Roland Votacion

Oct 315 min read

How to Hire DevOps Engineers: Key Skills and Best Practices

Hiring DevOps engineers can feel like a complex task, but it doesn’t have to be. With the rise of technology and businesses moving to digital platforms, DevOps engineers are the go-to experts ensuring your development and operations work seamlessly together.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to hire DevOps engineers and make the process simpler for your company.

If you're ready to hire DevOps engineers, understanding what they do and how to find the right ones for your team is key. Let’s break it down and make this whole process less intimidating—and maybe even a little fun.

Why You Need to Hire DevOps Engineers

Here’s the thing: DevOps engineers are in high demand, and for good reason. They help companies release software faster, with fewer hiccups, and keep systems reliable and scalable. If you’re aiming to improve efficiency, automate processes, or just make sure your apps don’t crash during peak traffic, a DevOps engineer is exactly who you need.

Whether you're a startup or a big enterprise, hiring the right DevOps talent can make all the difference in how quickly you deliver products and how smoothly everything runs behind the scenes.

Key Skills to Look for in a DevOps Engineer

Now that we agree DevOps engineers are basically tech superheroes, how do you find the right one for your team? Let’s talk about the skills they need to be successful:

1. Master of CI/CD Pipelines

CI/CD pipelines are the backbone of fast, reliable software deployments. A skilled DevOps engineer should be familiar with tools like Jenkins or GitLab to automate code testing, integration, and deployment. This automation is key to pushing updates without breaking anything.

2. Proficiency in Cloud Platforms

If your business is in the cloud (which it probably is), then your DevOps engineer needs to be fluent in platforms like AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure. Managing and scaling cloud infrastructure is a big part of the job, so you want someone who knows their way around.

3. Expertise in Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Let’s face it, manually setting up servers and infrastructure is so 2010. Today, it’s all about automating with Infrastructure as Code (IaC). Engineers who know tools like Terraform or Ansible can write code to manage and scale infrastructure automatically—no more late-night calls because the server’s down!

4. Container and Orchestration Skills

Containerization might sound like a fancy buzzword, but tools like Docker and Kubernetes are now core to DevOps work. A great DevOps engineer knows how to use containers to run apps smoothly, regardless of the environment. Bonus points if they can manage and orchestrate those containers like a pro.

5. Scripting and Automation Expertise

Automation is everything in DevOps, and scripting is what makes it happen. A good DevOps engineer should be proficient in scripting languages like Python or Bash to automate workflows and processes. If they’ve got this skill, they’ll save your team a lot of time and headaches.

6. Monitoring and Security Know-How

Deploying code is only half the battle—once it’s live, it needs to stay that way. Look for a DevOps engineer with experience in monitoring tools (think Prometheus or Grafana) and someone who understands security best practices. After all, nobody wants to deal with outages or cyberattacks.

Best Practices for Hiring DevOps Engineers

Now that we’ve covered the skills, it’s time to look at how to actually hire your dream DevOps engineer. It’s not just about finding someone with the right technical chops—you need someone who fits your company’s culture and is ready to roll up their sleeves.

1. Write a Clear Job Description

Step one: make sure your job description doesn’t sound like a textbook. Be specific about what the DevOps engineer will actually be doing day-to-day. List the skills and tools they need to know, but also include info about your company culture and what kind of challenges they’ll help solve.

2. Use Practical Assessments

Don’t rely solely on interviews. Set up a technical assessment to see how candidates handle real-world DevOps tasks. Have them build a simple CI/CD pipeline or troubleshoot a deployment issue. This will give you a better sense of how they think and work under pressure.

3. Assess Problem-Solving and Teamwork Skills

DevOps engineers don’t work in isolation—they’re constantly collaborating with developers, ops teams, and sometimes even the marketing team. Ask candidates about times they’ve solved problems under stress or worked with cross-functional teams. Good communication and problem-solving skills are just as important as their tech knowledge.

4. Industry Experience Matters

If your company is in a niche industry, like finance or healthcare, having a DevOps engineer with industry-specific experience can be a huge plus. They’ll already know the regulations and challenges you face, so they can hit the ground running.

5. Remote or On-Site?

Decide upfront whether you need someone on-site or if remote work is an option. Remote DevOps engineers open up your talent pool but make sure they’re comfortable working independently and have the right tools to stay connected with your team.

Where to Find the Right DevOps Engineer

Ready to hire? Here’s where you can start your search for DevOps engineers:

Job Boards: LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor—they’re all great options. Just make sure your job post includes your target keywords, like “hire DevOps engineers,” to stand out in searches. However, if you prefer a faster route to finding top talent, Dev Partners can connect you directly with experienced DevOps engineers, eliminating the need to post and wait.
DevOps Communities: GitHub, Stack Overflow, and dedicated DevOps job boards are treasure troves of DevOps talent. You’ll find engineers who are not only looking for work but are already active in the community. Alternatively, you can bypass the hunt altogether by working with Dev Partners, where we provide pre-vetted DevOps professionals ready to integrate into your team.
Recruitment Agencies: If you don’t want to spend hours sorting through resumes, consider using an agency that specializes in tech roles. Better yet, let Dev Partners do the heavy lifting. We specialize in staff augmentation and will help you find vetted DevOps engineers quickly and efficiently.

Recap: How to Hire DevOps Engineers

So, hiring DevOps engineers doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Focus on the skills that matter, like cloud experience, automation, and problem-solving. Use practical assessments to evaluate their abilities, and be clear about your expectations upfront. Remember, the right DevOps engineer can make your life easier and your systems more reliable.

Once you’ve nailed down the best practices, you’ll be ready to bring a DevOps expert onto your team and watch your operations soar.

Ready to streamline your hiring process and bring on the best DevOps talent? Contact us and see how Dev Partners can provide the expertise you need.