Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

At AQA, we're committed to advancing education and we're committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it's our people who make this happen.

Cloud Infrastructure Engineer

Permanent Location: Milton Keynes Salary: £54,300 - £61,794 Working Arrangements: Hybrid (2 days per week in the office)

Introduction

Join AQA's Assessment Technology team and play a key role in supporting the systems that help deliver millions of GCSE and A-level results every year. This is an exciting opportunity to work at the heart of a team that is modernising critical platforms, adopting new technologies and driving continuous improvement across cloud infrastructure and application services.

Purpose of the role

As a Cloud Infrastructure Engineer, you'll help ensure the reliability, security and performance of the infrastructure that supports AQA's scanning and marking services.

You'll work closely with technology teams, suppliers and business users to deploy, support and enhance cloud based solutions, while contributing to the ongoing modernisation of our platform services.

This role offers the opportunity to work with Microsoft Azure technologies, infrastructure as code practices and modern DevOps approaches in an environment where your work directly supports learners and educators across the UK.

Key responsibilities

• Deploying, supporting and improving cloud-based applications and infrastructure within Microsoft Azure using modern DevOps practices and infrastructure as code technologies.
• Monitoring, maintaining and optimising platform performance, security and availability while helping resolve infrastructure and application issues, including taking part in the agreed out-of-hours support roster during live exam series.
• Working collaboratively with development teams, technology colleagues, suppliers and business users to deliver reliable services and support ongoing platform modernisation.

What we are looking for

You'll thrive in this role if you're a self motivated infrastructure professional who enjoys solving problems, taking ownership and working independently while collaborating effectively with others.

• Strong hands on experience with Microsoft Azure and the ability to troubleshoot and resolve cloud infrastructure issues.
• Experience working with Infrastructure as Code technologies such as Bicep, Terraform or ARM templates.
• Experience using CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tooling to deploy and support applications and infrastructure.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with technical and non technical stakeholders.

What's in it for you

• Develop your cloud engineering career while working on platforms that make a genuine difference to education across the UK.
• Exposure to large scale, business critical technology platforms supporting millions of learners.
• The opportunity to work with new technologies as part of a significant modernisation programme.
• 35 hour working week with flexible, hybrid working; 25 days' annual leave (rising to 30), plus Christmas closure days.
• Excellent pension (up to 11.5% employer contribution).

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone-regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background-is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

Reasonable Adjustments

If you have any requirements for reasonable adjustments in relation to the application, interview or the prospective job, please contact Faye Harrison (she/her) at or on . We are asking for this information to make the process as equitable as possible for each candidate. Please note that Faye will not be able to assist you with enquiries regarding Temporary vacancies or non recruitment enquiries.

Smart Working

We're operating a smart working model. This allows for our colleagues to work from two days a week in one of our offices across England.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

AQA is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone - regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background - is valued, respected, and supported to thrive.

Conflict of Interest

Please note that due to the confidential nature of our work, we are unable to employ people for our temporary roles who are currently a candidate for Key Stage 4 and 5 public examinations.

Safeguarding

AQA is committed to the safeguarding of children and adults at risk. We're dedicated to reducing the risk of employing or contracting any person intent on abusing their position of trust, along with identifying and responding to any incident of alleged abuse from its employees or associates fairly and swiftly. For more information on safeguarding at AQA please visit the AQA website here.

Full Job Description Summary

Responsible for the deployment and support of in house developed application to Azure using DevOps tools and methodologies for production, staging, and development environments.

Landscape: The Assessment Technology group is responsible for the operational systems that deliver millions of GCSE and A-level results annually. The Scanning & Marking department reports to the Director of Assessment Technology and are responsible for delivering, deploying, and supporting several software products in that area. This position sits within the Platform Services & Support team within Scanning & Marking department and will report directly to the Platform Services and Support Manager.

Activities

• Deploy and support of in house developed application to Azure using DevOps tools and methodologies.
• Provide advice and recommendations on Infrastructure and Security and proactively collaborate with architecture and application development teams to ensure the infrastructure meets current and future business objectives.
• Implement system monitoring and alerting to ensure application health state is maintained.
• Provide technical support for all infrastructure, both in Azure and on premise.
• Ensure correct security controls are in place on all environments and assist in providing recommendations on additional security improvements.
• Implement and maintain performance monitoring of all infrastructure and provide recommendations on improvements.
• Be part of the out of hours incident support rota covering nights and weekends (typically around 4 6 weeks per year).
• Report upward to the Platform Services & Support Manager as required.

Experience

• Have a minimum of 1 years' experience in an Azure infrastructure engineer role.

Qualifications

• AZ-104 Microsoft Azure Administrator or comparable certification (essential).
• AZ-400 or AZ-305 (desirable).

Skills

• Strong knowledge of IAAS, PAAS and SAAS mainly in Azure.
• Good knowledge of PowerShell, T-SQL, and other scripting languages.
• Good knowledge of IaC, e.g. Bicep, Terraform and ARM.
• Strong knowledge of modern application deployments and configuration techniques via CI/CD pipelines, in particular Azure DevOp's YAML and classic pipelines.
• Knowledge and experience of troubleshooting automated and manual application deployments and configuration pipelines.
• Knowledge about agile development and modern development tools such as Git would be an advantage.

Personal Attributes

• Have an aptitude and passion for all things Cloud.
• Be ambitious and keen to learn.
• Have an attention to detail.
• Be able to work on own initiative.

AQA is an independent charity that sets and marks over half of all GCSEs and A-levels in the UK every year. Our purpose is to advance education by helping students and teachers to realise their potential. As part of AQA, you'll very quickly appreciate the determination and unwavering passion to deliver this goal in everything we do. To help drive these ambitions, AQA invests in the development of its people by offering a range of professional development and learning opportunities leading to over 50% of our permanent roles being filled internally.