DevOps Engineer

Red Gate Group
Full_timeFort Belvoir, United States

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: DevOps Engineer
  • Company: Red Gate Group
  • Location: Fort Belvoir, Virginia, United States
  • Job Type: Full-time
  • Category: DevOps Engineer
  • Date Posted: June 27, 2025
  • Experience Level: 5-10 years
  • Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

  • Key Responsibilities: Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tools, deploy applications, manage infrastructure in production, automate server and network configurations, and support custom applications.
  • Key Skills: DevOps, CI/CD, Kubernetes, containerization, Helm, GitOps, Ansible, Puppet, infrastructure-as-code, container networking, monitoring, storage, security, Java, Python, cloud.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in DevOps and containerization to support DTRA's mission-critical systems. The ideal candidate will have experience with modern DevOps tools and be comfortable working in a production environment.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • Pipeline Development & Maintenance: Design, implement, and maintain CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, Git, or TeamCity.
  • Containerization & Orchestration: Build and manage containerized applications using Kubernetes, with experience in deploying with Helm and managing GitOps tools like ArgoCD or Flux.
  • Infrastructure Automation: Automate server and network configurations using tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef, and manage infrastructure-as-code environments.
  • Application Support: Develop and support custom applications in a production environment, ensuring high availability and scalability.
  • Security & Compliance: Evaluate and mitigate vulnerability findings, and ensure compliance with security best practices and regulations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The ideal candidate will have experience with container security technologies and be able to implement and manage security measures to protect DTRA's systems and data.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.

Experience: 5+ years of experience in DevOps, with 3+ years in Kubernetes and containerization, and 2+ years in managing tools like Helm, ArgoCD, or Flux.

Required Skills:

  • Proficient in container networking, monitoring, storage, and security.
  • Experience with scripting in Bash, PowerShell, Python, Groovy, or Ruby, and leveraging JSON, YAML, or XML for configuration.
  • Knowledge of cloud and virtualization-based technologies, including Docker, Azure, AWS, or VMware.
  • Familiarity with Linux or UNIX administration and automation.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to work in a team environment.

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience developing in Java or Python.
  • Knowledge of Prometheus, Grafana, ElasticSearch, Kibana, and FluentD.
  • Experience with the design, deployment, and management of cloud environments, including AWS or Azure.
  • Kubernetes Certification.

Certifications: TS/SCI clearance required. Ability to obtain a Security+ CE, SSCP, CCNA-Security, or GSEC Certification within 6 months of hire date.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • CI/CD Pipeline Demonstrations: Showcase your experience in building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, highlighting your ability to streamline development processes and improve deployment efficiency.
  • Containerization & Orchestration Projects: Demonstrate your proficiency in containerization and orchestration by presenting projects that showcase your ability to manage and deploy applications using Kubernetes, Helm, and GitOps tools.
  • Infrastructure Automation Case Studies: Highlight your experience in automating server and network configurations using tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef, and explain how you've improved infrastructure management and scalability.
  • Application Support & Security Case Studies: Present case studies that demonstrate your ability to develop, support, and secure custom applications in a production environment, emphasizing your problem-solving skills and commitment to security best practices.

Technical Documentation:

  • Code Quality & Documentation: Showcase your commitment to code quality and documentation by providing examples of well-commented, version-controlled code and explaining your approach to maintaining high coding standards.
  • Deployment Processes & Server Configuration: Detail your deployment processes and server configuration strategies, highlighting your ability to manage infrastructure-as-code environments and ensure system stability and security.
  • Testing Methodologies & Performance Metrics: Demonstrate your understanding of testing methodologies and performance metrics by explaining your approach to quality assurance, load testing, and optimization techniques.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $120,000 - $160,000 per year (based on experience and location)

Benefits:

  • Flexible Time Off
  • 11 Paid Holidays
  • 401(k) Eligibility with Match
  • Full Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
  • Company-Paid Life Insurance and Disability Benefits
  • Professional Development Assistance for Degrees and Certifications

Working Hours: Full-time, with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely on occasion.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is based on market research for DevOps Engineer roles in the Virginia area, with adjustments for experience level and cost of living. Benefits are comprehensive and designed to support employee wellbeing and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: The Red Gate Group specializes in intelligence analysis, strategic planning, program management, and technology integration, primarily serving the defense and intelligence communities.

