7 DevOps Roles that Make a Team Successful

Key takeaways

DevOps is a process that brings together development and operations in order to deliver software (or another kind of product or service) faster and more efficiently. 

• A DevOps manager commands a median total salary of $142,000 [1].

• Each role on a DevOps team works concurrently to ensure the continuous delivery of a software product. 

• You can develop key DevOps skills through certifications and professional certificates to find your role on the team. 

Learn about the roles that you can find on most DevOps teams, as well as the salaries and skills for each position. If you’re ready to build in-demand DevOps skills, try the IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate to gain these core skills in as little as 6 months. 

DevOps roles and responsibilities

Traditionally, development and operations handle projects at different phases. A development team typically creates a product or service, and an operations team handles the business side of things, such as planning and production. Their work tends to be siloed and progresses in a more linear fashion. 

Under DevOps, these two major functions come together as a life cycle, which tends to involve four stages: planning, developing, delivering, and monitoring. Progress tends to be continuous, rather than linear, meaning that team members need to have an understanding of each stage because they often work concurrently with one another. 

What are DevOps roles? 7 to consider

Each company’s DevOps team will differ depending on its needs. But we’ve gathered together the roles you’ll most likely see when you work in DevOps. 

What are the 7 phases of DevOps?

The seven phases of DevOps include:

1. Continuous development

2. Continuous integration

3. Continuous testing

4. Continuous monitoring

5. Continuous feedback

6. Continuous deployment

7. Continuous operations

Read more: DevOps vs. CI/CD: What Is the Difference?

1. DevOps manager (DevOps evangelist)

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $142,000 [1]

Skills: Research, user experience, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, management/leadership, project management

Formally known as a DevOps manager, you’ll sometimes see this role referred to as a DevOps evangelist or even, at times, a DevOps engineer. (There are also cloud DevOps engineers who work exclusively on cloud-based applications.) A DevOps manager needs a strong understanding of both development and operations.

DevOps managers oversee the development of different software or apps, as well as the ongoing tasks that take place after deployment, such as updates. In addition to having the technical skills of a software engineer, this role typically involves a mix of project management and people management. 

2. Software developer

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $121,000 [2]

Skills: Programming (Python, Java, SQL), operating systems, debugging, problem-solving

Software developers use their training to create new software or update existing applications.

They’re an essential part of a DevOps team because they’re the team members building the product. They also may take on testing, deployment, and monitoring. 

3. Security engineer

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $166,000 [3]

Skills: Programming, research, management/leadership, problem-solving, communication 

Rather than wait until after a new product has been developed and built, security engineers typically work in conjunction with software developers. They ensure a product’s overall security by deploying tools and techniques to detect potential breaches and address them.

4. Automation architect

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $167,000 [4]

Skills: Project management, business management, IT, programming, communication

DevOps involves a good deal of automation, making an automation architect an integral role in this kind of team. They work to identify which processes can be automated so they can synthesize and streamline tasks. Often, they must have a firm understanding of both technology and business.

5. Solutions architect (DevOps architect) 

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $212,000 [5]

Skills: Programming, AWS, analytics, cloud, project management, solution design 

Solutions architects identify problems in current software or apps and then design solutions to address them. On DevOps teams, this role can sometimes be called a DevOps architect. Solutions architects may undertake performance analysis, debugging, and documenting best practices. 

6. QA tester (Experience assurance expert) 

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $76,000 [6]

Skills: Agile and automation testing, SQL, software development life cycle, critical thinking, communication

QA testers assess products to make sure they’re working properly before they’re deployed. On a DevOps team, their responsibilities can often broaden to include experience assurance, meaning they test a product’s features to make sure they work seamlessly together. 

7. Release manager (Product stability manager)

Median annual salary (Glassdoor): $186,000 [7]

Skills: Communication, risk assessment, project management, software development life cycle, programming, management/leadership

After software or an app has been tested and is ready to be released, a release manager (also known as a product stability manager) will oversee that process. They put together a plan and control the product’s deployment. This type of work requires a mix of project management and technical engineering skills. 

Important DevOps skills to develop

Working on a DevOps team requires an understanding of each phase of the DevOps life cycle, given the ongoing, iterative nature of the work. There are many DevOps certifications you can explore, including the IBM DevOps and Software Engineering Professional Certificate on Coursera. 

Depending on which role you’re interested in pursuing on a DevOps team, it will be important to build or strengthen certain technical skills. You can do so by enrolling in courses, Specializations, and Professional Certificates on Coursera, including in: 

• Coding

• Automating

• Cybersecurity

• Cloud fundamentals

• Testing

• User experience 

Explore free DevOps resources

Join our Career Chat newsletter on LinkedIn to get career insights, explore new skills, and find networking opportunities. Then, discover our free resources for DevOps:

• Watch on YouTube: Breaking Down SRE and DevOps: Which One Fits You Best?

•  Hear from a fellow learner: Meet the Software Engineer Looking to Be a More Competitive Job Candidate

• Take the quiz: Which DevOps Course Should You Take? Find Out in 1 Minute

Whether you want to develop a new skill, get comfortable with an in-demand technology, or advance your abilities, keep growing with a Coursera Plus subscription. You’ll get access to over 10,000 flexible courses. 

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