Network DevOps Engineer

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a Network DevOps Engineer to join a forward- thinking business based in Stevenage. This role will focus on applying modern software engineering principles to network management, including Python development, automated testing, CI/CD, infrastructure-as-code and network configuration automation. The successful candidate will work closely with experienced network engineers and help develop software engineering capability across the wider team. Key Responsibilities: • Design, develop and maintain production-grade software and custom tools, primarily using Python, to manage network infrastructure at scale. • Champion software engineering best practices, including version control, code reviews, unit testing, modular design and clean, maintainable code. • Establish and develop an automated software testing strategy for network automation applications and APIs. • Evaluate and implement appropriate testing tools and frameworks to improve software quality and reliability. • Manage and extend the network Source of Truth by developing custom data models, plugins and state-driven automation jobs. • Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines to automate the testing and deployment of network changes. • Collaborate on the development and maintenance of Ansible playbooks and roles for network configuration and automation. • Apply software development principles to improve the reliability, scalability and maintainability of network automation solutions. • Support the modernisation of network management by increasing the use of software- driven automation across physical and virtual infrastructure. • Work collaboratively with network specialists and other technical teams to deliver reliable and scalable infrastructure solutions. • Support and up-skill existing team members, helping to develop software engineering and automation capabilities within the team. The ideal candidate would have: • Experience working within a DevOps, software engineering, network automation or infrastructure engineering environment. • Strong knowledge of software development principles and Agile methodologies, including Scrum and/or Kanban. • Practical experience designing and maintaining CI/CD pipelines. • Experience working with Ansible for infrastructure or network configuration automation. • Familiarity with network Source of Truth concepts and applications. • Experience working with JSON, YAML, Jinja2 and other common data structures and templating technologies. • Familiarity with REST and/or GraphQL APIs and modern API-driven development. • Understanding of core networking principles, including TCP/IP, UDP, DNS, routing, switching, subnetting and VLANs. • A collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively alongside experienced network engineering specialists. The ideal candidate must have: • Advanced proficiency in Python, with strong knowledge of object-oriented programming, design patterns and writing testable, maintainable code. • Strong experience with Python testing methodologies and the ability to develop an automated testing strategy for network automation applications and APIs. • Experience designing, consuming and integrating REST and GraphQL APIs, with exposure to technologies such as Django REST Framework, FastAPI and Pydantic. • Strong understanding of DevOps principles and software engineering best practices. • Proven experience using Git and GitLab, including practical experience developing and maintaining GitLab CI/CD pipelines. • Hands-on experience using Ansible to automate and manage network configurations. • Sufficient understanding of networking fundamentals to collaborate effectively with network engineering specialists. • Ability and willingness to support the development and upskilling of colleagues in software engineering and automation practices. If this role looks like your next challenge, please contact Jamie ASAP or apply via this advert! Please note that due to the nature of the client’s business, only candidates who currently hold full British Citizenship (without limitations) / Dual Nationality (inclusive of British Citizenship) will be considered. The successful candidate will be required to undergo BPSS checks following offer and will subsequently be required to obtain security clearance, including DV Clearance. Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and right to work may apply. We endeavour to reply to every candidate, every time but if you haven’t heard back within 10 days, please understand that you have unfortunately been unsuccessful for this position, or the position has been filled.