Company Size: Medium-sized, with a focus on providing personalized attention and growth opportunities for employees.

Founded: 2006, as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Company based in Chantilly, VA.

Team Structure:

  • DevOps Team: A small, dedicated team responsible for building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, managing containerized applications, and automating infrastructure.
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with software developers, system administrators, and other teams to ensure seamless integration and efficient deployment of applications.

Development Methodology:

  • Agile/Scrum: Utilizes Agile methodologies to manage development processes, with a focus on iterative development, continuous improvement, and frequent feedback.
  • Code Review & Testing: Emphasizes code review, testing, and quality assurance to ensure high-quality, secure, and reliable applications.
  • CI/CD Pipelines: Implements CI/CD pipelines to automate deployment processes, improve efficiency, and reduce human error.

Company Website: www.redgategrp.com

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values both service excellence and employee wellbeing, fostering a culture of growth and work-life balance. This is reflected in their comprehensive benefits package and commitment to supporting both clients' missions and employees' success.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

DevOps Engineer Career Level: This role is suitable for experienced DevOps engineers looking to apply their skills in a mission-critical environment, with opportunities for growth and leadership.

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the DevOps Team Lead, with opportunities for collaboration and mentorship from senior team members.

Technical Impact: The DevOps Engineer will play a crucial role in ensuring the stability, security, and scalability of DTRA's applications and infrastructure, directly impacting the agency's ability to fulfill its mission.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Technical Leadership: With experience and demonstrated proficiency, there may be opportunities to take on more significant responsibilities, such as leading projects or mentoring junior team members.
  • Architecture & Design: As the team grows and evolves, there may be opportunities to contribute to architectural decisions and help shape the future of DTRA's infrastructure.
  • Emerging Technologies: Staying up-to-date with emerging technologies and trends in DevOps, and exploring opportunities to integrate new tools and approaches into the team's workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values employee growth and offers opportunities for professional development, including assistance for degrees and certifications. This role provides an excellent platform for experienced DevOps engineers to expand their skills and advance their careers.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Modern, collaborative workspace with dedicated areas for team meetings, brainstorming, and quiet work.

Office Location(s): Fort Belvoir, VA, with opportunities for remote work on occasion.

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Workspace: Encourages team collaboration and communication, with open-plan workspaces and dedicated team areas.
  • Development Tools & Equipment: Provides access to multiple monitors, testing devices, and development tools to support efficient and effective work.
  • Cross-Functional Interaction: Facilitates interaction with other teams, such as software developers and system administrators, to ensure seamless integration and efficient deployment of applications.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely on occasion. The work schedule may require occasional maintenance windows or deployment support outside of regular business hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values work-life balance and offers flexible working arrangements to support employee wellbeing and productivity. The work environment is designed to be collaborative, comfortable, and conducive to efficient and effective work.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

Interview Process:

  1. Technical Phone Screen: A brief phone call to discuss your background, experience, and technical skills, with a focus on DevOps, CI/CD, and containerization.
  2. On-Site Technical Assessment: A hands-on assessment to evaluate your ability to build and maintain CI/CD pipelines, manage containerized applications, and automate infrastructure using tools like Ansible or Puppet.
  3. Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: A discussion to assess your problem-solving skills, communication abilities, and cultural fit within the team and organization.
  4. Final Review & Decision: A review of your application materials, technical assessment, and interview performance to make a final hiring decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Demonstrate Your Process: Showcase your approach to building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and infrastructure automation, explaining your thought process and decision-making.
  • Highlight Your Achievements: Highlight your most significant projects and accomplishments, focusing on the challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
  • Showcase Your Technical Expertise: Demonstrate your proficiency in relevant tools and technologies, such as Kubernetes, Helm, ArgoCD, Ansible, or Puppet, by providing specific examples and case studies.
  • Emphasize Your Problem-Solving Skills: Showcase your ability to identify and resolve technical issues, and explain how you approach troubleshooting and optimization.

