DevOps Engineer

The candidate in this role will manage Alvar's cloud infrastructure, maintain its integration and continuous delivery/ deployment pipelines, and ensure the reliability of our containerized services. This is a hands-on role with a focus on automation, scalability, and continuous improvement., * Design, manage, and maintain cloud infrastructure using OpenStack, Terraform, Ansible and Jenkin

• Ensure system security and performance, including implementing best practices and managing PostgreSQL / Elastic databases

• Automate deployments and configurations with Ansible, integrating Dockerized applications across environments

• Set up and maintain monitoring and alerting systems using Prometheus, Grafana, and Alertmanager

• Oversee log management with Elasticsearch and ensure secure remote access via OpenVPN

• Manage CI/CD workflows with Jenkins and Nexus and streamline repository integrations with Bitbucket

• Apply SRE practices to improve scalability, reliability, and performance, including capacity planning and incident management

• Manage secure remote access using OpenVPN and support deployments and troubleshooting through SSH

• Assist the support team, both desktop and infrastructure

• Maintaining clear and concise documentation for automated workflows, deployment procedures, and other operational activities

• Implementing security best practices for the infrastructure, deployments, and applications, including vulnerability assessments, incident management and on call management

• Any ad hoc duties that may be required from time to time.

• Strong DevOps experience within financial services, essential

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Able to work collaboratively as well as independently

• Strong attention to detail

• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical team members

• Advanced problem-solving skills

• Proactive in their approach

Technical Requirements:

Essential:

• Strong understanding of Linux-based systems and cloud infrastructure

• Demonstrable practical experience in using open-source tools

• Proven ability to analyse and resolve complex system and application issues effectively

• A solid understanding of DevOps principles and Agile methodologies

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and Jenkins

• Familiarity with microservices architecture

• Strong understanding of cloud-based platforms, such as OpenStack, AWS, GCP or Azure

• Solid understanding of Configuration Management / IaC tools (Ansible, Terraform)

• Good knowledge of HAProxy and Cloudflare

Desirable:

• Proficiency in scripting or programming languages e.g. Python, Golang, or Java, desirable

• Hands-on experience managing databases, ideally PostgreSQL, with knowledge of other databases i.e. MySQL or Elastic

• Knowledge of systems including but not limited to: O365, MS Teams, One Drive

• Experience with OpenStack

What we Offer

• A dynamic environment where our size and dedication allow for high levels of flexibility, creativity and short lead-times for someone who can come up with great ideas

• Competitive salary

• Hybrid working (4 days in office, Friday's working from home)

• Pension

• Private Medical Insurance

• Life Assurance

• Discounts to Clubs and Entertainment, Cycle to Work and Tech Scheme

Commitment To Diversity

Alvar Financial Services is a boutique firm offering a variety of investment and trading services through its business lines - Equity Markets for professional and institutional clients, Research Services and Electronic Global Retail Platform for private clients. Our small community and flat structure empowers our people to grow and create unconstrained ideas within their field of expertise, driving innovation and mastery in their work. We all work together as one to achieve our vision of being a trusted partner to our clients, providing unrivalled insights and a collaborative high touch service.