The DevOps Lead Engineer – Azure will spearhead DevOps transformation initiatives, with a primary focus on Microsoft Azure platforms. This technical leadership role is responsible for architecting, implementing, and governing CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) frameworks, and container orchestration platforms to accelerate software delivery. The ideal candidate defines DevOps strategy, drives automation, and mentors engineering teams to ensure operational excellence and scalable, reliable deployment.
Responsibilities:
- DevOps Strategy & Leadership: Define and execute enterprise DevOps strategies, establishing standards for CI/CD, automation, and platform engineering. Lead team mentorship, architecture assessments, and cross-functional collaboration with security and development stakeholders.
- CI/CD Pipeline Architecture: Own CI/CD pipeline architecture, implementing enterprise-scale deployment orchestration and automated testing frameworks (SAST/DAST). Enable zero-downtime deployment strategies like blue-green and canary releases.
- Infrastructure & Automation: Architect IaC frameworks using Terraform, Bicep, or ARM templates, and manage configuration via Ansible or Azure Policy. Lead automation for self-service platforms and event-driven workflows.
- Containerization: Architect Kubernetes (AKS) platforms, including networking, storage, and GitOps-based continuous delivery using tools like ArgoCD or Flux CD. Design container image build pipelines and autoscaling strategies.
- Observability & SRE: Implement comprehensive observability solutions (Azure Monitor, Prometheus, Grafana) and define SLOs/SLIs aligned with SRE principles. Drive capacity planning and chaos engineering practices.
- Security Integration: Integrate DevSecOps practices, including automated security scanning, policy-as-code enforcement, and secrets management using Azure Key Vault.
Requirements
- 7+ years of experience in DevOps or platform engineering, with at least 4 years focused on Azure cloud platforms.
- Mandatory certifications: Azure Developer Associate (AZ-204), Azure DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400), HashiCorp Terraform Associate, and a Kubernetes certification (CKA or CKAD).
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
- Deep technical expertise in CI/CD platforms (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions), IaC (Terraform), and container orchestration (AKS, Docker, Helm).
- Strong proficiency in scripting languages (Python, Bash, PowerShell) and observability/monitoring tools.
- Proven experience leading large-scale DevOps transformations and supporting high-velocity deployment environments.
Skills Required
- 7+ years of experience in DevOps or platform engineering
- at least 4 years focused on Azure cloud platforms
- Mandatory certifications: Azure Developer Associate, Azure DevOps Engineer Expert, HashiCorp Terraform Associate, Kubernetes certification
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical discipline
- Deep technical expertise in CI/CD platforms, IaC, and container orchestration
- Strong proficiency in scripting languages and observability tools
- Proven experience leading large-scale DevOps transformations
What We Do
ZainTECH is a regional integrated digital solutions provider, unifying Zain Group’s ICT assets to offer a unique value proposition of comprehensive digital solutions and services under one roof. The company is positioned to drive the transformation of enterprise and government customers in the MENA region by providing a center of excellence and managed solutions across the ICT stack, including cloud, cybersecurity, modern infrastructure, big data, IoT, AI, smart cities, drones and robotics, and emerging technologies. ZainTECH leverages Zain’s global reach, unique regional footprint, and infrastructure across its operations in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as in other key markets in the Middle East. ZainTECH forms a key pillar in the evolution of Zain’s core telecom business to maximize value and build on the company’s many strengths to selectively create and invest in growth verticals beyond standard mobile services. This ultimately supports Zain’s vision of becoming a leading ICT and digital lifestyle provider.
