what does a DevOps developer do?

Seamlessly integrate business operations with development activities, and what do you get? DevOps developers (sometimes called “DevOps engineers” on job boards) — and as the name suggests, they’re all business. In fact, their primary goal is to increase the productivity of the workforce. And they have a ton of advanced tools, systems and platforms at their fingertips to help them do it, as the following high-level responsibilities should make clear.

What are the major work responsibilities for DevOps developers?

• supporting strategic projects and taking place in ongoing planning initiatives
• developing and deploying software and applications using multiple scripting languages
• providing guidance, advice and expertise on system options, risks, impacts and more
• carrying out complex cost-benefit analyses
• identifying and communicating operational requirements and development forecasts
• handling challenging code deployments across environments
• creating key performance indicators (KPIs), monitoring performance and calling out areas for improvement
• building, maintaining and monitoring key configuration standards
• leading development testing, deployment and configuration management
• supporting cloud computing initiatives and infrastructure

Zooming in a bit, daily tasks assigned to a DevOps developer could include:

• proactively collaborating with the DevOps team and other IT functions
• supporting or overseeing all aspects of build, deployment and configuration processes
• testing newly implemented designs as well as end-to-end system integrity
• building and testing automation tools to improve infrastructure provisioning
• working with software developers, system administrators and other stakeholders
• continually brainstorming new ideas and ways of improving
• soliciting feedback during testing stages
• overseeing the day-to-day management and administration of various projects
• generating various reports and analyses on an ongoing basis

how do you become a DevOps developer?

You should be aware that there could be a few barriers to entry if you’re thinking about launching a career as a DevOps developer. Let’s start with the following requirements, for example:

• a bachelor’s degree in computer science or engineering (not always required)
• master's degree in computer science or software engineering (not always required)
• comprehensive understanding of best practices for system security measures
• demonstrated mastery of business analysis techniques and strategy
• experience with software engineering, customer experience and more

Make sure you read the job description carefully before you apply. It’s the only way you’ll be able to distinguish between the “must-have” and the “nice-to-have” qualifications for candidates, or know if you’re going to be the right fit for a given role.

what are the key skills of a DevOps developer?

DevOps developers tend to have strong tech backgrounds, with a foundation in fairly diverse programming languages and platforms. Bear in mind, however, that these productivity pros also work with a host of cross-functional stakeholders all day, so relationship management and communication skills invariably come up big, too.

What other soft skills can help set DevOps developers apart?

• analytical and critical thinking skills
• strong verbal and written communication skills
• people management and interpersonal skills
• demonstrated leadership and team-building capabilities
• reporting and presentation abilities
• time management skills

Not 100 percent sure you’ve mastered the hard-versus-soft-skills distinction? Don’t sweat it. This article breaks down everything you need to know.

Plus, in the event that you need to secure a bit more relevant training in order to improve your overall readiness for the role, you should check out online courses like this one from Udemy, our learning partner and the world's largest online learning platform.

what's the pay rate for a DevOps developer?

Compensation can vary considerably, so the following is based on a combination of sources. Actual compensation will likely depend on your location, market, responsibilities, background and relative level of expertise.

Of course, anything over six figures per year probably shouldn’t be characterized as “low” when it comes to compensation — and that’s a testament to how in demand these pros are today. Be sure to check out our salary comparison tool, too, if you’re looking for more granular insights into salary. You can use it to help you understand pay rates for roles in any location or market.

key takeaways

At this point, you should be pretty well versed in what DevOps developers are up to on a daily basis, since we've walked you step-by-step through:

• what DevOps developers actually do
• training, experience and other requirements for this position
• key skills
• salary
• and more

Got it all? Good! Now, it's time for you to take action. And why not start by searching for highly in-demand DevOps developer positions near you today?