DevOps Engineer
Bridge development and operations teams. Automate deployments, manage infrastructure, monitor systems, and ensure continuous integration and delivery for reliable software releases.
What you need to know
Overview
DevOps engineers combine software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to shorten development cycles and deliver software more reliably. They automate and streamline processes, manage infrastructure, and ensure systems are scalable, secure, and highly available. DevOps represents a cultural shift toward collaboration and continuous improvement.
Ireland's tech sector has strongly embraced DevOps practices, with high demand for skilled engineers across all company sizes. Irish DevOps engineers work with cutting-edge technologies, managing infrastructure for applications serving global audiences from Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick tech hubs.
Specializations include Site Reliability Engineering (SRE), Platform Engineering, Release Engineering, and Infrastructure Automation.
What do DevOps engineers do?
DevOps engineers work full-time with on-call responsibilities for system incidents. Many Irish companies offer flexible schedules and remote work, with on-call compensated through time off or additional pay.
Some of the things a DevOps engineer might do:
- Design and implement CI/CD pipelines for automated deployments
- Manage cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
- Automate repetitive tasks using scripting and tools
- Monitor system performance and reliability
- Implement containerization with Docker and Kubernetes
- Manage infrastructure as code (Terraform, Ansible)
- Respond to and resolve production incidents
- Optimize system performance and costs
- Ensure security and compliance
- Collaborate with development teams
What skills are needed?
Core DevOps Tools
- • CI/CD: Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions
- • Containers: Docker, Kubernetes
- • IaC: Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation
- • Monitoring: Prometheus, Grafana, ELK
- • Version control: Git
Technical Skills
- • Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- • Scripting (Python, Bash, PowerShell)
- • Linux/Unix system administration
- • Networking and security
- • Database management
Professional Skills
- • Problem-solving under pressure
- • Communication across teams
- • Automation mindset
- • Continuous learning
- • Incident management
What is the pay?
Average Salary in Ireland
€45,000 - €80,000
Mid-level DevOps engineers in Ireland earn €45,000-€60,000, while senior engineers command €65,000-€80,000. Lead and principal DevOps engineers at major tech companies can earn €85,000-€110,000+, often with on-call allowances and bonuses.
Compensation reflects the critical nature of the role and skills shortage. Benefits typically include health insurance, pension contributions, professional certification funding (AWS, Kubernetes), flexible working, and on-call compensation. Many positions offer 100% remote work options.
What is the career outlook?
Job Growth in Ireland
DevOps engineering ranks among Ireland's top 10 most in-demand tech roles. Over 1,500 DevOps positions are advertised annually, with demand consistently exceeding qualified candidate supply.
The National Skills Bulletin identifies DevOps/Cloud Engineers as experiencing skills shortages across all experience levels. Irish companies actively upskill developers into DevOps roles to meet demand.
Why the growth?
- • Cloud migration acceleration post-pandemic
- • Need for faster, more reliable deployments
- • Digital transformation initiatives
- • Kubernetes and container adoption
- • Growing system complexity
- • Security and compliance requirements
What education is required?
Educational Pathways
Computer Science Degree
Level 8 degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or IT. Provides foundation, though many DevOps engineers transition from development or operations roles with experience.
Professional Certifications
Industry certifications highly valued: AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), HashiCorp Terraform, Azure Administrator. Often funded by employers.
Transition from Other Roles
Many DevOps engineers transition from software development, system administration, or network engineering roles, gaining DevOps skills through work experience and self-study.
Key Skills to Develop
- • Linux system administration
- • Cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP)
- • Container orchestration (Kubernetes)
- • CI/CD pipeline implementation
- • Infrastructure as Code (Terraform)
- • Scripting (Python, Bash)
- • Monitoring and logging
- • Networking fundamentals
- • Security best practices
- • Agile methodologies
Ready to Start Your DevOps Journey?
Explore our resources and discover how to begin your career in DevOps engineering.
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