Lead Site Reliability Engineer - DevOps
π Job Overview
- Job Title: Lead Site Reliability Engineer - DevOps
- Company: Qualys
- Location: Pune, MahΔrΔshtra, India
- Job Type: Full-time
- Category: DevOps Engineering
- Date Posted: June 27, 2025
- Experience Level: 5-10 years
- Remote Status: On-site
π Role Summary
- Lead the development and maintenance of Qualys' Cloud Platform & Middleware technologies, ensuring reliability, performance, and scalability.
- Collaborate with a team of engineers and architects to build, deploy, and operate scalable, distributed, and fault-tolerant systems.
- Drive automation, monitoring, alerting, testing, and deployment processes to optimize day-to-day work.
- Propose and implement improvements to systems and processes, with a focus on capacity planning, configuration management, and performance tuning.
π Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in both software development and systems engineering, with a focus on cloud platforms and distributed systems.
π» Primary Responsibilities
- System Design & Development: Co-develop and participate in the full lifecycle development of cloud platform services, from inception to improvement, applying scientific principles.
- System Reliability & Performance: Increase the effectiveness, reliability, and performance of cloud platform technologies by identifying key indicators, automating changes, and evaluating results.
- Incident Response & Resolution: Lead incident response and participate in on-call rotations. Write detailed postmortem analysis reports, focusing on root cause analysis and improvement.
- Process Improvement: Propose and drive efficiencies in systems and processes related to capacity planning, configuration management, scaling services, performance tuning, monitoring, alerting, and root cause analysis.
- Collaboration & Ownership: Participate in the development process, supporting new features, services, and releases. Hold an ownership mindset for the cloud platform technologies.
- Automation & Deployment: Develop tools and automate processes for large-scale provisioning and deployment of cloud platform technologies.
π Enhancement Note: This role requires a deep understanding of distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development best practices to ensure the reliability and performance of Qualys' technologies.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education: BS/MS degree in Computer Science, Applied Math, or a related field.
Experience: 3+ years of relevant experience in running distributed systems at scale in production.
Required Skills:
- Expertise in one or more programming languages: Java, Python, or Go.
- Proficiency in writing bash scripts.
- Good understanding of SQL and NoSQL systems.
- Good understanding of systems programming (network stack, file system, OS services).
- Understanding of network elements such as firewalls, load balancers, DNS, NAT, TLS/SSL, VLANs, etc.
- Skilled in identifying performance bottlenecks, anomalous system behavior, and determining the root cause of incidents.
- Knowledge of JVM concepts like garbage collection, heap, stack, profiling, class loading, etc.
- Knowledge of best practices related to security, performance, high-availability, and disaster recovery.
- Proven record of handling production issues, planning escalation procedures, conducting post-mortems, impact analysis, risk assessments, and other related procedures.
- Ability to drive results and set priorities independently.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with managing large-scale deployments of search engines (e.g., Elasticsearch), message-oriented middleware (e.g., Kafka), RDBMS systems (e.g., Oracle), NoSQL databases (e.g., Cassandra), and in-memory caching (e.g., Redis, Memcached).
- Experience with container and orchestration technologies (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
- Experience with monitoring tools (e.g., Graphite, Grafana, Prometheus).
- Experience with Hashicorp technologies (e.g., Consul, Vault, Terraform, Vagrant).
- Experience with configuration management tools (e.g., Chef, Puppet, Ansible).
- In-depth experience with continuous integration and continuous deployment pipelines.
- Exposure to Maven, Ant, or Gradle for builds.
π Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong technical background with a focus on distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development. Preferred skills indicate a strong focus on cloud-native technologies and DevOps best practices.
π Web Portfolio & Project Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Demonstrate experience with large-scale distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development projects.
- Showcase your ability to automate processes, monitor systems, and respond to incidents.
- Highlight your understanding of system design, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
Technical Documentation:
- Document your approach to system design, capacity planning, and performance tuning for large-scale distributed systems.
- Include examples of incident response, postmortem analysis, and process improvement.
- Demonstrate your understanding of best practices related to security, high-availability, and disaster recovery.
π Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong focus on system design, automation, and incident response. Your portfolio should demonstrate your ability to manage and improve large-scale distributed systems.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000 per annum (Based on experience and qualifications)
Benefits:
- Competitive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
- Retirement savings plans with company matching.
- Generous time-off policies, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
- Employee stock purchase plan.
- Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities.
- On-site gym, cafeteria, and other amenities.
Working Hours: 40 hours per week, with flexible hours and on-call rotations as needed.
π Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on market research for similar roles in the Pune, India area. Benefits are typical for a large, multinational corporation and may vary based on individual circumstances.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Cybersecurity and compliance software.
Company Size: Medium (1,001-5,000 employees)
Founded: 1999
Team Structure:
- The DevOps team at Qualys consists of Site Reliability Engineers, DevOps Engineers, and Cloud Engineers.
