Key Skills Malta Employers are looking for in a DevOps Engineer in 2023

As technologies continue to advance and accelerate, development methodologies have generated a high demand for DevOps specialists. DevOps practices have revolutionised software development resulting in integrated and continuous software delivery in shorter timeframes enabling software-based companies to increase productivity and stay ahead of competitors.

If you’re considering a career in DevOps engineering, now is an excellent time to learn more about this career choice.

 

Below are some of the key points we’ll be covering for DevOps Engineers:

  • DevOps: An Overview
  • What does a DevOps Engineer do?
  • The roles and responsibilities of a DevOps Engineer
  • Essential skills companies look for in DevOps Engineers
  • Technical Skills
  • Soft Skills
  • FAQs on DevOps Engineers in Malta

 

DevOps: An Overview

DevOps is a methodology that has evolved from managing the development, support systems and testing of a software development project lifecycle. The term DevOps is a concept that comes from merging ‘development and operations. The methodology closes the gap between software development and IT operations. This gap between deployment and development consists of tasks that keep the applications stable and the actions needed to change the application quickly.

 

What does a DevOps Engineer do?

DevOps Engineers have various roles but generally they:

  • Oversee the software development life cycle and balance the sectors facilitating the development of software operation through tools, environments and processes.
  • Create an agile relationship between the two sectors for quick, efficient release updates to products and continuous delivery of services and applications to end-users.
  • Unify and automate processes.
  • Manage the IT infrastructure supporting code in cloud environments.
  • Use a combination of skills that include an understanding of code and application management.
  • Transform existing processes to enable businesses to develop faster and better products.

 

The main roles and responsibilities of a DevOps Engineer

The roles and responsibilities of a DevOps engineer vary according to the organisation and the software development stage. DevOps engineers work at the intersection between software development and IT operations in collaboration with software developers, QA Engineers, IT operation and security engineers. They view a system or solution from different perspectives with the aim of delivering a secure, high-performing operable unified solution.

The main roles and responsibilities of a DevOps engineer include:

  • Selecting deployment models. The knowledge of optimum production environments according to user role and location is crucial. They ensure that deployment strategies are practical and scalable.
  • Developing, installing, configuring IT solutions and creating workable prototypes.
  • Concurrent management of Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery CI/CD for optimum integration, ongoing development and delivery of pipeline.
  • Managing and leveraging tools to maximise production.
  • Controlling build and release process and checking post-release stability.
  • Automation of repetitive tasks.
  • Code management testing and developing.
  • Communicating operational procedures and development predictions with team members.
  • Monitoring confidentiality, integrity and security of the product.
  • Checking back up and creating an additional backup policy.
  • Tracking and monitoring the product. Detecting flaws and rectifying them for a smoother more efficient process end product.

 

Key Skills Companies Look for in DevOps Engineers

Technical Skills

A DevOps engineer needs experience in software development and system administration. They depend on software packages and tools to manage software, provide integration, test, and automate processes.

Generally, they need experience in the following skills:

  • Agile project management and planning.
  • Open source technologies to develop code bases.
  • Automation tools like Jenkins or Bamboo to customise and automate the delivery pipeline.
  • Server administration like Windows, Linux and Unix.
  • Source code management GIT for tracking the progress of development, review histories and creation of branches.
  • Containerisation software like Docker or Kubernetes.
  • Configuration management like Puppet, Ansible, Terraform or Chef for management of infrastructure to automate deployment.
  • Project Management platforms and solutions like Trello and Jira.
  • Familiarity with cloud infrastructures like Google Cloud, Azure or Amazon Web Services.
  • A good understanding of scripting languages and familiarity with Python or Ruby.
  • Knowledge of security and compliance.

 

Soft Skills

As well as a range of expertise in technical skills, it’s important to consider the soft skills a DevOps engineer needs to succeed in the role.

Communication skills

A DevOps engineer needs to view the perspectives of all team members to reach a consensus and find a unified solution to a problem. This requires active listening and diplomatic communication. DevOps engineers often lead meetings and manage schedule releases and reviews They need to identify issues and keep all team members and stakeholders updated on the progress of a problem which often involves explanations. They should show optimism when presenting solutions.

Lifelong learner

In an ever-evolving sector, strong DevOps engineer is constantly updating their skills and knowledge base. Experimenting with tools and coding systems is essential. Successful DevOps engineers welcome innovative approaches and solutions to problems and are keen to try out new developments to improve practices in technology.

Critical thinking

DevOps engineers are specialists in technical information and need critical thinking skills to come up with clear, rational solutions to complex problems. The role involves making critical decisions involving multiple perspectives and engineers must make effective decisions quickly based on their analyses.

 

FAQs on DevOps Engineers in Malta?

Q1. What educational requirements are required to become a DevOps Engineer?

To become a DevOps Engineer, you’ll generally need a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. Relevant IT experience is also valued in the industry.

Q2. What certifications are helpful in the sector?

The following certifications are well recognised in the sector:

  • Certified DevOps Engineer certification through AWS
  • DevOps Agile Skills Association
  • Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert

 

Have a look at our DevOps Engineer jobs in Malta

For more information on current DevOps Engineer jobs or salaries in Malta, feel free to download our latest IT Salary Survey.