DevOps Principal Engineer – Tech Lead
About the job
- 5–10 years of hands-on Azure experience.
- Deep AKS expertise, including cluster design, networking, security, role-based access control, and multi-region deployments.
- Strong knowledge of Azure Networking, App Gateway/WAF, App Service, Functions, Logic Apps, Storage, Azure SQL, Traffic Manager, Key Vault, Service Bus, and the Monitoring suite.
- Experience with GitHub or Azure DevOps, including branching, YAML pipelines, and release governance.
- Advanced CI/CD design experience, including platform migrations.
- Experience with Docker and multi-stage Dockerfiles, including image optimization.
- Helm expertise.
- Experience with Terraform or Bicep is preferred; experience with ARM templates is required in the skills section.
- Experience with Ansible or Ansible Tower is a plus.
- Kubernetes expertise, including deployments, ingress, config maps, secrets, role-based access control, and network policies.
- Experience with horizontal and vertical pod autoscaling; GitOps tooling such as Flux or ArgoCD is preferred.
- Experience with SonarQube, Mend, and AquaSec.
- Experience with secrets management using Key Vault or Vault.
- Experience with container security and vulnerability management.
- Proficiency in C#, Python, or Node.js to understand application build and test requirements.
- Strong scripting skills in PowerShell, Bash, or Python.
- Strong YAML proficiency for CI/CD and Kubernetes.
- Knowledge of REST APIs and integration patterns.
- Experience automating with Azure, GitHub, and Kubernetes APIs.
- Experience with Azure Monitor, App Insights, Grafana, and Prometheus.
- Knowledge of logging and analytics using Log Analytics.
- Knowledge of SRE practices, including SLOs, SLIs, and error budgets.
- Experience with GitHub Copilot, AI agents, and automation opportunities is a plus.
- Understanding of AI/ML operations or OpenAI integration is a plus.
- Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert, Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator, or Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD) certification.
- Experience leading global teams across time zones, large-scale CI/CD modernization, SRE and observability implementation, and FinOps and cloud cost optimization is preferred.
- Architect and implement DevOps solutions, including CI/CD, containerization, infrastructure as code, and cloud-native designs in Azure.
- Design multi-stage CI/CD pipelines for complex applications using automation-first, zero-touch principles.
- Lead Helm chart design, Kubernetes manifests, and release templates for enterprise deployments.
- Drive AKS strategy, including lifecycle, security, networking, scaling, and multi-region resiliency.
- Ensure solutions align with EY reference architectures, governance, and security controls.
- Evaluate and select DevOps and automation tools to improve reliability and delivery velocity.
- Lead modernization from classic or legacy pipelines to YAML and GitHub Actions.
- Oversee backlog execution and ensure automated build, test, and deployment processes.
- Drive consistent delivery of DevOps capabilities aligned to defined standards.
- Lead configuration management and environment alignment for multi-region deployments.
- Lead troubleshooting and root-cause analysis of complex deployment or automation incidents.
- Advance DevOps maturity through measurable improvements in delivery and reliability metrics.
- Promote automation-first practices, GitOps, secure SDLC, YAML pipelines, and shift-left practices.
- Implement mandatory scanning, secrets management, dependency governance, and hardening.
- Define standards for branching, versioning, Helm packaging, release governance, and promotions.
- Ensure compliance with EY security requirements using SonarQube, AquaSec, and Mend.
- Establish role-based access control, audit trails, and governance across Azure, AKS, and CI/CD.
- Serve as the senior DevOps authority for architecture, cybersecurity, QA, and product teams.
- Drive cross-team decision-making with clear communication and proactive risk escalation.
- Work with engineering leads to embed DevOps practices and self-service capabilities.
- Maintain high-quality documentation across architecture, CI/CD, runbooks, and dependencies.
- Mentor engineers and promote DevOps maturity across the organization.
- Deliver training on CI/CD, Kubernetes, automation, and DevOps best practices.
- Experience with Terraform or Bicep.
- Experience with Ansible or Ansible Tower.
- Experience with GitOps tooling such as Flux or ArgoCD.
- Service mesh experience with Istio or Linkerd.
- Experience with GitHub Copilot, AI agents, and automation opportunities.
- Understanding of AI/ML operations or OpenAI integration.
- Experience leading global teams across time zones.
- Experience in large-scale CI/CD modernization.
- Experience implementing SRE and observability.
- Experience with FinOps and cloud cost optimization.
