DevOps Lead

At Loka we use a modern tech stack to support meaningful projects across a huge range of industries. In the last year our teams have helped clients advance the world's #1 AI reading tutor, eliminate $1B in food waste and develop novel drugs for fighting cancer, all while enjoying every other Friday off. Join us, feed your need to grow and ship projects you believe in with a team you're proud to be a part of.

We're seeking a DevOps Lead to deploy, secure and maintain robust applications in production environments, mainly AWS. The ideal candidate will not only apply their technical brilliance but also take a leadership role in contributing positively to Loka's unique culture.

What You'll Do

• • Build and design cloud infrastructure (mainly AWS), leading projects from architecture through to implementation.

• • Lead high-complexity projects with high-priority clients, independently resolve critical technical issues and introduce innovative solutions that ensure long-term maintainability.

• • Shape technical strategies, anticipate future trends, align initiatives with key business outcomes and drive execution across teams.

• • May be brought into existing projects to resolve technical challenges or manage difficult client situations.

• • Recruit, onboard and develop talent - nurturing individual strengths, supporting career growth and creating the next generation of leaders.

• • Establish psychological safety, proactively monitor team engagement and independently mediate conflicts.

• • Lead regular one-on-ones, drive structured performance reviews and implement improvement plans where needed, including managing complex performance cases independently.

• • Proactively mentor senior engineers and manage teams, establishing best practices.

• • Assess change implementation options, evaluate benefits and risks, and recommend the most appropriate approach with minimal oversight.

• • Track key KPIs and align team workflows with broader strategic objectives.

• • Effectively lead high-pressure client engagements and ensure smooth cross-functional collaboration.

What You'll Bring

• Experience & Technical Skills

• • 5+ years of DevOps experience, including 3+ years leading a team.

• • Hands-on experience with serverless compute, scripting, AWS, Docker and Kubernetes.

• • Strong command of GitOps, CI/CD tooling and infrastructure-as-code (AWS CDK / Terraform / CDKTF).

• • NodeJS, TypeScript, Python and database administration are a plus.

• • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field.

• Leadership & Soft Skills

• • A track record of building high-performing, inclusive teams and developing talent at all levels.

• • Confidence managing budgets, KPIs and cross-functional stakeholder relationships.

• • Strong client interaction skills and the ability to lead high-pressure engagements calmly and effectively.

• • Autonomy, adaptability and a consistently positive presence on the teams you lead.

• Additional Requirements

• • Excellent English - we work entirely in English for meetings, client calls and business communications.

• • CV written in English.

• Personality Profile

• • Curious: Ambition to learn and grow into different industries with a modern tech stack.

• • Autonomous and positive: We're a fully remote, globally distributed team.

• • Team player: Enjoy a collaborative approach.

• • Adaptable: Operate with a startup mindset and move at a startup pace.

• • Empathetic: Lead with compassion.

Benefits

• • Every other Friday off (26 extra days off a year)

• • Remote-first culture

• • Explore and Relocation programs (three months work abroad or full international relo)

• • Paid sick days and local holidays

• • Business English classes program

• • Continuous Learning Support

• • Fitness and/or Mental Health Subscriptions

• • Access to LokaLabs™, our internal research and development program

• • Defined career path

• Your achievements matter to us! Ensure your CV, LinkedIn and GitHub profiles are up to date and accurately reflect your experience.