENGINEER

VACANCY REF: PSX-024938

Salary: £45,585-£56,021 per annum depending on experience

Hours: Full Time (1 FTE)

Duration: Permanent

Location: Oxford Road, Manchester

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Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews: Name: nisar.khan@manchester.ac.uk Email: Nisar Khan _________________________________________________________________________

Overall purpose of the job

The Automation Engineering team is responsible for the management of the Azure estate and trailblazing on DevOps and technology automation.

As part of the Automation Engineering Team, the DevOps Engineer takes technical responsibility for the design, development, integration and configuration of automation components and infrastructures. This role plans and drives development activities and system integrations, as well as builds capabilities including automation and continuous integration. The post holder also designs large and complex systems, undertakes impact/risk analysis and makes decisions that balance functional and non-functional requirements. In addition, the DevOps Engineer ensures adherence to appropriate methods and tools; monitors standards; and contributes to setting technical policies, guidelines and architecture. In this role, the post holder provides authoritative advice on automation, systems integration and service design.

The post holder may be asked to supervise the work of individuals and/or a small team. 

Programming and development responsibilities, accountabilities and duties

• Designs complex programs/scripts and integration software services in accordance with requirements.

• Codes, amends and refactors complex programs/scripts and integration software services in accordance with the design.

• Documents work in accordance with agreed standards. Applies version control in accordance with agreed procedures.

• Contributes to the development of organisational policies, standards and guidelines for software development.

• Measures and monitors the application of project/team standards for software construction including software security.

• Adopts and adapts appropriate software development methods, tools and techniques, selecting appropriately from predictive (plan-driven) approaches or adaptive (iterative/agile) approaches. May provide expert advice on the software development programming methods, tools and/or standards used in the organisation.

• Takes technical responsibility across all stages and iterations of software development. Plans and drives software construction activities.

Systems integration and build responsibilities, accountabilities and duties

• Plans and drives activities to develop organisational systems integration and build capabilities including automation and continuous integration. Leads integration work in line with the agreed system and service design. Assesses risks and takes preventative action.

• Works with colleagues to establish project application environment requirements, providing expert knowledge on IT environment configuration, set up, and connectivity. Serves as a guide to project personnel in using the environment in the most efficient manner.

• Manages the creation, build, upgrade and support for all test software platforms and/or development environments including: auditable process for allocating environments, multiple bookings or shared usage, code upgrades, service levels, support, decommissioning and re- allocation.

• Monitors and controls system integration activities, and reports on the results of each integration and build to relevant stakeholders.

• Acts as leading technical expert on fault diagnosis and problem resolution. Assesses risks and takes preventative action. Provides feedback into the risk management process.

• Identifies, evaluates and manages the adoption of tools, technique and processes (including automation and continuous integration) to create a robust integration framework. Contributes to the development of organisational policies, standards and guidelines for systems integration. Measures and monitors application of standards.

• Provides authoritative advice and guidance on any aspect of systems integration.

Systems design responsibilities, accountabilities and duties

• Designs large or complex systems, covering for example: objectives; scope; constraints (such as performance, resources etc.); hardware; network and software environments; main system functions and information flows; data load and implementation strategies; phasing of development, requirements not met; and alternatives considered.

• Adopts and adapts appropriate systems design methods, tools and techniques selecting appropriately from predictive (plan-driven) approaches or adaptive (iterative/agile) approaches, and ensures they are applied effectively.

• Designs components using appropriate modelling techniques following agreed architectures, design standards, patterns and methodology. Identifies and evaluates alternative design options and trade-offs.

• Contributes to development of systems design policies and standards and selection of architecture components.

• Produces detailed design specification to form the basis for construction of systems, including for example: physical data flows; class and sequence diagrams; database schemas; file layouts; common routines and utilities; program specifications or prototypes; and backup, recovery and restart procedures. Reviews, verifies and improves own designs against specifications.

• Models, simulates or prototypes the behaviour of proposed systems components to enable approval by stakeholders.

• Working with colleagues where appropriate, reviews and revises cost benefit analysis, risk analysis and development plans to help derive best design decisions.

Supervision responsibilities, accountabilities and duties

• Supervises, supports and guides the work of individuals and/or small groups in line with the operational needs of the Automation Engineering Team.

• Contributes to setting out the requirements of the job, monitoring progress (e.g. regular meetings), reacting to variances from expectations and suggesting training and development as required.

• Allocates routine tasks and assigns work to individuals, according to their particular skills, capabilities, and development needs.

• Monitors and acknowledges performance and supports individuals’ development. Gives regular feedback to individuals and supports them in achieving their full potential.

• Supports effective working relationships between team members. Helps to motivate team members to maintain a high level of performance. Acts as a role model for individuals by setting a standard, acting professionally at all times and working to a professional code of conduct and ethics.

• Integrates staff into teams to perform packages of work, taking account of individual and

team capabilities. Considers the importance of skill mix within teams and is sensitive towards team dynamics.

IT Services responsibilities, accountabilities and duties

• In addition to University provided training and development, you will undertake sufficient personal and professional development as required, ensuring skills and knowledge are up to date so that the role is performed to the required competency level.

• You may from time to time be required to undertake other duties of a similar nature as reasonably required by your line manager.

• All staff are required to familiarise themselves with the University's Equality and Diversity policies and to actively support these wherever possible.

• You will work within the constraints of the University Health and Safety, Data Protection, and Confidentiality policies, bringing to the attention of management any issues arising.

• You will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to the IT Services Practice Charter and the University’s values.

Person specification

Experience/education/qualification background:

Previous relevant work experience and a degree/professional qualification or substantial experience in a similar role.

Key competencies Level Essential Desirable

Programming languages: A set of codes and syntax (supported by software tools) that enables the unambiguous translation of specified functionality into source code for the creation of computer programs.

Expert in X

Operational/service architecture: Knowledge of the IT/IS infrastructure and the IT applications and service processes used within own organisation, including those associated with sustainability and efficiency.

Expert in X

DevOps: The collaborative approach consisting of agile practices, processes, and procedures designed to facilitate rapid IT service and product delivery. DevOps emphasizes people (and culture) and seeks to improve collaboration between development (Dev) and operations (Ops) teams with the aim of shortening the systems development life cycle to provide continuous release of high-quality software.

Expert in X

Infrastructure architecture: The frameworks and principles on which networks, systems, equipment and resources are based both on premises and cloud-based.

Expert in X

Operating systems: System software that controls activities such as input, output, dynamic resource allocation, and error reporting, within the operation of a computer configuration.

Expert in X

Proof of concept and prototyping: Performing a proof of concept or prototyping exercise to demonstrate or evaluate the feasibility and potential benefits of applying a particular technological business change in order to meet a business need.

Expert in X

Networking and communications: The planning and management of the interaction between two or more networking systems, computers or other intelligent devices.

Proficient in X

Coaching techniques: Methods and techniques for coaching individuals or groups by a balanced combination of support and direction, including use of virtual learning environments plus add-ons to augment feedback specific to work items, workflow or career plans.

Familiar with X