Leads a forward-deployed engineering team while delivering hands-on DevOps and SRE improvements. Responsibilities include automated testing, runtime and dependency upgrades, containerization, CI/CD, secure coding, secrets management, deployment automation, observability, logging, database automation, and resilient cross-datacenter architectures. The role is approximately 70% coding and configuration and requires coordination with development teams and global technology stakeholders.
Role Overview:
We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Lead Forward Deployed Engineer in Chennai to act as an evangelist for continuous integration, testing, and safe, automated deployments and to coordinate the activities of the regionally deployed FDE team. This is a practical DevOps and SRE role for a practitioner who leads by example to make change safe and easy for development teams. The position is roughly 70% coding and configuration.
- Conduct targeted engagements with development teams facing challenges getting to safe and rapid release cadence, or struggling with vulnerability resolution.
- Perform hands-on work including, but not limited to:
- Wrapping the application in a suite of well-designed tests, most of which can run locally, including smoke tests to be run as part of the deployment process.
- Sourcing and integrating appropriate test data, implementing data masking in lower environments
- Upgrading to supported runtimes (generally Java or NPM).
- Containerizing applications where feasible.
- Upgrading open-source libraries to their latest available major versions (e.g., migrating from Spring 2). Upgrading to the latest version of all dependencies, whether installed software, libraries, internal code, base images or operating system. Implementing processes that allow us seamlessly to stay current
- Implementing continuous library updates using Renovate.
- Introducing best practice source control and branch management
- Improving code review processes
- Ensuring best practice security patterns, secrets management, authentication and authorisation
- Simplifying and automating application deployment processes, including automated database changes with Liquibase and installed software with Ansible.
- Introducing standard observability patterns.
- Overhauling exception handling and logging.
- Implementing resilient hot-hot cross-datacenter deployment topologies.
Required Qualifications
- Several years of experience with Test-Driven Development (TDD) using multiple test frameworks.
- Really excellent understanding of the different approaches to automation testing and an ability to choose the best approach and drive outcomes with AI support
- Proficiency in JVM languages and optionally TypeScript.
- Highest quality coding skills
- An excellent understanding of safe practices for critical systems, including deployment architecture and observability
- At home with multiple continuous integration and deployment systems
- Excellent understanding of secure coding practices
- Competent with Docker and Openshift
- Actively embracing AI coding
- Comfortable with build automation tools such as Gradle, Maven, and npm.
- Competent with (RedHat) Linux
- Spring framework skills are advantageous.
- Ansible skills are advantageous
Recommended Qualifications:
- 12+ years of relevant experience
- Experience in applications development
- Experience in management
- Experience managing global technology teams
- Working knowledge of industry practices and standards
- Consistently demonstrates clear and concise written and verbal communication
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree/University degree or equivalent experience
- Master’s degree preferred
------------------------------------------------------
Job Family Group: Technology------------------------------------------------------
Job Family:Applications Development------------------------------------------------------
Time Type:Full time------------------------------------------------------
Most Relevant Skills Please see the requirements listed above.------------------------------------------------------
Other Relevant Skills For complementary skills, please see above and/or contact the recruiter.------------------------------------------------------
Citi is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified candidates will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.
If you are a person with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to use our search tools and/or apply for a career opportunity review Accessibility at Citi.
View Citi’s EEO Policy Statement and the Know Your Rights poster.
Citi Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IND Office
C P Ramaswamy Road, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, 600018
Similar Jobs
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • Analytics
Leads delivery of enterprise conversational AI platforms, including chatbots and voice bots. Oversees Agile execution, technical architecture, cloud-native engineering, CI/CD, Terraform, Responsible AI, and AI adoption. Partners with product, security, architecture, and business teams while managing risks and executive communication. Mentors engineers and technical leads, supports hiring and performance management, and ensures scalable, secure, compliant, and operationally excellent solutions.
Top Skills:
Agentic AiAmazon ConnectAmazon LexAWSAzureCcaasCi/CdConversational AiDevOpsDevsecopsFive9Generative AiGenesysGoogle AdkGCPGoogle DialogflowLlmsNiceNode.jsPythonRagShift-Left EngineeringTerraformTypescript
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • Analytics
Leads quality engineering for contact center, BOT, RPA, and enterprise applications. Owns test strategy, planning, automation, performance testing, deployment validation, release readiness, and post-release monitoring. Develops and maintains automated scripts, enhances testing frameworks, establishes QA governance and metrics, analyzes quality trends, and mentors QA teams. Collaborates with technical and business stakeholders while applying AI tools, CI/CD, and DevOps practices to improve quality and scalability.
Top Skills:
AIApi TestingBotC#Ci/CdCyaraDatabase TestingDevOpsIntegration TestingJavaJavaScriptPerformance TestingPythonRpaUi Testing
Automotive
Drives execution of complex, cross-functional transformation initiatives by managing project plans, schedules, risks, dependencies, and executive reporting. Coordinates teams across Quality, Engineering, Product Development, Manufacturing, and other functions; facilitates decision-making and accountability; applies project-management governance and tools; coaches employees on project practices; supports TMO operations; and improves transformation delivery processes.
Top Skills:
JIRAMicrosoft ProjectPlannerRallySmartsheet
What you need to know about the Chennai Tech Scene
To locals, it's no secret that South India is leading the charge in big data infrastructure. While the environmental impact of data centers has long been a concern, emerging hubs like Chennai are favored by companies seeking ready access to renewable energy resources, which provide more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. As a result, Chennai, along with neighboring Bengaluru and Hyderabad, is poised for significant growth, with a projected 65 percent increase in data center capacity over the next decade.