Technical Challenge Preparation:

  • Brush Up on Your Skills: Review your knowledge of DevOps, CI/CD, containerization, and relevant tools and technologies to ensure you're well-prepared for the technical assessment.
  • Practice Coding & Configuration Challenges: Engage in online coding challenges or configuration exercises to hone your skills and build confidence in your ability to perform under pressure.
  • Develop Your Communication Skills: Prepare for the behavioral and cultural fit interview by reflecting on your past experiences and developing concise, compelling examples of your problem-solving skills, teamwork, and adaptability.

ATS Keywords: (See the comprehensive list below)

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values technical proficiency and problem-solving skills in their DevOps engineers. The interview process is designed to assess your ability to build, maintain, and optimize CI/CD pipelines and containerized applications, as well as your cultural fit within the team and organization.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

Frontend Technologies: N/A (This role focuses on backend and infrastructure technologies)

Backend & Server Technologies:

  • Kubernetes: Experience with Kubernetes cluster management, deployment, and orchestration is required.
  • Helm: Proficiency in deploying and managing applications using Helm, with experience in writing custom Helm charts.
  • GitOps Tools: Experience with ArgoCD or Flux, including managing tools deployed with Helm and writing custom GitOps workflows.
  • Ansible/Puppet/Chef: Proficiency in automating server and network configurations using tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.
  • Java/Python: Experience developing and supporting custom applications using Java or Python.

Development & DevOps Tools:

  • CI/CD Pipelines: Experience with CI/CD pipelines, including Jenkins, Git, or TeamCity.
  • Version Control: Proficiency in version control systems, such as Git, and experience with branching, merging, and code review processes.
  • Monitoring Tools: Familiarity with monitoring tools, such as Prometheus, Grafana, ElasticSearch, Kibana, and FluentD.
  • Cloud Platforms: Experience with cloud platforms, such as AWS or Azure, and familiarity with cloud-based deployment and management strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group uses modern DevOps tools and technologies to manage and deploy applications in a production environment. Familiarity with these tools and technologies is essential for success in this role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

DevOps Values:

  • Automation & Efficiency: Emphasizes automation to improve efficiency, reduce human error, and ensure consistent, reliable deployments.
  • Collaboration & Communication: Encourages team collaboration and communication to ensure seamless integration and efficient deployment of applications.
  • Continuous Improvement: Fosters a culture of continuous improvement, with a focus on iterative development, testing, and optimization.
  • Security & Compliance: Prioritizes security and compliance, ensuring that applications and infrastructure meet relevant standards and regulations.

Collaboration Style:

  • Cross-Functional Interaction: Encourages collaboration and communication with other teams, such as software developers and system administrators, to ensure seamless integration and efficient deployment of applications.
  • Code Review & Peer Programming: Emphasizes code review and peer programming to ensure high-quality, secure, and reliable applications.
  • Knowledge Sharing & Mentoring: Fosters a culture of knowledge sharing and mentoring, with opportunities for team members to learn from one another and develop their skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values collaboration, communication, and continuous improvement in their DevOps team. This culture fosters a supportive and productive work environment, with opportunities for team members to grow and develop their skills.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Technical Challenges:

  • CI/CD Pipeline Optimization: Identify and implement improvements to CI/CD pipelines to enhance efficiency, reduce deployment times, and minimize human error.
  • Container Security: Evaluate and mitigate container security vulnerabilities, and implement best practices to protect DTRA's applications and infrastructure.
  • Infrastructure Automation: Automate server and network configurations using tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef, and ensure that infrastructure-as-code environments are stable, secure, and scalable.
  • Emerging Technologies: Stay up-to-date with emerging technologies in DevOps, and explore opportunities to integrate new tools and approaches into the team's workflow.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Technical Training & Certification: The Red Gate Group offers opportunities for professional development, including assistance for degrees and certifications, to help team members expand their skills and advance their careers.
  • Conferences & Events: Encourages team members to attend industry conferences, events, and meetups to stay current with emerging technologies and best practices in DevOps.
  • Mentorship & Leadership Development: Provides opportunities for team members to mentor junior team members, develop their leadership skills, and contribute to architectural decisions and team strategy.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values employee growth and offers opportunities for professional development, including assistance for degrees and certifications. This role provides an excellent platform for experienced DevOps engineers to expand their skills and advance their careers.