- The team follows an Agile/Scrum methodology, with regular sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.
- Cross-functional collaboration with development, QA, and product management teams is essential for success.
Development Methodology:
- Qualys uses a continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline for automated testing, building, and deployment of software.
- The team follows best practices for version control, code reviews, and quality assurance.
- Infrastructure as Code (IaC) is used to manage and provision cloud resources.
Company Website: www.qualys.com
π Enhancement Note: Qualys is a well-established company in the cybersecurity industry, with a medium-sized team focused on cloud platforms and middleware technologies. The team follows Agile methodologies and emphasizes cross-functional collaboration.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Web Technology Career Level: Lead Site Reliability Engineer - DevOps (Senior-level role with significant technical influence and leadership responsibilities)
Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Director of Site Reliability Engineering and collaborates with other engineering and architecture teams.
Technical Impact: Leads the development and maintenance of Qualys' Cloud Platform & Middleware technologies, ensuring reliability, performance, and scalability. Drives process improvements and sets technical standards for the team.
Growth Opportunities:
- Technical Leadership: Grow into a Principal Engineer or Architecture role, focusing on technical strategy and mentoring other engineers.
- Management: Transition into a management role, leading a team of Site Reliability Engineers or DevOps Engineers.
- Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific cloud platforms, technologies, or domains, becoming a subject matter expert.
π Enhancement Note: This role offers significant growth opportunities, both in technical leadership and management. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background and a desire to take on increasing levels of responsibility.
π Work Environment
Office Type: Modern, collaborative office space with on-site amenities, including a gym, cafeteria, and game room.
Office Location(s): Pune, India
Workspace Context:
- The workspace is designed to foster collaboration and innovation, with open-plan offices and dedicated team spaces.
- Multiple monitors and testing devices are provided to support development and debugging activities.
- The team encourages knowledge sharing, technical mentoring, and continuous learning.
Work Schedule: Standard business hours, with flexible hours and on-call rotations as needed. Project deadlines and maintenance windows may require additional availability.
π Enhancement Note: The work environment at Qualys is designed to support collaboration and innovation, with a focus on knowledge sharing and continuous learning. The team encourages flexible hours and on-call rotations to ensure system reliability and performance.
π Application & Technical Interview Process
Interview Process:
- Phone Screen (30 minutes): A brief conversation to assess communication skills, cultural fit, and initial technical fit.
- Technical Deep Dive (60-90 minutes): A detailed discussion of your technical background, experience with distributed systems, and problem-solving skills. Expect questions on system design, performance tuning, and incident response.
- On-site Interview (4-5 hours): A series of interviews with team members, focusing on your technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with Qualys' mission and values. Expect a mix of behavioral, technical, and case study questions.
- Final Decision: A decision will be made based on the results of the interview process and your overall fit for the role.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Highlight your experience with large-scale distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development projects.
- Showcase your ability to automate processes, monitor systems, and respond to incidents.
- Demonstrate your understanding of system design, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
Technical Challenge Preparation:
- Brush up on your knowledge of distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development best practices.
- Familiarize yourself with Qualys' products and services, and be prepared to discuss how your skills and experience align with the company's mission and values.
- Practice problem-solving exercises and be ready to discuss your approach to system design, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
ATS Keywords: (See the comprehensive list at the end of this document)
π Enhancement Note: The interview process at Qualys is designed to assess your technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with the company's mission and values. Expect a mix of behavioral, technical, and case study questions, with a focus on your experience with distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development.
π Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure
Frontend Technologies: (Not applicable for this role)
Backend & Server Technologies:
- Java
- Python
- Go
- Bash Scripting
- SQL
- NoSQL (e.g., Cassandra)
- Message-oriented middleware (e.g., Kafka)
- Search engines (e.g., Elasticsearch)
- In-memory caching (e.g., Redis, Memcached)
Development & DevOps Tools:
- Containerization (e.g., Docker)
- Orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes)
- Configuration management (e.g., Ansible, Puppet)
- Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform)
- Monitoring (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana)
- CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI)
- Version control (e.g., Git)
- Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure)
π Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in software development and systems engineering, with a focus on cloud platforms and distributed systems. The technology stack includes a mix of programming languages, databases, and cloud platforms, with a strong emphasis on DevOps tools and best practices.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Web Development Values:
- Reliability: Qualys values reliability above all else, ensuring that our products and services are always available and performant.
- Innovation: We encourage continuous learning and innovation, driving improvements in our technologies and processes.
- Collaboration: We work together to achieve our goals, fostering a culture of teamwork and knowledge sharing.
- Customer Focus: We prioritize our customers' needs, ensuring that our technologies meet their evolving requirements.
Collaboration Style:
- Qualys follows an Agile/Scrum methodology, with regular sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.
- The team encourages cross-functional collaboration, with regular communication and feedback between engineering, QA, and product management teams.
