DevOps / Platform Engineer
Automate delivery pipelines and build the platform everything runs on
Job titles
DevOps Engineer, Platform Engineer +
UK salary range
£55,000–£90,000
US salary range
$95,000–$150,000
Time to first role
1–2 years (requires programming/scripting baseline)
About this role
DevOps engineers own the infrastructure automation, CI/CD pipelines, and container orchestration platforms that development teams deploy onto. The role has expanded into 'Platform Engineering' at scale — building internal developer platforms rather than just managing pipelines.
Key skills employers look for
Certification roadmap
Cloud Foundation
DevOps roles require cloud knowledge — start here
CLF-C02AWS Cloud Practitioner
Rapid cloud orientation. Most DevOps job postings require AWS or Azure knowledge — this cert gives you the service vocabulary in 3–4 weeks.
Infrastructure as Code
The non-negotiable skill for every DevOps role
Terraform AssociateHashiCorp Terraform Associate
Terraform is in the majority of DevOps job descriptions. The cert proves foundational IaC knowledge — modules, state, workspaces, and provider configuration.
Container Orchestration
Kubernetes is the default runtime for modern application workloads
CKADCertified Kubernetes Application Developer
Practical hands-on Kubernetes cert — the most accessible CNCF cert for engineers coming from a development background. Focuses on deploying, configuring, and troubleshooting apps on Kubernetes.
CKACertified Kubernetes Administrator
The ops-focused companion to CKAD — cluster setup, networking, storage, RBAC, and troubleshooting. Required for platform engineer and SRE roles responsible for running Kubernetes clusters.
CI/CD & Pipeline Automation
Cloud-native DevOps cert covering the full pipeline lifecycle
AZ-400Microsoft DevOps Engineer Expert
Covers Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, CI/CD design, security integration, and monitoring. Valuable for Azure-centric teams and increasingly for GitHub Enterprise shops.
DOP-C02AWS DevOps Engineer Professional
AWS equivalent — SDLC automation, configuration management, monitoring, HA, and security on AWS. Requires AWS Solutions Architect or Developer Associate as a baseline.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to code to be a DevOps engineer?
Yes — at minimum Bash and Python scripting. Most DevOps roles also expect familiarity with YAML (for Kubernetes manifests and pipeline configs), and many require Go or TypeScript for tooling work. None of the certs teach programming, so build scripting skills in parallel with cert study.
CKA or CKAD first?
CKAD if you're coming from a developer background. CKA if you're coming from an ops/infrastructure background. Many DevOps engineers hold both — but CKAD is faster to pass and provides more immediate value for most early-career DevOps roles.
Key terms for this career path
These concepts underpin the certifications in this roadmap and appear regularly in exam questions.
Browse full IT glossary →