Description

The primary assignment of the successful candidate will be the development and test environment for the ALMA Dataflow development projects. The environment supports software configuration management, continuous integration, regression testing and production of release packages for the science operations and the scientific users of ESO observatories. Finally, s/he will contribute to the Data Flow System application support activities, software configuration management issues, and to the continuous improvement of SCSEQ's development and test infrastructure. The work involves the following responsibilities:

Enable and optimize CI/CD practices to ensure reliable, automated software delivery.
Own and maintain development and test environments, ensuring stability, scalability, and reproducibility.
Drive automation across build, test, deployment, and release processes.
Embed quality controls and validation mechanisms into the delivery lifecycle.
Establish monitoring and observability practices to ensure system transparency and operational insight.
Implement fast feedback mechanisms that quickly surface build failures, performance degradation, and production risks.
Improve system reliability, performance, and operational efficiency.
Promote DevOps culture and best practices across development and QA teams.
 

Reports to: 

Head of Software Engineering and Quality Group in SCS/DoE.

Requirements

Key Competences and Experience: 

Proven experience as a Software Engineer, with a focus on QA and DevOps.Qualifications: 

Essential:

Strong expertise in CI/CD pipeline design and maintenance using tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps, including pipeline-as-code practices.
Proven experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for environment provisioning and configuration management.
Hands-on experience with configuration management and automated deployment tools, such as Ansible.
Solid experience with containerization and orchestration technologies, including Docker and Kubernetes
Experience designing and maintaining automated test frameworks, including: API testing (e.g., REST, Postman, Karate, REST Assured), UI test automation (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Playwright), Performance and load testing (e.g., JMeter, Gatling)
Proficiency in designing Integration and regression testing strategies for CI pipelines
Proficiency in implementing DevOps quality gates (static code analysis, security scanning, artifact versioning, test coverage enforcement).
Experience in software release management, versioning strategies and artifact repositories (e.g., Nexus, Artifactory).
Proficiency in scripting and automation (e.g., Shell, Python).
Proficiency with programming languages like Java or Python.
Experience with relational databases (Oracle, Sybase, PostgreSQL, or equivalent), including basic performance tuning and schema management.
Experience working in Agile/Scrum or SAFe environments, with iterative delivery and continuous testing practices.

Desirable:

Experience working with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), including networking, IAM, monitoring, and cost-aware architecture design.
Strong understanding of DevSecOps principles, including security testing, vulnerability management, and secure CI/CD practices.
Familiarity with virtualization and cloud-native environments, including VMware and container-based infrastructure.

Language Skills: 

Excellent command of the English language.