💡 Interview Preparation

Technical Questions:

  • CI/CD Pipeline Design: Describe your approach to designing and implementing CI/CD pipelines, and explain how you optimize deployment processes and minimize human error.
  • Container Security Best Practices: Explain your approach to container security, and provide specific examples of how you've evaluated and mitigated container security vulnerabilities.
  • Infrastructure Automation Strategies: Describe your experience with infrastructure automation using tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef, and explain how you ensure that infrastructure-as-code environments are stable, secure, and scalable.

Company & Culture Questions:

  • Team Collaboration: Describe your experience working in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment, and explain how you've contributed to seamless integration and efficient deployment of applications.
  • Problem-Solving Skills: Provide specific examples of how you've identified and resolved technical issues, and explain your approach to troubleshooting and optimization.
  • Adaptability & Learning: Describe your ability to adapt to new technologies and tools, and explain how you stay current with emerging trends and best practices in DevOps.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Live Demo: Prepare a live demo of your CI/CD pipeline, containerized application, or infrastructure automation project, and be ready to explain your approach, decision-making, and any challenges you faced.
  • Code Walkthrough: Prepare a code walkthrough of your most significant projects, highlighting your technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and commitment to code quality and documentation.
  • Architecture & Design: Prepare an overview of your approach to architecture and design, explaining how you ensure that your applications and infrastructure are stable, secure, and scalable.

📝 Enhancement Note: The Red Gate Group values technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit in their DevOps engineers. The interview process is designed to assess your ability to build, maintain, and optimize CI/CD pipelines and containerized applications, as well as your cultural fit within the team and organization.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this DevOps Engineer position:

  1. Update Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and relevant tools and technologies, such as Kubernetes, Helm, ArgoCD, Ansible, or Puppet.
  2. Prepare Your Portfolio: Curate a portfolio that showcases your experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerization, and infrastructure automation, highlighting your problem-solving skills, technical expertise, and commitment to code quality and documentation.
  3. Research the Company: Familiarize yourself with the Red Gate Group's mission, values, and culture, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with their needs and goals.
  4. Prepare for the Interview: Review the interview process and technical challenge preparation tips, and be ready to demonstrate your technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and cultural fit within the team and organization.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and web development/server administration industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

ATS Keywords:

Programming Languages:

  • Java
  • Python

Web Frameworks:

  • N/A (This role focuses on backend and infrastructure technologies)

Server Technologies:

  • Kubernetes
  • Helm
  • ArgoCD
  • Flux
  • Ansible
  • Puppet
  • Chef
  • AWS
  • Azure

Databases:

  • N/A (This role focuses on backend and infrastructure technologies)

Tools:

  • CI/CD Pipelines (Jenkins, Git, TeamCity)
  • Version Control (Git)
  • Monitoring Tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ElasticSearch, Kibana, FluentD)
  • Infrastructure Automation Tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef)

Methodologies:

  • Agile/Scrum
  • DevOps
  • Infrastructure-as-Code
  • GitOps

Soft Skills:

  • Problem-Solving
  • Communication
  • Collaboration
  • Adaptability
  • Learning
  • Leadership

Industry Terms:

  • Containerization
  • Orchestration
  • Automation
  • Infrastructure-as-Code
  • CI/CD
  • DevOps
  • Security
  • Compliance
  • Cloud
  • Virtualization
  • Server Administration
  • System Administration
  • Network Administration
  • Intelligence Analysis
  • Strategic Planning
  • Program Management
  • Technology Integration
  • Defense
  • Intelligence
  • Mission-Critical Systems
  • DTRA
  • Red Gate Group

Certifications:

  • TS/SCI Clearance
  • Security+ CE, SSCP, CCNA-Security, or GSEC Certification (within 6 months of hire date)
  • Kubernetes Certification (desired)

Application Requirements

The ideal candidate should have over 5 years of experience in DevOps and at least 3 years with Kubernetes and containerization. A TS/SCI clearance and a Bachelor's degree are required, along with the ability to obtain relevant certifications within 6 months of hire.