A DevOps engineer builds and runs the systems that take code from a developer's laptop to production and keep it running there. The work is mostly Linux, a cloud platform, containers, infrastructure as code, CI/CD pipelines and monitoring. Related titles are site reliability engineer (SRE), platform engineer and cloud engineer. The job suits people who like automating repeated work and fixing problems under pressure.

Step-by-step: how to get in

Entry-level DevOps roles are few, so the usual path goes through a nearby job first. The steps below follow that path.

1. Learn Linux and the command line. Processes, files and permissions, systemd, logs, SSH and package managers. Every later step depends on this.
2. Learn networking basics. IP addresses, DNS, HTTP and TLS, load balancers and firewalls. Many production problems are network problems.
3. Learn one scripting language. Bash for small tasks, and Python or Go for larger tools. You should be able to read and change application code too.
4. Learn Git and CI/CD. Build a pipeline in GitHub Actions or GitLab CI that tests, builds and deploys a small app.
5. Learn containers and Kubernetes. Write a Dockerfile, then run the app on a local Kubernetes cluster with kind or minikube. Learn deployments, services, config and secrets.
6. Pick one cloud and learn infrastructure as code. AWS, Azure and Google Cloud are all common. Create the network, compute and storage with Terraform, not by hand in the console.
7. Consider one certificate, as a study plan. The official options: - Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) from the Linux Foundation and CNCF: $445 (checked October 2026), 2 hours, performance-based tasks on a live cluster, valid for 2 years, one retake included. - AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional: $300 (checked October 2026), 180 minutes, 75 questions. AWS suggests 2 or more years of work with AWS environments.

The AWS exam is aimed at people who already work in the field. The CKA is a good target earlier, because you prove skill by doing tasks.

1. Get a job that touches operations. IT support, system administrator, NOC engineer, QA automation and backend developer are common starting points. Ask to own the deploy pipeline, the monitoring or the on-call rota. An internal move is often the shortest way to the title.

Entry level

At entry level you work on systems that others designed. You fix failed pipelines, update Terraform modules, add alerts, patch servers and take part in on-call with a senior engineer.

What employers ask for: Linux, Git, one scripting language, basic cloud and Docker, and some proof that you have automated something. A degree in computer science or a related field is common in requirements; BLS lists a bachelor's degree as typical entry education for its closest category.

What to learn next: Kubernetes in depth, monitoring with Prometheus and Grafana, and how to write a short incident report.

Mid level

At mid level you design and own parts of the platform. You build CI/CD for several teams, run Kubernetes clusters in production, and set up logging, metrics and alerts.

What changes: you work without close review, lead incidents, and care about cost and security as well as uptime. You talk to developers about how they ship code.

What to learn next: SLOs and error budgets, GitOps tools such as Argo CD, secrets management, and cloud cost control.

Senior and staff level

A senior DevOps or SRE engineer owns the platform for a product or a company. They set standards, choose tools, review others' work and mentor juniors. Staff engineers shape the platform strategy across teams, for example a shared internal developer platform.

What employers ask for: years of production experience, often with more than one cloud, large Kubernetes estates, security and compliance work, and a record of improving reliability.

What to learn next: platform design, capacity planning, disaster recovery, and how to explain trade-offs to leadership.

Differences by country

• United States: the largest market for DevOps and SRE roles, with many remote roles inside the country.
• United Kingdom and Germany: strong markets, often with security clearance or data protection rules in public sector and finance roles.
• India, Poland and Brazil: many roles are with consultancies or remote teams serving US and European clients. English and overlap with client working hours often matter as much as the stack.

Common mistakes

• Learning tools before basics. Kubernetes is hard to debug if you do not understand Linux and networking.
• Collecting certificates with no projects. A certificate without a working pipeline or cluster you can show does not convince employers.
• Clicking in the cloud console. Employers expect infrastructure as code. Build your projects with Terraform from the start.
• Ignoring monitoring. A system that runs is not enough. Show that you know when it breaks and why.
• Waiting for a junior DevOps opening. These are rare. Enter through support, sysadmin or development and move across.

FAQ

Can I become a DevOps engineer without a degree? Yes. Many employers list a degree, and BLS gives a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education for its closest category. In practice, hands-on experience with Linux, cloud and automation counts for more. A support, sysadmin or developer job is a common way to get that experience.

Which certificates matter for DevOps engineers? The most useful are one cloud certificate (AWS, Azure or Google Cloud) and the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) from the Linux Foundation and CNCF. The CKA is a hands-on exam, so it shows real skill. A certificate helps, but employers hire on experience.

How much does a DevOps engineer earn? The live block at the end of this guide shows current pay ranges from postings on RoleFalcon. For an official benchmark, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has no DevOps category. Its closest one, network and computer systems administrators, shows a median of $99,130 (May 2025, checked October 2026). DevOps roles often pay above this.

Are there entry-level DevOps jobs? Few. Most postings want a few years of experience in operations or development. Junior titles exist, but most people move in from IT support, system administration or software development.

Can a DevOps engineer work remotely? Often. The work happens in the cloud and in code, so remote and hybrid roles are common. On-call duty is part of many jobs, so check the hours.

What employers ask for right now

Seniority. The market wants experienced people. Mid and senior roles are the largest groups, and entry-level roles are rare.

Workplace. Remote and hybrid roles are both common. Some roles in finance and the public sector are onsite.

Pay. The block shows current pay ranges from postings that publish pay. For a wider official benchmark: the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has no separate DevOps category. Its closest one, network and computer systems administrators, shows a median pay of $99,130 in May 2025 (checked October 2026). BLS projects a 4% decline for that category in 2025–35, because much classic server work moves to the cloud and to automation, which is DevOps work.

Tools employers name. Kubernetes, Docker, Terraform and the three big clouds (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) are among the most named tools. CI/CD systems, Prometheus, Grafana, Ansible and Linux are also common.

Who hires. Software companies, banks, telecoms and many consultancies. Consultancies hire for client projects across several clouds.