About the company
EY (Ernst & Young) provides professional services at a global scale, offering consulting, assurance, tax, and transaction advisory services. It serves clients across industries such as technology, media, real estate, hospitality, and construction. Instead of selling a single product, EY works with clients through tailored engagements where cross-disciplinary teams analyze challenges, design strategies, perform audits, help with tax planning, and assist with mergers or divestitures. What sets EY apart is its worldwide reach and integrated service model, industry-specific expertise, and focus on responsible business practices like sustainability, cybersecurity, and workforce flexibility. EY’s goal is to help organizations improve performance, manage risk, and achieve sustainable growth while building a better working world.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Founded
1991
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- EY.ai Agentic for Sales launched March 2, 2026 with Snowflake and Canva.
- EY uses client-zero deployments, scaling Copilot across 400,000 people by May 2026.
- EY’s 2026 AI assurance push monetizes client demand for governance, controls, and risk reviews.
What critics are saying
- Sabah filed RM2.4 billion audit-negligence claims against EY on July 30, 2026.
- EY set aside £188 million in March 2026 after NMC, Shell, and Made.com scrutiny.
- Repeated audit failures can destroy trust, trigger client defections, and shrink the franchise permanently.
What makes Ernst & Young unique
- EY Canvas processes 1.4 trillion journal-entry lines across 160,000 global audits.
- EY-Microsoft invested US$1b+ in May 2026 to industrialize enterprise AI delivery.
- EY launched agentic audit AI on April 7, 2026, spanning Assurance and AI assurance.
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Benefits
Professional Development Budget
Flexible Work Hours
Remote Work Options
Company News
EY added nearly 10,000 staff globally in its 2026 financial year as AI-related revenue surged almost 50%. The Big Four firm's workforce reached 415,000, with most growth concentrated in global delivery services and offshoring centres. The Americas division saw headcount decrease by roughly 4,500, or 5%. Overall global revenue rose 4.7% to $57 billion. EY-Parthenon was the fastest-growing service line, with revenue increasing 7.4% to $6.8 billion, marking a turnaround after two years of minimal growth. Tax revenue rose 6% to $13.8 billion, whilst consulting grew 4.4% to $17.4 billion. The results reflect EY's "All-In" strategy under global chair Janet Truncale, with billions invested in transforming operations and AI services.
An Ernst & Young study found US oil and gas producers reached record production in 2025 while becoming more selective with investments. The analysis of 30 major exploration and production companies, representing 43% of US oil and gas output, showed oil production hit a study-period high, yet reserve additions from extensions and discoveries declined 11% year over year and failed to fully replace production volumes for the first time since 2021. Total capital expenditures fell 49% year over year, whilst M&A spending declined 70%. Exploration spending dropped 11% to $4.8 billion, representing only 3% of total capital expenditures. Natural gas showed stronger fundamentals, with production rising 18%, reserves increasing 14%, and discoveries up 21%.
Ernst & Young's US division is allocating $100 million this fiscal year to bonus payments rewarding employees who demonstrate adaptability, innovation, and judgement. Individual spot awards reach $500, whilst employees or teams making significant contributions can receive between $10,000 and $25,000, five times the previous programme's ceiling. The initiative also covers AI experimentation. "What we recognise signals what we value," said Ginnie Carlier, chief talent and culture officer for EY Americas. The bonuses form part of a broader strategy to reshape employee development across all career levels. Other professional services firms are pursuing similar approaches. KPMG restructured its audit internship this summer to emphasise critical thinking, whilst PwC US introduced training combining AI proficiency with human qualities like empathy. EY reported AI-related revenue grew 30% year-over-year in 2025.
EY-Parthenon has acquired SparkOptimus, a Dutch digital strategy consultancy founded in 2010. The Amsterdam-based firm employs around 50 consultants and specialises in AI transformation, digital business model redesign and technology-driven transformation. SparkOptimus founders Alexandra Jankovich and Tom Voskes, both former McKinsey consultants, said joining EY-Parthenon will create significant value for clients and staff whilst providing access to broader capabilities. The acquisition marks EY-Parthenon's first European deal since 2021. EY-Parthenon, established in 2014, is EY's strategy consulting and transactions advisory business with around 25,000 professionals globally. Mark Reich, Partner at EY-Parthenon Netherlands, said SparkOptimus' expertise will complement existing capabilities in the Dutch market. The deal closes on 1 September 2026. Financial terms were not disclosed.
The UK Government has awarded a contract worth up to £456 million to KPMG and EY to train civil servants, the Financial Times reported, citing government procurement tracker Tussell. Under the arrangement, the firms will train officials across various skills areas, including AI, between 2026 and 2028. KPMG's share is capped at £319 million, representing almost a quarter of its total UK advisory net sales from last year. EY's portion is worth £137 million, equivalent to around 13% of its UK consulting revenue. The deal is the largest single contract awarded to Big Four companies since Tussell started tracking records in 2012. The previous record was a £322 million deal between the Foreign Office and PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2012.