- Knowledge sharing, technical mentoring, and continuous learning are essential for success.
π Enhancement Note: Qualys values reliability, innovation, collaboration, and customer focus. The team follows an Agile/Scrum methodology and encourages cross-functional collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous learning.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Technical Challenges:
- Scalability: Design and implement scalable, distributed, and fault-tolerant systems to support Qualys' growing customer base.
- Performance: Identify and address performance bottlenecks, optimizing system performance and user experience.
- Incident Response: Lead incident response and resolution, minimizing downtime and ensuring business continuity.
- Process Improvement: Propose and drive efficiencies in systems and processes, improving capacity planning, configuration management, and deployment automation.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Technical Skills: Deepen your expertise in cloud platforms, distributed systems, and software development best practices.
- Leadership: Develop your leadership skills, mentoring other engineers and driving technical strategy.
- Certifications: Pursue relevant certifications, such as AWS, GCP, or Azure certifications, to enhance your technical skills and knowledge.
- Community Involvement: Engage with the local tech community, attending meetups, conferences, and other events to expand your network and learn from other professionals.
π Enhancement Note: This role presents significant technical challenges and growth opportunities. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development, with a desire to take on increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Technical Questions:
- System Design: Describe your approach to designing scalable, distributed, and fault-tolerant systems. How do you ensure high availability and performance?
- Performance Tuning: How do you identify and address performance bottlenecks in large-scale distributed systems? What tools and techniques do you use?
- Incident Response: Walk us through your process for responding to incidents, from detection to resolution and postmortem analysis. How do you ensure that your systems are resilient and can withstand failures?
- Process Improvement: How do you drive efficiencies in systems and processes? What metrics do you use to measure success, and how do you continuously improve over time?
Company & Culture Questions:
- Company Mission: How does this role align with Qualys' mission to make the world's assets secure and compliant? How do you contribute to our customers' success?
- Team Dynamics: How do you work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment? How do you handle conflicts or differing opinions?
- Customer Focus: How do you ensure that your work aligns with our customers' needs and expectations? How do you gather and incorporate feedback into your projects?
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- System Design: Present a case study of a large-scale distributed system you've designed and implemented. Walk us through your approach to system design, capacity planning, and performance tuning.
- Incident Response: Describe a significant incident you've responded to, from detection to resolution and postmortem analysis. Highlight your leadership and problem-solving skills, as well as your ability to work effectively under pressure.
- Process Improvement: Present a process improvement initiative you've led, from identification to implementation and evaluation. Highlight your ability to drive change, measure success, and continuously improve over time.
π Enhancement Note: The interview process at Qualys is designed to assess your technical skills, cultural fit, and alignment with the company's mission and values. Expect a mix of behavioral, technical, and case study questions, with a focus on your experience with distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Lead Site Reliability Engineer - DevOps position at Qualys:
- Submit your application through the Qualys careers portal.
- Customize your resume and portfolio to highlight your experience with large-scale distributed systems, cloud platforms, and software development projects.
- Prepare for the technical interview process, focusing on system design, performance tuning, incident response, and process improvement.
- Research Qualys' products, services, and company culture to ensure a strong fit for your career goals and technical skills.
β οΈ 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
- Go
- Bash Scripting
- SQL
- NoSQL (e.g., Cassandra)
- Message-oriented middleware (e.g., Kafka)
- Search engines (e.g., Elasticsearch)
- In-memory caching (e.g., Redis, Memcached)
Web Frameworks & Libraries:
- (Not applicable for this role)
Server Technologies:
- Containerization (e.g., Docker)
- Orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes)
- Configuration management (e.g., Ansible, Puppet)
- Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform)
- Monitoring (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana)
- Cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, GCP, Azure)
Databases:
- SQL (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL)
- NoSQL (e.g., Cassandra, MongoDB)
- In-memory databases (e.g., Redis, Memcached)
Tools:
- Version control (e.g., Git)
- CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI)
- Infrastructure as Code (e.g., Terraform)
- Containerization (e.g., Docker)
- Orchestration (e.g., Kubernetes)
Methodologies:
- Agile/Scrum
- DevOps
- Site Reliability Engineering
- Infrastructure as Code
- Continuous Integration
- Continuous Deployment
Soft Skills:
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Problem-solving
- Leadership
- Mentoring
- Process improvement
Industry Terms:
- Cloud Platforms
- Distributed Systems
- Scalability
- Performance Tuning
- Incident Response
- System Design
- Capacity Planning
- Configuration Management
- DevOps
- Site Reliability Engineering
- Infrastructure as Code
- Continuous Integration
- Continuous Deployment
Application Requirements
Candidates should have at least 3 years of experience in running distributed systems at scale and expertise in programming languages such as Java, Python, or Go. A strong understanding of systems programming, performance bottlenecks, and security best practices is also required.